Fringe theories on the location of New Albion

From 1577 to 1580 Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the world. In 1579 as part of this voyage he landed on the west coast of North America which consequently has drawn the attention of scores of historians, geographers, linguists, anthropologists and other professionals. In addition, many history buffs have sought to locate Drake's New Albion. The established site for Drake's 1579 landing at New Albion is at Drake's Cove in Drakes Bay in Marin County, California (38.034°N 122.940°W). More than a score of ideas for an alternative to Drake's New Albion claim have been put forth which cover the coast from Alaska to Baja California Sur, Mexico. These ideas span the eighteenth through the early twenty-first centuries.

Fringe theories in general

Fringe theories are concepts that markedly diverge from widely accepted scientific frameworks, often lacking sufficient empirical support or contradicting established knowledge. Financial journalist Alexander Davidson characterized fringe theories as "peddled by a small band of staunch supporters," but not necessarily without merit.

Official recognitions of Drake's New Albion landing site Several official agencies have commemorated the possible location of Francis Drake's landing in Marin County, California. The site of Drake's landing is still unknown, but thought to be the most likely site, as part of a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Drakes Bay Historic and Archeological District. As of October 2021, the State of California recognizes Drake's landing as a California Historical Landmark. That the Coast Miwok people's first contact with Europeans was with Sir Francis Drake is also recognised by both the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and the Coast Miwok Tribal Council of Marin, both organized under United States federal law. Both the Oregon State Parks and Oregon Historical Society support that Drake anchored at Cape Arago and proceeded to sail south to seek a suitable careenage site for Golden Hind.

Other ideas Over twenty locations have been proposed for the site where Drake careened the Golden Hind.San Francisco Chronicle: Again a safe harbor / Tiny cove many believe Sir Francis Drake repaired to 422 years ago suddenly reappears: July 18, 2001: Nolte, Carl Brian Kelleher compiled a list of over 140 opinions for the Drake landing site.

It has been suggested that Queen Elizabeth's desire to maintain secrecy of the locations and extent of Drake's north Pacific explorations led to suppression and obfuscation of the reports. Much confusion over the location may have resulted. Although the defeat of the Spanish Armada by Drake in 1588 may have alleviated the need for secrecy, the strategic quest for the Northwest Passage remained long after. Michael Turner's visits to Drake sites around the world have otherwise shown accurate records.

Following the coast from north to south, there are many suggested alternative locations.

Alaska

There are several theories that place Drake's New Albion at various places along the Alaskan coast.

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

Prince William Sound Laird Nelson proposed that Drake sailed as far north as Prince William Sound, Alaska based on the westward run of the land in the area. Laird believes Drake was at 58 degrees north and "may have been even further north." Drake then turned south to anchor at Birch Bay, Washington.

Stephens Passage Samuel Bawlf maps Drake's voyage as far north as the Stephens Passage in the now state of Alaska. Bawlf proposes that Drake established New Albion at Comox Bay (see below) and careened the Golden Hinde at Whale Cove (see below).

British Columbia

There are several theories that place Drake's New Albion at various places along the British Columibian coast.

Victoria, Vancouver Island, BC In December, 2013, metal detector operator Bruce Campbell found an English coin made between 1551 and 1553 near Victoria, British Columbia. Campbell believes the coin is only the oldest thing he's likely to ever find, and Royal British Columbia Museum curator Grant Keddie does not believe the find can be connected to Drake. Loose finds such as coins have little value in establishing landing sites.

Comox Bay, Vancouver Island, BC In 2003 Canadian R. Samuel Bawlf suggested that Drake's New Albion was Vancouver Island and that Drake erected a post containing such a proclamation at what is today Comox, British Columbia, located on Vancouver Island.Bawlf's route for Drake is 2,000 NM (1,600 NM without detours) covered in 34 sailing days based on the theory that the published dates were intentionally in error. (GoogleEarth) Bawlf supports the idea that Drake completed the "Neahkahnie Mountain Survey" and believes Drake careened the Golden Hind in Whale Cove, Oregon. He points to a number of pieces of evidence in support of his view that the official published record of Drake's voyage was deliberately altered to suppress the true extent of his discoveries. Bawlf also relies heavily upon the configuration of the coastline as depicted in some of the maps and globes of the era, including the so-called French and Dutch Drake Maps which depict his voyage as having reached a point northward of a chain of islands to the northwest of New Spain and other maps depicting New Albion at latitudes above those of northern California, such as Richard Hakluyt's 1587 map of the New World showing Nova Albion at 50 degrees north latitude. Bawlf also placed emphasis on the fact that, on an initial rendition of his globe in 1592, Emery Molyneux depicted the line of the coast of North America behind Vancouver Island with remarkable accuracy, although the islands themselves, depicted on the French and Dutch Drake maps, do not appear.

Although Bob Ward initially drew some of the discrepancies between the official published accounts of Drake's voyage and other documents to Bawlf's attention, and concluded that Drake likely sailed much farther to the north than northern California, he has been critical of some of Bawlf's conclusions, such as Drake's erecting a post proclaiming New Albion at what is now Comox Bay.

