There is now a revised edition of the 2014 book, covering the French Hugenot experience in Florida. The new material  recounts the events following the discovery of more evidence off the beach at Cape Canavarel.

Global Marine Exploration is a salvage company based in Tampa.In 2014-15 they received permits from the State of Florida to survey the area with a magnetometer, but weren’t allowed to recover any artifacts. They found anomalies and dusted off a layer of silt, revealing obvious signs of wreckage; cannonballs, ballast stones, encrusted iron bits and pieces, and several cannon. Most notably, they found a marble monument that exactly matched the description of those that Jean Ribault brought to the new world in the latter 1500’s, which were used as survey markers to formally establish new territorial claims by France.

In accordance with the State permit agreement, the artifacts were covered back up with a layer of sand that will, to some degree, protect them until their legal ownership can be sorted out. The archaeological value of these wreck sites is significant.

All of the Fort Caroline narratives relate how most of the French fleet was driven ashore somewhere to the south of the fort- most likely the stretch between Daytona and Canavarel. Some three hundred sailors were then massacred on the beach by the Spanish. Jean Ribault was beheaded, and the skin of his face along with his red beard was sent back to King Philip of Spain.

There is also a growing body of hard evidence of a French presence from Canavarel northward to Matanzas Inlet. We may never know exactly where the massacress occurred, but findings have accumulated through the years; mainly French coins, belt buckles and forged tools. The site of the improvised French fort, made from the salvaged shipwrecks as a temporary defense, may well be covered forever by a rocket launching pad.

I have added this book “One Hundred Giants” to the Reading List posted earlier. Many resources are listed there of first hand accounts of the whole saga. Other interesting tidbits and anecdotes can be found at the links below.

http://signumops.com/productcatalog.html

French Castaways at Old Cape Canavarel