Note 3 at Mk. 4:36: Mark states that Jesus was in the ship. Apparently, this was the ship that Jesus had sat in that afternoon when He taught the multitudes (Mk. 4:1).

Note 4 at Mk. 4:36: Mark's gospel is the only one to mention these "other little ships." They may have offered some of the multitude a better vantage point to hear and see Jesus as He taught from the ship (Mk. 4:1) than standing or sitting on the shore with the huge crowd.

After the multitude was sent away, it is implied that these other ships accompanied the one from which Jesus had taught as it began to cross the lake. If so, when the storm arose, many more lives were in danger than just Jesus and His apostles, and a far larger number of men may have witnessed Jesus stilling the storm than just that of His immediate circle of friends.