Whale Cove (Oregon) facts for kids
Whale Cove is a small, beautiful bay on the Pacific Coast of Oregon in the United States. It's about half a kilometer (0.3 miles) wide and is located south of a town called Depoe Bay. This special place is protected, both its ocean parts and its land areas. The ocean part of the cove is a marine reserve, which means it's a protected area for sea life. The land around the cove is part of Rocky Creek State Scenic Viewpoint and Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge.
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A Historical Mystery: Drake's Visit
For a long time, people have wondered exactly where the famous British explorer Francis Drake landed in 1579. Drake was sailing around the world, and he claimed a part of North America for England, calling it "New Albion". Many places have been suggested as his landing spot. The officially recognized site is in northern California.
Was Whale Cove Drake's Landing Spot?
In 1978, a British historian named Bob Ward suggested that Whale Cove might be the real "New Albion." He thought this because Whale Cove looks similar to an old map made in the 1500s by Jodocus Hondius.
Ward believed that Drake and Queen Elizabeth I might have kept the true location a secret. They might have wanted to mislead the Spanish so the Spanish wouldn't find the Puget Sound, which Ward thought Drake believed was the famous Northwest Passage (a sea route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Arctic).
The Mystery of the Island
One interesting detail on the old Hondius map is a small island near the cove. Ward pointed out that a narrow strip of land protecting Whale Cove lets water flow through it at high tide. This makes about 80% of the peninsula act like an island, which matches the old map.
Whale Cove is known for being a difficult and dangerous place for boats. Mariners (sailors) are advised to stay far away from the shore, at least 600 meters (600 yards) out, when sailing near the cove. This means Whale Cove is not a safe or usable bay for any size of vessel.
Images for kids
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Whale Cove, south of Depoe Bay, Oregon, seen from above.
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An old map from 1589 by Jodocus Hondius, showing Drake's "New Albion" cove.
