The Golden Hind
The Golden Hind, formerly known as The Pelican, is the ship Sir Francis Drake took around the world when he became the first English-born explorer to circumnavigate the globe. The boat housed 20 officers and between 40-60 crewmen.
Years as The Pelican
In 1577, Francis Drake was asked by Queen Elizabeth to sail past the Straits of Magellan, up the coast of South America and explore all the area west of charted waters. The Queen was aware of Drake’s disdain for the Spaniards at the time, which was suitable because Spain and England’s relationship was quickly deteriorating. Spain ruled over most of the new colonies in America and England needed to infiltrate the lands to increase its presence there.
On the 15th of November, 1577, The Pelican and a fleet sailed away from Plymouth, its crew ready to traverse the Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately, due to bad weather, the small fleet had to return to Cornwall. A second try was made to disembark from England on the 13th of December. This time, there were no major pitfalls that forced Drake’s expedition to turn back.
Nevertheless, the excursion across the Atlantic was difficult. Three ships in the fleet were left behind. Luckily, The Pelican was a light and sturdy ship at 100 tons, so it made the journey intact. By the time it reached the northwest coast of South America, the other ships in its fleet were gone and The Pelican had to complete the journey alone. Drake renamed the ship The Golden Hind after a deer’s picture on his patron Sir Christopher Hatton’s coat of arms.
Years as The Golden Hind
By 1579, The Golden Hind had made its way up the western South American coast. The ship, whose design was not typical of pirate ships, was able to sneak its way through to Spanish ports along the coast and catch the residents by surprise. This made it easy for Drake and his crew to obtain a great deal of Spanish gold and treasures. One of the largest plunders that Sir Francis Drake is credited with was won when The Golden Hind took the Spanish galleon called Nuestra Senora de la Conception. Six tons of treasure was moved from that ship to The Golden Hind over a period of six days.
Sir Francis Drake continued to sail north, past Point Loma and to an area not yet explored. The exact location of Drake’s stopping point isn’t known; however, many think it’s close to present-day San Francisco. There, The Golden Hind anchored and Drake started a colony called Nova Albion, Latin for “New Britain”.
The rest of the trip through the Pacific and Indian Oceans was met with very little interruption. The ship sailed by the Cape of Good Hope on the 18th of June 1580 and Sierra Leone on the 22nd of July. It finished its trip by landing in Plymouth Harbor in September. The Golden Hind was moved to the Thames Estuary, where it hosted the knighthood of Sir Francis Drake by Queen Elizabeth in 1581.
Years after The Golden Hind
Although The Golden Hind is no longer a ship, wood from the original vessel was used to make the table in London’s Middle Temple Hall. In addition, a replica of the notorious ship was built in 1973. The boat celebrated Sir Francis Drake’s voyage by taking his route around the world. A commemoration of Drake’s claiming of California for Britain was made when the boat stopped in San Francisco. Since the trip, the replica has been on display in many ports across the globe and has been a vibrant symbol of Elizabethan naval history.