The Brendan Voyage: An Introduction
The Brendan voyage is an expedition by a group of people to test if a leather boat could navigate through the Atlantic Ocean to America. The crew had set out to ascertain the truth if Irish monks reached America before the Vikings by a real experiment. Also, these expedites wanted to venture into the waters where very few yachts wished to enter.
Chapter Thirteen: Recap of Earlier Occurrences
Chapter thirteen of the book The Brendan Voyage contains a summary of occasions that happened in the earlier episodes. Section thirteen acts as the conclusion of the book since it mentions events in previous segments like the encounter with the sea ice, meeting captain Eavis, the island of smiths, the promised land, how the voyage got back to Ireland, the death of Saint Brendan and the prominence of the feudal expertise.
Encounter with Sea Ice
Chapter thirteen carries on the events of the earlier sections first by describing the encounter with sea ice in their navigation which the orator narrated in chapter one. The narrator explains how they came to realize the iceberg, paddled with the Curragh to the natural curvatures and fissures of the ice that was around the iceberg. The presence of the iceberg was significant because it made the voyagers understand that they were using the northerly trans-Atlantic route and not the southern way. The southern course did not have any icebergs.
Meeting Captain Eavis
Additionally, the author reports the meeting of captain Eavis who run into the Brendan as he was looking at the iceberg. The captain fascinated, praised the Brendan team for using their old boat to move around the ice. Also, Episode eleven records a Mirfak’s radio reporter saying that he needed to take down in writing the fact that there was a leather boat that was performing an archaeological experiment to establish if the Irish monks got to America before the Vikings. The captain in the same chapter is astonished how the little boat was able to go through the beating weather between Iceland and Greenland.
The Peck Ford Island and the Successful Journey
The other event in that chapter was that Brendan got to the Peck ford island outside Wadhan group which is some miles north of Newfoundland after fifty days in the water. At first, some people had feared that the boat would disintegrate before crossing the Atlantic Ocean however the ship remained intact. The ship had brought them throughout the gales of the ocean and throughout the two seasons across the Atlantic Ocean. Therefore Brendon demonstrated that the journey could be made possible using the feudal expertise.
The Island of Smiths and Volcanic Iceland
Furthermore, the section recounts of the incidents of the island of smiths and the blazing mountain and as an account volcanic Iceland. In chapter nine the occurrence of the isle of smiths the writer recounts, "as we were sailing along with it, a stone's throw away we heard the sound of bawls blowing similar thunder and the clunk of hummers on iron and anvil." Additionally, the same part nine accounts for the presence of the volcanic action that occurred a little distance from the island of smiths. Moreover, the part nine express how the narrator and the companions meet a school of whales and several birds as they sailed on. The narrator tells of the story of the whales in section ten where the author records "when were still inside the circle of Faxafloi By off Reykjavik a school of minke whale surfaced and blew around us." Through the episode, we learn that Brendan had produced solutions to the Navigation's mysteries including the behavior of the whales that came to inspect the leather boat. In unit ten, the author records "when were still inside the circle of Faxafloi By off Reykjavik a school of minke whale surfaced and blew around us." The author explained this puzzle using the famous tale of Jasconius the approachable 'great fish' who went back to Brendan's boat again and again.
The Promised Land and the Island of Monasteries
Again, episode thirteen goes on to describe the Promised Land and some of the events that took place there to leave the readers in a good position. The Promised Land is a physical place but not fictional place any more than the paradise of birds, the island of sheep, the island of smiths and the island of the monastery. The island of the monasteries is a tale in part six that states that the crew reached a place named Saint Ailbe's island. The company met an old man who bowed and hugged each of the voyagers and took the visitors to the monastery. However, the white-haired old man did not answer the visitors since they followed the rule of silence. The writer confirmed beyond any doubt that the Brendan reached the Promised Land.
Exploring the Promised Land
The narrator explains how the narrator like Brendan and his fellow monks reached the Promised Land they found many trees of fruit as though it was autumn. Whereby, Saint Brendan and his company got out of the boat and after moving around the land, the night did not appear. They collected many fruits, drank water from the springs and went on venturing the area for forty days. However, after the forty days, they did not manage to reach the end.
The Journey Back to Ireland
Additionally, the chapter carries us forward where Brendan and his company set back to Ireland their native land to finish their expedition. On their way through the fog, they get to an island of Delights. People of that island receive Brendan and the rest with hospitality for three days. Brendan has an explanation of how they used the direct route to get back home. They sailed to Gulf Stream, and the southwesterly winds blew across the Atlantic and went directly to Ireland.
Return to Ireland and Brendan's Death
The section also, describes how the voyages get back to Ireland and Brendan’s death. In the monastery, folks welcome Brendan joyfully and he tells of all the things he could recall about the expedition. Brendan also informed people about the miracles and wonders God had done during their voyage. The section goes on to discuss on how Brendan told his followers that he was almost vanishing. He put his undertakings in order and invigorated with reparations of church rested on the hands of the followers and offered his soul to Divinity.
Brendan's Legacy
Jim leaves us in a good position when goes on to explain that the voyages did not end with the death of Saint Brendan. Severin points out that Brendan was not the first person to get to Promised Land because he had been informed about the land by another Irish monk, saint Barrind who had visited the place already. Tim provides a definite conclusion by indicating that the picture of Promised Land is similar to the image found in the Norse sagas by Dicuil. Tim, earlier on in section 7 'the island of the sheep' had mentioned that; in 825 an educated chronicler called detail had assembled a geographical book since he wanted to put down every land as designated by the ancient human beings. He wrote about the various islands with authority since he had visited some, lived in some and talked to the Irish priests in the islands. Other recent sources have also featured Promised Land. That place has been settled by small groups of Irish monks who moved in small boats along the north Atlantic area.
Appreciating the Medieval Period
Moreover, Jim has led us to appreciate the medieval periods using the narration of the Brendan voyage. He describes the need to balance the scientific information for example about flax and oak-bark leather. He has included the need to understand the significance of the winds, seaway states, and leeway. Brendan had proved to be of the same quality to its present match and sometimes much better that the current equipment when exposed to very harsh weather conditions. Also, the kind of food the seafarers took during their expedition were better that the modern day dehydrated foods. Severin, includes the fact that most people appreciate the story of the Brendan as a fictional story and not a real one but likes to confirm that indeed the Brendan voyage was a real story and not just fiction. Jim has also highlighted that archaeologists are very crucial in getting the facts about historical events. The episode has woven the strands of the events during the time of Saint Brendan, the narrator’s adventures and the significance of primitive expertise to a rope of knowledge.
A Farewell to the Promised Land
Finally, the orator, concludes by demonstrating how the people of the Promised Land welcomed them. The voyagers attended the celebration with the people in the new land. The voyagers had to finally go back to their daily lives. However, the narrator kept on asking himself if he could go back to the journey and he confirmed that as long if going back to the voyage would make people understand, increase their appreciation of the ancient he will go back.
Conclusion
Section thirteen acts as the conclusion of the book since it mentions the events in earlier parts like the encounter with the sea ice, meeting captain Eavis, the island of smiths, the promised land, how the voyage got back to Ireland, the death of Saint Brendan and the prominence of the feudal expertise. It is significant to appreciate our past and learn from it. Some of the past experiences may look naive but they are essential in our lives.
