Sir Francis Drake's final fleet 'discovered off the coast of Panama'

The London Telegraph ^ | October 24, 2011 | Barney Henderson, and Jon Swaine

[2ndDivisionVet]

His burial at sea in full armour and in a lead casket was designed to ensure that no one – but especially the Spanish – would find his body.

Now, more than 400 years after Sir Francis Drake's death in the Caribbean, the great seafarer's watery grave may be close to being discovered.

A team of treasure hunters led by an American former basketball team owner claims to have discovered two ships from Drake's fleet lying on the seabed off the coast of Panama. The 195-ton Elizabeth and 50-ton Delight were scuttled shortly after the naval hero's death from dysentery, aged about 55, in 1596. It is thought that Drake's final resting place may be nearby.

Pat Croce, a former president of the Philadelphia 76ers and self-professed "pirate aficionado", embarked on a search for the ships after researching a book on the latter part of Drake's career, as a privateer plundering Spanish ships in the New World....

[dynachrome]

Cool!

[edpc]

shortly after the naval hero's death from dysentery

I'm guessing Capt. Koons will be wanting the watch from the wreckage, so he can deliver it to Butch.

[ColdOne]

ping

[Red_Devil 232]

"Drake fell ill a few weeks after failing to conquer the port of Las Palmas."

Must have been the bean Burritos.

[Georgia Girl 2]

I always thought Drake went back to England, fell out of favor with the Queen and was never given another commission.

[1rudeboy]

fyi

[Peter Libra]

Highly interesting for almost everyone. A little bit of verse cannot do any harm- seems very apt.

" Yarnder lumes the island, Yarnder lies the ships,
Wi the sailor lads a-dancing heel-an-toe.
An the shore lights flashing' an the night tide dashin'
He see it arl so plainly as he saw et long ago."

Titled "Drakes Drum"
Sir Henry Newbolt (1862-1938).

Capten,art tha sleeping there below.?

Anyway..... good luck in your venture lads!

[SunkenCiv]

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[Rebelbase]

After his initial globe trotting he remained in the Queens service fighting the Spanish for years.

[Peter Libra]

Your post on the relationship of Queen Elizabeth and her sea faring men did touch on an "out of favor" relationship. Understandable because another Devon man- as was Drake, was Sir Walter Raleigh.(1554-1618).

He secretly married Elizabeth Throckmorton, her prized lady in waiting, without her permission. Both temporarily flung in the horrible environs of the Tower of London. Sort of allowed to drift off elsewhere with sweet Elizabeth.

No scholar here myself, but did know of poor Sir Walter's tragic end at the hands of the Queen's successor. I used WIKIPEDIA for the update.

[RedMDer]

[Billthedrill]

"Take my drum to England, hang et by the shore,
Strike et when your powder's runnin' low;
If the Dons sight Devon, I'll quit the port o' Heaven,
An' drum them up the Channel as we drumm'd them long ago."

Ghosts walked on Plymouth shores when the Germans threatened the Channel. One of my favorite poems. BTT.

[Peter Libra]

Lovely stuff Bill.
Memories here of those WW2 times.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Well it will be interesting to see what they bring up from those ships.

[worst-case scenario]

Great article. Pat Croce, the pirate enthusiast who found these vessels, must be living his dreams. I’m definitely going to look up his motivational work.