Bawlf's claims regarding "spectral analysis" and four matching islands have been disputed by Derek Hayes. Oliver Seeler disputes Bawlf's conclusions,Christoph Oliver Seeler (1944-2019) believed the Drake landing question should remain open. He died before his book, Francis Drake in Nova Albion - The Mystery Restored was published. as does Eric Powell.

Bawlf's work has also been criticized by Edward Von der Porten, who calculated that Bawlf's theory requires the Golden Hinde to have traveled "an average of 5.95 knots [...] in a ship capable of less than one knot in those conditions." Further, Bawlf fails to identify the white cliffs, the Islands of St. James or the Coast Miwok People. Von der Porten states that Bawlf "has no evidence for either the conspiracy or his 'ten degree rule.'"Von der Porten, Edward, A New Drake Myth, Sea History, National Maritime Historical Society, No. 106, Winter 2004, pp. 10-12.

Dr. John Sugden describes Bawlf's proposed route for Drake into Alaska and British Columbia, then concludes: "There is simply no evidence for this adventure, which even Bawlf admits is 'impossible' to reconcile with the records of the voyage."

Foul Bay, Vancouver Island, BC In 2013, Bob Graham proposed that Drake landed at Foul Bay at the southern end of Vancouver Island. Foul Bay is within the City of Victoria, at the city's southeast corner.

Boundary Bay, BC About 1995, Will Paulik, a local historian and environmentalist, suggested Drake landed at Boundary Bay Northeast of Point Roberts, Washington and to the east of Vancouver Island.

Washington

There are several theories that place Drake's New Albion at various places along the Washington coast.

Birch Bay, Washington Fisherman Laird Nelson has proposed that Drake left Guatulco, Mexico, headed west 2,100 miles, then magnetic north for 2,700 miles with three ships: the un-renamed Pelican; the Los Reyes, a captured Spanish vessel; and a pinnace. From that point, the ships travelled an additional 550 miles north to Prince William Sound and back along the coast. The ships then travelled 700 miles south through the Inside Passage to the first of three landing sites: Birch Bay. Here, on the third day, the Pelican sank.

Nelson does not explain how Drake could have covered 5,350 miles west and north when The World Encompassed establishes the distance traveled as 1,400 English 16th-Century leagues which is only 4,000 miles. (Laird's distance of 4,800 miles for the west and first portion north is equivalent to 1,400 modern leagues.) Laird's proposal has Drake traveling the entire distance and dangerous Inside Passage at surprising speed, covering the 6,600 miles in 62 days.

Lummi Bay, Washington Nelson proposed that after the loss of his flagship, Drake explored in a small boat for five days and then moved the Los Reyes to a second port at Lummi Bay, Washington. . Here Drake careened the Los Reyes.

Sandy Point, Washington Nelson puts Drake's second anchorage at Sandy Point, Washington, a part of Lummi Bay, where Drake reportedly spent the second week of his New Albion visit. At Post Point, within Bellingham Bay, Drake created his "monument", rock carvings in the cliff face of King Henry VIII and his sixth wife Katherine Parr. Initials attributed to the carver, Richard Cadwell were inscribed. The 3 ton rock carvings have been knocked down, but still there in 2000. The Plate of Brasse refers to the "thick coat of bottom paint" the carver put over the carvings.

Strait of Juan de Fuca Robert Ward proposes that Drake ventured as far north as the Strait of Juan de Fuca, but traveled south to Whale Cove (see below) to careen the Golden Hinde and establish New Albion.

The Strait of Juan de Fuca is the only practical access to Comox Bay, given the difficult waters and warlike tribes of the Johnstone Strait.

Oregon

There are several theories that place Drake's New Albion at various places along the Oregon coast.

Nehalem Bay, Tillamook County, Oregon In 1971, Don Viles and Wayne Jensen published the idea that Drake landed at Nehalem Bay. Viles claims that both Drake and Cermeño landed at Nehalem Bay and that a series of marked rocks document at 16th century survey.

Garry Gitzen has continued to support this idea. Gitzen claims the "Neahkahnie Mountain Survey," the Hondius Map, the Edward Wright World Chart of 1599, the Nehalem Indians and the Three Arch Rocks prove Drake's landing site was in Nehalem Bay, Oregon as well as the Indian culture of the Pacific Northwest.

Gitzen argues that the "Survey" is a formal survey by Robert Schultz A.S.C.E and Phillip Costaggini's 1981 Oregon State thesis "Survey of Artifacts at Neahkahnie Mountain Oregon (1976-1981)" of the coastal area two to four miles north of Nehalem Bay encompassing the area up to one mile over the countryside of Neahkahnie Mountain. The incised rocks and carins are explained as recordings of a land survey and latitude showing angles and bearings in "The Treasure Rocks of Neah-kah-nie Mountain" (2012)., the "W" rock which has components that "represent a combination of sun and star sighting points to determine the longitude, date and time and day," and the "Rays Rock" which "is a compass rose point used to measure points on Neahkahnie Mountain and beyond."

Gitzen claims the outline and topography of Nehalem Bay match the Hondius Map, and that the Islands of Saint James are the Three Arch Rocks 13 miles south of the entrance to Nehalem Bay.