Want to learn some History of Florida?

Welcome to CRUISE COCOA. Where we would like to introduce you to the rich history, culture, environment, and the wildlife that inhabits our beautiful state of FLORIDA. 

Today we know Florida as being a rich mixture of people and cultures. Influences from Puerto Rico, Cuba and other islands, snowbirds and tourists visiting from around to world, and the Florida crackers, but in truth Florida’s history goes much further back. 

The history in Florida started long before the United States were founded in 1776. Native American tribes inhabiting various parts of Florida. Some of the older and larger tribes being the Apalachee, Timucua, Ais (locals to CRUISE COCOA’s waterways area) Seminole and Calusa. 

The European settlers then began to arrive in Florida with Juan Ponce DeLeon in 1513. Over the easter weekend Pone DeLeon came across the coast of Florida believing it to be just another island to the north of the Bahamas and named it “La Florida” after “Pascua Florida” or the “festival of flowers”. The exact location of where he came to shore is unknown but believed to be somewhere between St Augustine to the north and Melbourne beach to the south. Ponce inlet which is located just south of Daytona still holds his name today.

St. Augustine 

Florida claims the “oldest city continually inhabited by the European”, St. Augustine. It was founded in September 1565 by Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles of Spain. It honored a long history of peacefully coexisting with the Native American tribes of the area. Many famous names, including pirates have been called to florida shores. Sir Francis Drake, an English privateer was said to have “sacked and burned down” all of St. Augustine. 

 Come join us at CRUISE COCOA and let our captains share our local knowledge.