Fringe theories on the location of New Albion facts for kids

In 1577, the famous English explorer Sir Francis Drake began an amazing journey, sailing all the way around the world. This trip, called a circumnavigation, lasted until 1580. In 1579, during this voyage, Drake landed on the west coast of North America. This landing has puzzled many experts and history fans for centuries. Everyone wants to find the exact spot Drake called "New Albion." Today, most people agree that Drake's 1579 landing at New Albion happened at Drake's Cove in Drakes Bay, Marin County, California. However, over twenty other ideas for Drake's landing spot have been suggested, stretching from Alaska all the way down to Baja California Sur, Mexico.

What Are Fringe Theories?

Fringe theories are ideas that are very different from what most experts or people believe. They are not the main opinion, nor are they held by a small, respected group. A financial journalist named Alexander Davidson once said that fringe theories are "peddled by a small band of staunch supporters." But he also noted that these ideas are not always wrong.

The Accepted Landing Site

A National Historic Landmark in California that remembers Sir Francis Drake, Sebastian Rodriguez Cermeño, and the Coast Miwok people.

Several official groups in the United States agree that Francis Drake landed in Marin County, California. This spot, called Drake's Cove, is part of a National Historic Landmark known as the Drakes Bay Historic and Archeological District. The State of California also recognizes Drake's landing there as a California Historical Landmark.

Both the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and the Coast Miwok Tribal Council of Marin agree that the Coast Miwok people first met Europeans when Sir Francis Drake arrived. This meeting was a very important moment in history.

Other Ideas for Drake's Landing

Many people have suggested other places where Drake might have landed. More than twenty different locations have been put forward as the true site of Drake's port. Some writers believe that Queen Elizabeth I wanted to keep Drake's discoveries in the North Pacific a secret. They think this led to false information being spread about his journey. However, after Drake helped defeat the Spanish Armada in 1588, there was no longer a need for such secrecy. Michael Turner, who has visited many Drake sites, says that the old records are actually very accurate.

Let's explore some of the other suggested locations, moving from north to south along the coast.

Alaska Landing Spots

Some theories suggest Drake's New Albion was somewhere along the coast of Alaska.

Devil's Cove

Donald and Charlene Viles thought that Drake fixed his ship at Devil's Cove, Alaska.

Prince William Sound

Laird Nelson suggested that Drake sailed as far north as Prince William Sound, Alaska. He believed Drake then turned south and anchored at Birch Bay, Washington.

Stephens Passage

Samuel Bawlf mapped Drake's journey going as far north as the Stephens Passage in Alaska. Bawlf thought Drake set up New Albion at Comox Bay (in British Columbia) and repaired his ship, the Golden Hind, at Whale Cove (in Oregon).

British Columbia Landing Spots

Several ideas place Drake's New Albion along the coast of British Columbia.

Victoria, Vancouver Island

In 2013, a metal detector user found an English coin from the 1550s near Victoria, British Columbia. While interesting, experts say that finding a single coin does not prove Drake landed there.

Comox Bay, Vancouver Island

In 2003, R. Samuel Bawlf suggested that Drake's New Albion was Vancouver Island. He believed Drake put up a sign at what is now Comox, British Columbia. Bawlf thinks the official records of Drake's trip were changed to hide how far north he really went. He also looked at old maps that showed New Albion much farther north than California.

However, many experts disagree with Bawlf's ideas. Edward Von der Porten calculated that Bawlf's theory would mean the Golden Hind traveled too fast for its time. Also, Bawlf's theory does not explain the white cliffs, the Islands of St. James, or the meeting with the Coast Miwok people mentioned in Drake's accounts.

Foul Bay, Vancouver Island

In 2013, Bob Graham suggested Drake landed at Foul Bay, at the southern tip of Vancouver Island.

Boundary Bay

Around 1995, Will Paulik, a local historian, suggested Drake landed at Boundary Bay, northeast of Point Roberts, Washington.

Washington Landing Spots

Some theories place Drake's New Albion along the Washington coast.

Birch Bay, Washington

Fisherman Laird Nelson proposed that Drake sailed a very long distance from Mexico and then south through the Inside Passage to Birch Bay. He claims Drake's ship, the Pelican, sank here. However, Nelson's distances and speeds for Drake's journey are much greater than what historical records suggest.

