![]() ![]() On 5 June 1579, the ship briefly made first landfall at South Cove, Cape Arago, just south of Coos Bay, Oregon. By navigating well beyond where Cabrillo had asserted a Spanish claim, Drake sought to locate a discreet site at which the crew could prepare for the journey back to England. So, intending to avoid further conflict with Spain, Drake navigated northwest of the Spanish presence. Prior to Drake's voyage, the western coast of North America had only been partially explored in 1542 by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, who sailed for Spain. The Latin word Portus denotes a port or harbor within a river or estuary near its mouth, strictly correlating with the geography of Drake's Cove. Upon failing to locate the strait, Drake sought safe harbour to ready his ship, Golden Hind, before attempting a circumnavigation of the globe to return home.ĭrake's coastal exploration and claim The Hondius map The Vera Totius Expeditionis Navticae inset depicts Drake's encampment at New Albion, Portus Novas Albionis. Although Drake may have possibly reached a latitude as high as 48 degrees, his northward progress was ultimately stopped by foul weather in the northeast trade winds belt. The strait, a fanciful idea similar to the Fountain of Youth, was speculated to exist at about 40 degrees north. Īfter successfully taking considerable amounts of treasure from Spanish towns and ships along King Philip's eastern Pacific coast colonies, Drake sailed north to seek a shortcut back to England via the hypothetical Strait of Anián, a supposedly navigable shortcut connecting the Pacific and Atlantic. Even though Drake's actions would damage England's relations with Spain's King Philip II, Drake understood he could rely upon Queen Elizabeth's support. Gathering several investors, and likely with the backing of Queen Elizabeth I-which may have been in the form of a secret commission as a privateer-Drake embarked upon the voyage on 15 November 1577. As part of this, Sir Francis Drake developed a plan to plunder Spanish colonial settlements on the Pacific Coast of the New World. In the late 1500s, a cold war existed between England and Spain-one which involved religious differences, economic pressure, and emerging navigational and colonisation desires. The various avenues of research led to a National Historic Landmark designation by the United States Department of the Interior in October 2012 and a California Historical Landmark designation by California State Parks in October 2021.įurther information: Francis Drake's circumnavigation and Timeline of Francis Drake's circumnavigation Background In the 20th and 21st centuries, definitive evidence was gathered, particularly regarding Drake's contact with the Coast Miwok people and porcelain shards which were established to be remnants of Drake's cargo. Through the following centuries, various cartographers and mariners identified the area near Point Reyes as Drake's likely landing place. Over the years, numerous speculative sites along the North American Pacific coast were investigated as the area of Drake's New Albion claim. Sailing away on 23 July and leaving behind no colony, Drake eventually circumnavigated the globe and returned to England in September 1580. Naming the area Nova Albion, or New Albion, he claimed sovereignty of the area for Queen Elizabeth I, an act which would have significant long-term historical consequences. While encamped there, he had friendly relations with the Coast Miwok people who inhabited the area near his landing. He found it on 17 June 1579, when he and his crew landed on the Pacific coast at Drakes Bay in Northern California. Drake's landing site has been identified as Drake's Cove, which is part of Point Reyes National Seashore.ĭrake, after successfully sacking Spanish towns and plundering Spanish ships along their eastern Pacific coast colonies, sought safe harbour to prepare his ship, Golden Hind, for circumnavigation back to England. This claim became the justification for English charters across America to the Atlantic coast and soon influenced further national expansion projects on the continent. New Albion, also known as Nova Albion (in reference to an archaic name for Britain), was the name of the continental area north of Mexico claimed by Sir Francis Drake for England when he landed on the North American west coast in 1579.
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