Williamstown, Kentucky
It is October 10 and we are at Williamstown, Kentucky which is the location of "The Ark". It is the largest self-standing timber frame structure in the world. It is built to the dimensions noted in The Bible for the Ark Noah built. It is 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high.
When you think of Noah's Ark, you probably think about God and the flooding of the whole earth and this boat being used to save a pair of animals of every type.
What didn't cross my mind was the size of boat needed, the number of animals on the boat, the amount of fresh water, feed for animals, food for humans, cages, sleeping quarters for Noah's family, ventilation of a structure filled with animals (think of the ammonia smell), waste both fecal and urine, feeding that many animals, cleaning the cages and exercising animals. This lasted a year, but they prepared for more.
Feed for Animals
Living Arrangement
Daily Chores
Worship, Work, and Storage
Other Thoughts
One cow needs 35 gallons of water per day which is 12,775 gallons for the year. There were approximately 6,744 animals on the ark all needing water. Also, water for Noah's family and cleaning was necessary. Using an average of 5,000 gallon of water per animal for the year, you would need almost 34 million gallons of water for the journey. The collection, storage, and filtration system had to be impressive. Then add to this the feed for the animals. If you used an average of 5 pounds of food per day per animal, you would need 13 million pounds of feed. The food for the family was another requirement. The collection and disposal of all the urine and fecal material would be critical. The ammonia levels would be hard to imagine so an air circulation system for a multi-story boat structure would be necessary.
Would caged animals have to be exercised? I would think that would be necessary for good health, and the cages would need to be cleaned daily.
Noah and his family had plenty of work to do every day. An automated feeding system would still need to be replenished as well as a water source being restocked. All of this without computers. If any youth of today had been on this journey, they would be singing that old familar tune: "Gloom, despair and agony on me. Deep dark depression, excessive misery."