Operation Drake Operation Drake Operation Drake (1978–1980) was a round-the-world voyage with the participation of young people from many countries. The voyage was centred on the brigantine Eye of the Wind. She left Plymouth in October 1978 and returned to London two years later, in December 1980. Named after Sir Francis Drake, who had circumnavigated the world four hundred years before on the Golden Hind. Operation Drake was divided up onto 9 ocean and 1 land based phases, each lasting about 3 months. On each phase, a number of Young Explorers, youngsters aged between seventeen and twenty-four, who were selected from countries
Richard Grenville on the grounds that England was still using diplomacy with Spain and had been at great pains to rebuild her relations with Philip II after the tensions of 1568–1571. It was these plans that were usurped and were eventually executed by Francis Drake when he circumnavigated the globe in 1577. This caused some bad blood and is the reason why Grenville refused to ever serve with Francis Drake in any capacity. That same year Grenville received thanks of the Privy Council and the Earl of Bedford, then Lieutenant of Cornwall, in Ireland for raising Troops against Sir Thomas Stukely, styling