Saint Malo
A seafaring saint finds an island Eden.
Saint Malo, in the 6th century, was a favorite disciple of Saint Brendan the Navigator. Together, they sailed the Atlantic Ocean, converting people on whichever islands they found themselves. Once, while they were at sea with no place to land for Easter Mass, a whale swam to the surface so they could celebrate on its back.
Another strange day, they came through a thick fog off the coast of Morocco to a paradisiacal island where no one has set foot since (though, some say you can see it, underwater, on Google Maps). They called it the Isle of the Blest. Relaxing among abundant fruit and crisp streams, Malo and Brendan thought they were staying for 15 days but, upon returning through that same fog, learned they’d been gone an entire year.