Re: Replica of Drake's discovery plate in California
Cornelius,
I have just read Vizcaino's diary on line, and as I thought, there is no mention of seeing the wreck. In fact, it said that though the chief pilot recognised the port (having been there with Cermeno), they decided not to stop in case they could not get a favorable wind when they were leaving, but later were driven back to the port by a wind, and anchored on the outside (presumably where the second anchor is shown on the map. They sailed at daybreak without going back into Drake's Bay. Two Indian canoes tried to reach them, but could not do so as the wind took them away. Only one of Vizcaino's ships reached Drake's Bay: the other had already headed back south after leaving Monteray.
If you have a version of the diary that says they saw the wreck of the San Agustin, or another account that does so, I would be very interested in having details of it. I remember going over this ground several years ago, and could find no reference to them seeing the wreck.
Mariner