Chapter 9
The Curse of the SeaThe twenty-two boats were readied, loaded with warriors and supplies and then they took to sea. The majority of those aboard were making their first ever voyage in such a vessel and for many, it was the first time they had even seen the sea, which was evident from the many warriors sitting on the beach staring in awe.
Each boat was made from oak and carried a single sail. For the most part, they had both high prows and sterns and were crafted for coastal waters, not to survive long voyages and heavy seas. A middle section was lower to accommodate rows of oarsmen, which was necessary to give the boats more power and allowed them to be more manoeuvrable within strong tides and river systems. The sails were heavy, made of flax and hemp fibre and it was necessa
