Raising the sail of the Phoenicia delays – a problem that was unavoidable for a ship that depends on the power of the wind. Only one of the hardships that had to be endured by the crew working and living in the confines of such a small vessel. Along the way, the Phoenicia made stops at many ports, where the arrival of the ship brought much interest from the local people, and raised new awareness of the achievements of the Phoenicians, ancient masters of the sea. The ship visited ports in Egypt, Yemen and South Africa, among many others. The crew of up to 20 people was rotated for various parts of the voyage. In total, more than 50 people joined as crew on the ship, coming from all parts of the world.
The ship passed through the Straits of Gibraltar to re-enter the Mediterranean for the last part of the voyage – the homecoming. There were triumphant scenes when the ship arrived in the ports of Tripoli and Beirut in Lebanon, the homeland of the Phoenicians. The circumnavigation was complete when the ship returned to Arwad, where it had been built, in October 2010. Captain Beale had proved that it was possible – after a voyage that lasted two years and two months, sailing more than 20,000 nautical miles. But it was not the end of the adventure. In June 2012 the Phoenicia sailed to Britain, following the ancient trade route which the Phoenicians made for tin. The ship stopped at