Drake Navigators Guild facts for kids
The Drake Navigators Guild is a group of people who love history and exploring. Since 1949, they have been researching Francis Drake's famous visit to the west coast of North America in 1579. They use many different ways to study his journey.
The Guild believes that Drake's landing spot, which he called "Nova Albion", was at Drakes Bay, California. Their work builds on what other historians and explorers have found. They have even found the exact spot where Drake's ship was repaired, called Drake's Cove, inside the Bay.
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How the Guild Started
The Drake Navigators Guild began in 1949 as a casual group of historians and sailors. It officially became a non-profit organization in 1954. This means it's a group that works for a cause, not for money.
Studying History in Many Ways
The Guild believes it's important to get help from experts in many different fields. These experts help them understand Drake's travels and where he landed. They study things like:
- Archaeology: Looking for old objects buried in the ground.
- Botany: Studying plants.
- Cartography: Making and studying maps.
- Geology: Learning about rocks and the Earth's surface.
- Hydrography: Studying water, especially for navigation.
- Navigation: How sailors find their way.
- Native American studies: Learning about the first people in the area.
- And many more!
Archaeology: Digging for Clues
The Guild did their own archaeological digs in the Drakes Bay area. This happened from 1951 to 1961. Later, from 1961 into the 1980s, they continued digging with Santa Rosa Junior College. They hoped to find objects that would prove Drake was there.
Biology: Animals Drake Saw
Drake's old records mention animals he saw. The Guild has studied these mentions. For example, Drake wrote about "strange kind of Conies" with "the tail of a Rat." The Guild believes this was the Botta Pocket Gopher. They also looked into mentions of elk.
Botany: Plants Drake Found
Drake's records from California also talk about plants. The Guild has looked at these descriptions. They even identified a plant Drake called "Herbe Much Like Our Letcuce."
Cartography: Maps of Drake's Journey
The Guild has deeply studied old maps related to Drake's landing. This includes the Jodocus Hondius map. Many other maps also show Drakes Bay, which helps their research.
Chinese Ceramics: Old Pottery Clues
The Guild has done a lot of work on old Chinese pottery found at Drakes Bay. They also studied pottery from another explorer, Cermeño. Their research shows that two different sets of pottery were found at Native American sites in Drakes Bay. This helps them understand the history of the area.
Geology: The Land's Story
The Guild and its partners have studied the geology of the Pacific coast. The northern coast has hard volcanic rocks. But in Marin County, California, the land is very different. Here, the San Andreas fault has moved white cliffs hundreds of miles north over millions of years.
Hydrography: Water and Sand
The Guild has also studied the sands at Drake's Cove and the water conditions. The sea levels haven't changed much since Drake's visit. A sand spit, shown on an old map, disappears and reappears. It was seen again in 1952 and 2001.
Finding Drake's Cove
The Guild credits Matthew Dillingham's photos from November 22, 1952. These photos were a big help. They allowed the Guild to find the exact spot where Drake landed.
Marine Expeditions: Seeing it from the Sea
The Guild has helped organize several ocean studies of the Drakes Bay site. Since Drake discovered the landing site from the sea, it's important to study it that way too. In the 1970s, they visited the site aboard the USS Wiltsie (DD-716). A more recent trip was in 2009.
Drake sailed 1,500 miles north from Guatulco, Mexico. He was looking for a passage called the Strait of Anian. He ran into bad weather and turned east. On June 5, 1579, he found land at Coos Bay, Oregon. The Guild has studied this site. It took Drake 15 days to sail 400 miles south to Nova Albion. The Guild has looked closely at how he navigated this part of his trip.
Honoring Drake's Landing
The Guild has helped mark Drake's landing site. In 1954, they worked with the English Navy to place a marker. Another plaque was put up in 1979 for the 400th anniversary. The Guild also supported marking Drake's first landing in Oregon.
The Guild also helped make Drake's Cove a special place. It became a National Historic Landmark in 2012. It was also named California Historical Landmark #1061 in 2021.
Other Discoveries and Research
The Guild has also worked on other mysteries related to Drake. These include his first North American landing, a famous "Plate of Brass," and a bronze "Drake's Cup." They also studied a shipwreck from 1595.
Drake's First Landing in North America
The Guild has researched and identified Drake's first North American landing. This was at Coos Bay, Oregon. The Oregon Historical Society and Oregon State Parks recognized this site in 1977. They also noted that Drake later spent five weeks in California.43°18′15″N 124°23′57″W / 43.304291°N 124.399177°W
Drake's Plate of Brass: A Famous Fake
Drake's Plate of Brass is mentioned in old stories about Drake's California visit. A plate found in 1936 was thought to be real for many years. But in 1977, studies showed it was a modern fake. A group created and hid the plate in 1936. The letters "ECV" were painted on the back, only seen with special light.
“Drake’s Cup”: Not What it Seemed
The "Drake's Cup" is a bronze mortar with the year 1570 carved into it. It hung in a church in Marin County, California for many years. People called it "Drake's Cup" for decades. In the 1970s, the Guild studied it closely. They found that it was a real 16th-century item from Nurenberg. But there is no proof that it ever belonged to Drake or was with him in California.
Sebastian Rodriguez Cermeño: Another Shipwreck
The Guild has also researched Sebastian Rodriguez Cermeño. He was another explorer whose ship wrecked in Drakes Bay in 1595. The Guild has worked with the San Agustin Institute of Marine Archaeology on this.
See also
- Drake's Plate of Brass, a fake plate thought to be from Drake
- New Albion, the name Drake gave to the land he claimed
- Drake in California, more about Drake's time in California
