Bede : And when we had fallen into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground. The place is called "bithalassum," bicursal, because the Greeks call the sea "thalassa." It signifies a stretch of land projecting into the sea and surrounded on both sides by the same sea dividing itself. — Commentary on Acts Bede : And the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was broken by the violence of the waves, etc. Thus this ship perished, not from a light run over the waves, but by being violently thrust into the bed of the sea itself, partly held by the ground, partly broken by the raging waves. Such indeed is the fate of a soul given to this world, which, neglecting to trample on the desires of the world, fixes the prow of its intention deeply into the earth, dissolving the entire structure of subsequent works by the waves of cares. But those who escape by fragments of this boat seek the land, as others act more cautiously by the examples of those perishing. — Commentary on Acts John Chrysostom : "And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmovable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves;" for when there is a strong wind, this is the consequence, the stern bearing the brunt of the storm. — Homily on Acts 53