The world of Jewish seafaring from Noah's voyage through the Diaspora of late antiquity is recreated in this book. The author beigns with the story of the deluge that is found in Genesis and profiles Noah, the father of all shipbuilders and seafarers. The sea, according to Patai's interpretation, can be seen as an image of the manifestation of God's power, and he reflects on its role in legends and tales of early times. He shows how Jewish seafaring had its own culture and how it influenced the cultures of Mediterranean life as well.