Drake Navigators Guild facts for kids

The Drake Navigators Guild is a group of history detectives! They use many different ways to study Francis Drake's famous visit to the west coast of North America in 1579. They also look into other sea explorations from that time.

This group started in 1949. Their research strongly supports the idea that Drake's landing spot, which he called "Nova Albion", was at Drakes Bay, California. The Guild has even found the exact spot within the Bay where Drake's ship was repaired.

How the Guild Started

The Drake Navigators Guild began in 1949 as a casual group of historians and sailors. They officially became a non-profit organization in 1954.

Studying History in Many Ways

The Guild believes in working with experts from many different fields to understand Drake's travels. These experts help figure out where he landed and what he saw. Some of the areas they study include:

• Archaeology: Digging up old things to learn about the past.
• Botany: Studying plants.
• Cartography: Making and studying maps.
• Geology: Learning about rocks and the Earth's structure.
• Marine Biology: Studying sea life.
• Navigation: How sailors find their way.
• Native American Studies: Learning about the first people of the land.

Archaeology: Digging for Clues

The Guild did their own archaeological digs in the Drakes Bay area from 1951 to 1961. Later, they continued these digs with Santa Rosa Junior College until the 1980s. They hoped to find objects that would prove Drake's landing spot.

Biology: Animals Drake Saw

Drake's historical records mention animals he saw. The Guild has looked into these. For example, Drake wrote about "strange kind of Conies" with "the tail of a Rat, being of great length." This description helped identify the animal as the Botta Pocket Gopher. They also studied mentions of elk.

Botany: Plants Drake Saw

The records from Drake's California landing also talk about plants. The Guild has studied these, including a plant described as "Herbe Much Like Our Letcuce."

Cartography: Reading Old Maps

The Guild has deeply studied old maps related to Drake's landing. This includes the Jodocus Hondius map and many other maps that show Drakes Bay. These maps help them understand what the area looked like long ago.

Chinese Ceramics: Ancient Pottery Clues

The Guild has done a lot of work on old Chinese porcelain found at Drakes Bay. They also studied pottery from other ships, like Cermeño's. This research has clearly shown that two different sets of pottery were found at Native American sites in Drakes Bay. This helps historians understand trade and visits from different ships.

Geology: The Land's Story

The Guild and its partners have explored the geology of the Pacific coast. In Marin County, California, where Drakes Bay is, the land is very different. The famous white cliffs there were moved north by the San Andreas fault over millions of years.

Hydrography: Understanding the Water

The Guild has also studied the sands at Drake's Cove and the general water conditions of the Pacific coast. The sea levels haven't changed much since Drake's visit. A sand spit shown on an old map (the Hondius Broadside map) has been studied. It appears and disappears in cycles, showing up again in 1952 and 2001.

Finding Drake's Cove

The Guild believes that Matthew Dillingham's photos from November 22, 1952, were a big help. These photos were key to figuring out the exact spot where Drake landed.

Marine Expeditions: Exploring by Sea

Drakes Bay's white cliffs seen from USS Wiltsie in the 1970s

The Guild has helped organize several ocean studies of the Drakes Bay area. Since Drake discovered the landing site by sea, it's important to see it as he and his crew did. One trip in the 1970s was on the USS Wiltsie (DD-716). A more recent trip happened on September 11, 2009.

Navigation: Drake's Journey

Drake sailed 1,500 miles north from Guatulco, Mexico, looking for a shortcut through North America. He ran into bad weather and turned east, finding land at Coos Bay, Oregon, on June 5, 1579. 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.

Recognitions: Marking History

The Guild worked with the English Navy to mark Drake's landing site in 1954. Another plaque was put up in 1979 to celebrate 400 years since the landing. The Guild also helped mark Drake's first landing in Oregon. They also led the effort to make Drake's Cove a National Historic Landmark in 2012 and a California Historical Landmark in 2021.

Other Important Discoveries

The Guild has also researched other topics related to Drake, including his first landing spot, the mystery of the Plate of Brass, and "Drake's Cup." They also studied Sebastian Rodriguez Cermeño's shipwreck in Drakes Bay in 1595.

Drake's First Landing Spot

The Guild has researched and identified Drake's first North American landing at Coos Bay, Oregon. This site was recognized as an Oregon landmark in 1977. It also confirms that Drake later spent five weeks in California.43°18′15″N 124°23′57″W / 43.304291°N 124.399177°W / 43.304291; -124.399177 (Drake landfall monument)

Drake's Plate of Brass: A Famous Fake

Drake's Plate of Brass is mentioned in old stories about Drake's visit to California. A metal plate found in 1936 was thought to be real until 1977. Studies then showed it was a modern fake! It was made and hidden in 1936 by members of a fun historical society called E Clampus Vitus. The letters ECV were even painted on the back, only seen with special light.

“Drake’s Cup”: A Historical Mystery

This is a bronze mortar from the Episcopal Church in Novato, California

The item called “Drake’s Cup” is a bronze mortar (a bowl for grinding things) with the date 1570 on it. It hung in a church in Marin County, California for many years. People called it “Drake’s Cup” for decades. In the early 1970s, the Guild studied it closely. They found that it is a real item from the 1500s, made in Nurenberg. However, there's no proof that it was ever with Drake during his California visit.

Sebastian Rodriguez Cermeño: Another Shipwreck

The Guild has also researched Sebastian Rodriguez Cermeño's ship. His ship anchored and later 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 that was thought to be from Drake
• New Albion
• Drake in California