Wednesday, 11 January 2017 18:43

The Gran Canaria Mistake That Cost Sir Francis Drake His Life

Sir Francis Drake's failure at Las Palmas had deadly consequences Sir Francis Drake's failure at Las Palmas had deadly consequences

Sir Francis Drake, along with his cousin and fellow privateer (legal pirate) John Hawkins, attacked Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in 1595 but failed to breach the city's makeshift defences. 

It was the first action in a doomed expedition that took Drake and Hawkins to their graves in the New World. 

When they set sail from England with a privateer's commission and fleet of six royal galleons, twenty ships and dozens of smaller craft, Drake and Hawkins never intended to stop in the Canary Islands. Instead, they were headed across the Atlantic to plunder Spanish treasure ships and set up a permanent English colony in Panama.

However, Drake's armada was soon running low on water and provisions and he decided to detour to the Canary Islands and take Las Palmas city. His general, Sir Thomas Baskerville, was convinced that his troops could take it in just four hours. 

Drake wanted to give his men an early morale boost, although history records that Hawkins was more cautious and wanted to keep the element of surprise until the corsair fleet arrived in the plunder-rich Caribbean.

Attack on Las Palmas

The Spanish sighted Drake's sails on October 4th and organised a hasty militia of 1500 men to defend the city. 

Drake's landing was a total disaster and he lost dozens of men and several boats without establishing a bridgehead. After taking an hour and a half of intense musket fire, the English retreated with no plunder and no provisions.

The fleet sailed away from Las Palmas and tried to take on water at Arguineguín in south Gran Canaria. However, the Spanish captured a landing party and soon found out all about Drake's plans.

Drake sailed west from Gran Canaria, reprovisioned on La Gomera island and headed towards the Caribbean. Just ahead was a fast Spanish ship that warned the Empire that El Draque was heading their way.

Doomed Drake

Drake and Hawkins attacked several ports and ships in the Caribbean but without the element of surprise were beaten back by the Spanish. Hawkins fell in Puerto Rico, and Drake succumbed to dysentery in Panama.

El Draque was buried at sea in a lead coffin that has never been found.

General Baskerville, after a final defeat, sailed the failed expedition back to England. Only eight ships returned home.

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  • Exchange Money In Gran Canaria Or At Home?
    Exchange Money In Gran Canaria Or At Home?

    Visitors to Gran Canaria often ask whether it is better to exchange their local currency for euros at home or in Gran Canaria. 

    The answer is that it is almost always better to buy your euros at home than it is to bring pounds to Gran Canaria and use local banks or currency exchanges. This rule of thumb applies all over the world. A currency is almost always cheaper the further away you are from the place you can spend it (because demand for it is lower). 

    Exchange rates are almost always better at home than in Gran Canaria

    You are very likely to get a better exchange rate using a British currency exchange specialist or local bank. Many of these companies will deliver your euros to your home.

    One of the best rates in the UK is often from the post office, especially if you do it well in advance.

    The only way you'll get a better rate in Gran Canaria than at home is if the exchange rate changes while you are travelling and this is rare. 

    You also have to bear in mind that currency exchanges in Gran Canaria are getting rarer and some local banks don't exchange money for non-clients. 

    To Transfer large amouynts of money to Gran Canaria, or to make regular transfers, always use a reputable currency broker such as Currencies Direct. This will save you money on exchange rates and bank charges and is highky secure. 

    The risk of bringing cash to Gran Canaria

    Another important factor to consider is the risk of bringing cash to Gran Canaria: If it is lost or stolen, there is no way of getting it back. 

    It is much safer to bring a debit or credit card and use local bank ATMs to take out money. These days, a good option is a pre-charged debit card. 

    Cards may be slightly more expensive that carrying cash, unless you seek out a bank card with low commissions, but it is much more secure. 

    Bank ATMs like Bankia, Santander and BBVA often charge lower rates than the ATMs in shopping centres and busy tourist areas.

    Alex Says: Always select the Euro option at ATMs in Gran Canaria because the exchange rate is much better than if you opt for the Local Currency option. The same applies when you pay by card in shops and restaurants.

    See our Gran Canaria Tips section for more nuggets of useful local information.

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