Why a Booktrail?
1579: Inspired by a real story of Francis Drake and the only woman on board the Golden Hind ship
On Wilder Seas
What you need to know before your trail
When two ships meet off the Pacific coast of New Spain, an enslaved woman seizes the chance to escape. But Maria has unwittingly joined Francis Drake’s circumnavigation voyage as he sets sail on a secret detour into the far north. Sailing into the unknown on the Golden Hind, a lone woman among eighty men, Maria will be tested to the very limits of her endurance. It will take all her wits to survive – and courage to cut the ties that bind her to Drake to pursue her own journey. How far will Maria go to be truly free? Inspired by a true story, this is the tale of one woman’s uncharted voyage to freedom.
Travel Guide
Sail around The Americas with The Golden Hind
The Golden Hind sailed north along the Pacific coast of South America, attacking Spanish ports and pillaging towns. On Mocha Island, Drake was seriously injured by hostile Mapuche. He later sacked the port of Valparaíso further north in Chile.
Near Lima, Drake captured a Spanish ship laden with Peruvian gold. He also captured another ship called the Cacafuego which proved to be one of his most profitable captures.
Coast of California: Nova Albion (1579)
Drake claimed the land in the name of the Holy Trinity for the English Crown, called Nova Albion—Latin for “New Britain”. This has been slightly moved north to the Canadian border in the novel.
Now a National Historic Landmark, the officially recognised location of Drake’s New Albion is Drakes Bay, California.
Across the Pacific and around Africa
Drake left the Pacific coast, heading southwest and a few months later reached the Moluccas, in eastern modern-day Indonesia. He made multiple stops on his way toward the tip of Africa, eventually rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and reached Sierra Leone by 22 July 1580.
Return to Plymouth (1580)
On 26 September, Golden Hind sailed into Plymouth with Drake and 59 remaining crew aboard.
BookTrail Boarding Pass: On Wilder Seas
Destination/location: South America, Pacific Ocean, Peru Author/guide: Nikki Marmery Departure Time: 1579
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