en_tn_condensed/act/27/16.md

We sailed along the lee of a small island

"We sailed on the side of the island where the wind was not so strong"

a small island called Cauda

This island was located on the south coast of Crete. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names)

lifeboat

This is a smaller boat that is sometimes pulled behind the ship, and sometimes it was brought onto the ship and tied down. The smaller boat was used for various reasons, including escaping from a sinking ship.