BOAORKT S
WHERE A JOURNEY BEGAN
A 1528 Exploration
Researcher and historian Jim MacDougald of
St. Petersburg has devoted years to studying
Spanish explorer Pánfilo de Narváez’s inland
expedition that began in Florida in April of
1528 with 300 men, but ended eight years later at
the Pacific Ocean coastline with only four survivors.
One of those four men, Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca,
wrote about the 3,500-mile cross-country journey in
1542. However, he did not know exactly where his
journey began. This was the first exploration of the
North American continent, and historians continue
to debate the site of its start.
Within his book, MacDougald has analyzed
published research and other investigations to
conclude that this incredible historic journey began
on the shores of Boca Ciega Bay in what is now St.
Petersburg. He is equipped for this grueling task as
the former chair of Odyssey Marine Explorations
and the current chair of the board of directors of
The History Council, which conducts research and
provides education about significant historic events.
Not only is MacDougald’s book filled with compelling
personal insights from sailing in this area, but it also
contains his dedicated research of scholarly works
from more than three dozen others who have sought
to discover where this 16th century expedition began.
Through his efforts, MacDougald has established a
crucial element in Florida’s Spanish colonial history.
Relying heavily on the 1542 book La Relación,
MacDougald argues that the Jungle Prada area
along the shore of Boca Ciega Bay is the only spot on
Florida’s West Coast that meets all of the geographic
criteria described by Cabeza de Vaca. An appendix
of ancient and current maps helps you to visualize
MacDougald’s carefully thought-out process to find a
simple solution to the age-old question of where this
historic expedition began. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Pánfilo de Narváez Expedition
of 1528 by James E. MacDougald is published by Marsden
House and is available on amazon.com.
GRAM
Jim MacDougald
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 87