Apparently the first part of their journey had been over dry land but as they proceeded they ran into inland seas, no doubt left over from the Great Flood. In order to cross these many bodies of water, the Lord instructed the brother of Jared how to build barges which could be used not only to carry the men, women, and children across the water, but also the domestic breeding stock the Lord had told them to carry with them. The size of the barges must have been immense and we later learn they were patterned after the huge ark of Noah. The greatest accomplishment of this little body of immigrants was crossing a huge inland sea, and it is understandable why they may have thought their journey was over when they finally beached their barges on the other side. However the scripture says:
“And the Lord would not suffer that they should stop beyond the sea in the wilderness, but he would that they should come forth even unto the land of promise, which was choice above all other lands, which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people.”