What the Plaque/Guide Says:
On June 17, 1579, Captain Francis Drake sailed his ship, Golden Hinde, into the Gulf of the Farallones and the bay that now bears his name. He sighted these white cliffs and named the land Nova Albion.
During his 36-day encampment in California, Drake repaired his ship, established contact with the local Indians, explored inland, took on supplies and water, and claimed the region for Queen Elizabeth I.
The Golden Hinde set sail on July 23 and ventured into the unknown Pacific. Reaching Plymouth, England on September 26, 1580, after a voyage of two years and nine months, Drake became the first Englishman and expedition commander to circumnavigate the Earth.
Drake’s exploits and claim enouraged England to colonize Roanoke in 1585, and Jamestown in 1607. Captain John Smith, in 1616, named the East Coast New England, a reflection of Drake’s Nova Albion.
More about California Historical Landmark #1061:
What the plaque leaves out is that the Golden Hinde set out as one of five ships, which plundered Spanish treasure ships up and down the coasts of South and Cental America! Unfortunately, as he passed through the passage that would later bear his name, four of the five ships sank in storms! That left the Golden Hinde overloaded and leaking by the time they limped into this bay, whose white cliffs were similar enough to the cliffs of Dover that the name “New Albion,” an old name for England, just made sense. After landing, the Coast Miwok helped the privateers get back up and running for their journey westward toward the Philippines!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Volunteer with the Point Reyes National Seashore Association!
- Become a member of the Point Reyes National Seashore Association!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
1 Drake Beach Rd
Inverness, CA 94937
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
Whenever the mood strikes you!