As in the time of Homer, everyone here was a merchant, and everyone was a warrior. A pirate. The ships were their summer homes. Far along the islands and coasts, their scouts collected the necessary information, not neglecting rumors if they seemed to them at least somewhat plausible and worthy of attention. Peaceful boats, and war boats too, rarely dared to leave the shore alone; coastal navigation was no safer here than in open waters.

The author, a specialist in historical geography, the history of shipbuilding and navigation, continues the conversation , begun in the book “Eupatrides of Fortune” (“Shipbuilding”, 1990), about the struggle for the title of ruler of the seas - this time in the Middle Ages, about medieval shipbuilding, seafarers, about their geographical and navigational knowledge, ships and routes. The book contains a lot of new interesting material about the Vikings, voyages in the northern seas, Columbus, etc. For those who are interested in the history of shipbuilding and the fleet.