Locating Luna's Ochuse

To locate Ochuse, Tristan de Luna's port of entry, one need only consider the last resort navigation tactics "encrypted" in his expedition's published sailing directions.

Luna's sailing directions, written in a letter from the Viceroy of Mexico to his King on Sept. 24, 1559, and published by H.I. Priestley in The Luna Papers, were as follows: On June 11th Luna sailed for 17 days out of Mexico then was blown by a 6 day storm from a point 20 leagues south of the Rio del Espiritu Santo (positively the Mississippi River) into the Gulf of Mexico. He then "...took a tack toward the northeast in quest of the coast of La Florida. At the end of 8 days... they sighted the coast of Florida in 29°30' latitude, eight leagues to the westward from the Bahia de Miruelo."

Interpretation: Luna sighted Florida at Apalachicola in 29°30' latitude on July 11th, then took his course, using only a sextant on the North Star, to the northernmost shore of the Gulf of Mexico. THAT POINT, just west of CHOCTAWHATCHEE BAY, IS UNIQUE in all of the GULF OF MEXICO; Spanish navigators simply called it "Eight leagues to the westward from the Bahia de Miruelo."

Continuing, the letter states: "There the fleet cast anchors, and they took on water, wood and grass. There they experienced some trouble from the severe weather that came on. From that place the fleet set sail on July 17th in quest of the port of Ochuse, sending a frigate in advance to explore the coast. As the pilot who was in the frigate did not recognize the port of the Ochuse, the fleet sailed past it and went on, to anchor in the Bahia Filipina, which was discovered by Guido de las Bazares."

Interpretation: Having spent several days near Miruelo's Bay the fleet sailed westward, two days before full moon in order to see the shoreline at night, past the Port of Ochuse into Mississippi Sound; the western most anchorage on that coast. To get around the Mississippi Delta from Mississippi Sound, one must sail 90 miles due south; Luna's pilots knew that and called that anchorage by the pilot Bazares' name: Bahia Filipina.

Continuing, the letter states: "Thence the governor, Don Tristan de Areflano, sent in search of the port of Ochuse, as he had information that it was the biggest port and the most secure one there was on all that coast. A frigate, sailing eastward along the same coast along which the fleet had come, found the port of Ochuse which is some 20 leagues from the Bahia Filipina, and 35 leagues more or less from the Bahia de Miruelo, so that it is between these two in 30°20' latitude."

Interpretation: Luna's frigate found Ochuse at Mobile Bay in 30°20' latitude just 20 leagues from the western end of that coast and 35 leagues from the northernmost port in the Gulf of Mexico. There are 145 miles between Mississippi Sound anchorage and Choctawhatchee Bay. Divide 145 miles by 55 leagues (20 + 35) reported to verify 2.6 miles per Spanish league. Mobile Bay is 52 miles (20 x 2.6) from Mississippi Sound's anchorage and 91 miles (35 x 2.6) from Choctawhatchee Bay. The northernmost shore of the Gulf of Mexico lies 8 leagues, 21 miles, west of Choctawhatchee Bay.

Continuing, the letter states: "When the frigate returned with the news, they at once decided to go thither with the fleet, and because it seemed best that the horses should go by land, they were taken ashore at the Bahia Filipina, and some of the companies also went by land to the said port of Ochuse with about one hundred and forty horses which remained from the more than two hundred and forty they took, for the rest had died at sea. At the entrance to this Bahia Filipina where Guido had been, the fleet had some difficulty on the account of the shallow bottoms as well as of the strong current, and of the weather, which freshened. The fleet set out from this Bahia Filipina for the port of Ochuse on the day of our Lady of August, for which reasons they gave the bay the name Santa Maria Filipina."

Interpretation: Luna landed his people and horses at Pascagoula, MS, the closest hard ground in deep water to Mobile Bay which he entered the day he left Mississippi Sound via its easternmost cut at Petit Bois Pass. D.E.S.

About Pensacola's "Luna" Artifact

Ian Eaves was Keeper of Armour, Royal Armouries, Tower of London, for 18 years.