Lummi Bay, Washington

Nelson also suggested that after losing his main ship, Drake moved another ship, the Los Reyes, to Lummi Bay to repair it.

Sandy Point, Washington

Nelson believed Drake's second stop was at Sandy Point, part of Lummi Bay. He claims Drake carved a "monument" into a cliff face here, showing King Henry VIII and his wife.

Strait of Juan de Fuca

Robert Ward suggested that Drake went as far north as the Strait of Juan de Fuca. He believed Drake then traveled south to Whale Cove (in Oregon) to repair his ship and establish New Albion. The Strait of Juan de Fuca is the only easy way to reach Comox Bay from the sea.

Oregon Landing Spots

Several theories suggest Drake's New Albion was along the Oregon coast.

Nehalem Bay, Oregon

In 1971, Don Viles and Wayne Jensen suggested Drake landed at Nehalem Bay. Garry Gitzen continues to support this idea. Gitzen claims that old maps, local Native American culture, and rock carvings prove Drake landed here. He believes the "Islands of Saint James" mentioned in Drake's accounts are actually the Three Arch Rocks near Nehalem Bay.

Whale Cove, Oregon

In 1978, Bob Ward, a British historian, suggested Drake landed much farther north, at Whale Cove. He noted that when Captain James Cook saw the American coast later, he called it "the long-looked for coast of New Albion." Whale Cove is just north of where Cook first saw the land.

Ward and others argue that Drake might have lied about the exact latitude of his landing to trick the Spanish. While official accounts say 38 degrees north, some handwritten records say 44 degrees, which is on the Oregon coast. They believe Drake thought he found the Northwest Passage when he sailed into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Melissa Darby also supports the idea of a Whale Cove landing. However, Whale Cove is a very dangerous bay and not considered safe for ships of any size.

Oregon Dunes, Oregon

The Drake Navigators Guild believes Drake first found land at the Oregon Dunes. They noted that this area had mysterious "snow" even when it was warm, similar to what Captain George Vancouver saw in 1792.

South Cove, Oregon

South Cove, Oregon, is thought to be the "bad bay" Drake described, where he anchored but could not land or fix his ship. This site was recognized as an Oregon landmark in 1977.

Port Orford, Oregon

Brereton reported that local people in the past suggested Drake landed at Port Orford, Oregon.

Chetco River, Oregon

Brereton also mentioned that local people believed Drake landed at the Chetco River in Oregon.

California Landing Spots

Many theories place Drake's New Albion along the California coast.

Trinidad Bay, California

In 1926, Henry Wagner suggested that Drake landed at Trinidad Bay because it was the first suitable spot he would have found.

Albion, Mendocino County, California

In 1989, Rex Whipple, after ten years of research, announced his belief that Drake landed at Albion Cove, Albion, California.

Bodega Bay, California

Many people have suggested that Drake entered Bodega Bay. In the 19th century, even Alexander von Humboldt, a famous explorer who had never been to California, thought Bodega Bay was the spot. In 1894, Edward Berthould wrote in National Geographic that the area's geography seemed to point to Bodega Bay as Drake's landing site.

Bob Graham has studied Drake's reported latitudes. He suggests that if Drake's measurements were averaged, Bodega Bay might be a more likely spot than Drakes Bay.

Campbell Cove, Bodega Bay

Brian T. Kelleher believes Drake repaired his ship at Campbell Cove in Bodega Bay.

Inner Bodega Bay

John W. Dwinelle suggested Drake fixed his ship in the northern part of Bodega Bay. He thought the "white cliffs" were sand dunes. However, this harbor is not deep enough for a ship like the Golden Hind.

Tomales Bay, California

Sand Point

A location just inside the entrance to Tomales Bay, behind Sand Point, has been suggested as Drake's landing site.

Tom's Point

Historian Robert Becker found a spot at Tom's Point on the east side of Tomales Bay that matched an old map of Drake's voyage.

Drakes Bay, California

Frank Soule, an early historian of San Francisco, supported a Drakes Bay landing site. George Davidson also believed Drake was at Drakes Bay, thinking the actual repair spot was just inside Point Reyes Head. Davidson's work involved sailing the coast and studying the area.

Bolinas Bay, California

Two locations in Bolinas Bay have been suggested:

Agate Beach

George Epperson believed Drake stayed at Agate Beach in Bolinas Bay. He collected many items from the area, but none could be linked to Drake.

Bolinas Lagoon

In 1974, Aubrey Neasham and William Pritchard supported Bolinas Lagoon as Drake's landing site.

San Francisco Bay, Generally

Some early claims placed Drake inside San Francisco Bay, but they didn't say exactly where. These ideas include those from Robert Greenhow in 1845 and even Jules Verne in 1879.

Modern ideas for a San Francisco Bay landing share some clues with the accepted Drakes Bay site. These include meeting the Coast Miwok people, being near 38 degrees north latitude, and being close to the Farallon Islands.

However, these ideas also suggest that Drake sailed past Drakes Bay, even though it was a good harbor with white cliffs. They claim Drake might have seen birds flying inland, suggesting a harbor, or that he had Spanish maps of San Francisco Bay.

But finding San Francisco Bay from the sea is very hard due to fog and islands. The entrance, called the Golden Gate, is dangerous, and Drake's accounts don't mention these difficulties. Also, Drake's reports describe continuous cold and fog, which is different from the often warm summer days inside San Francisco Bay. If Drake had entered San Francisco Bay, he likely would have spent weeks exploring the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, thinking he had found the Strait of Anian. He would have reported one of the world's most important bays, but he didn't.

Strawberry Cove, Marin County

Duane Van Dieman thought Drake entered San Francisco Bay and repaired his ship at Strawberry Cove. However, Van Dieman's ideas ignore many problems with San Francisco Bay claims, like the many harbors, lack of constant fog, and the danger of entering the bay without knowing it.

Larkspur, Marin County

Robert Stupack believes Drake landed at Portsmouth Cove and then repaired his ship at Larkspur. Stupack also thinks "Drake's Treasure" was hidden in the area and has done a lot of digging.

Point San Quentin, Marin County

Robert H. Power promoted the idea that Drake's New Albion was inside San Francisco Bay near Point San Quentin. He claimed an old map matched the area. But problems with this idea include how hard it is to find the bay from the ocean, the lack of constant fog, and the many good harbors inside the bay. Power's archaeological digs in the area did not find any evidence of 16th-century European contact.

Olompali, Petaluma River, Marin County

Robert C. Thomas believes Drake landed at Olompali, on the Petaluma River, inside San Francisco Bay. He suggests Drake saw seagulls flying inland from Drakes Bay, which led him to believe there was a peninsula and another bay. Thomas thinks Drake accidentally entered the Golden Gate due to a strong current.

Thomas's ideas also face the same problems as other San Francisco Bay claims. The Marin "peninsula" is not visible from the coast, and Drake's accounts don't mention sailing far inland quickly.

Grizzly Bay, Suisun Bay

Allen Schuh suggested that Drake landed at Grizzly Bay in Suisun Bay.

Rio Vista, Solano County

Mrs. Duncan S. Robinson wrote that Drake probably explored the area near Rio Vista on a trip up the Sacramento River.

Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County

In 1960, Alan Brown asked, "Did Drake Land Here?" Frank M. Stanger suggested Drake landed at Pillar Point.

Point Año Nuevo Cove, San Mateo County

Louise Welshons Buell and others suggested that Drake landed at Point Año Nuevo Cove.

Monterey Bay, Monterey County

Around 1934, a bottle with a thin, rolled lead plate was found at Monterey Bay. Some believed this proved Drake had been there.

Carmel River, Monterey County

In 1718, a friar named Juan Amando Niel thought Drake might have entered the Carmel River.

Pirate's Cove, San Luis Obispo Bay

Margie Mallagh reported a local story about Drake landing in San Luis Obispo Bay at a spot known as Mallagh's Landing or Pirate's Cove.

Goleta, Santa Barbara County

Justin M. Ruhge believed Drake landed at Goleta, California. Jim Gilmore thinks cannons found in the area came from Drake's ship.

Mexico Landing Spots

Some theories suggest Drake's New Albion was along the Mexican coast.

Cedros Island, Baja California Norte

Harry Kelsey thought Drake might have sailed north along the known Spanish areas near the border of Baja California Sur and Baja California Norte. He identified three possible sites, with Cedros Island being the northernmost.

San Benito Islands, Baja California Norte

The San Benito Islands are the middle of Kelsey's suggested locations.

Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur

Magdalena Bay is the southernmost of Kelsey's ideas.

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