Again, the exact site of their landfall is controversial. The vicinity of Charlotte Harbor is the most commonly identified spot,[43] while some assert a landing further north at Tampa Bay or even Pensacola.[48] Other historians have argued the distances were too great to cover in the available time and the more likely location was Cape Romano or Cape Sable.[48] Here Ponce de León anchored for several days to take on water and repair the ships. They were approached by Calusa, who might have been initially interested in trading but relations soon turned hostile.[43] Several skirmishes followed with casualties on both sides and the Spaniards took eight Indians captive.,[49] including one to become a translator.[50] On the 4th of June, there was another encounter with natives near Sanibel Island and the Calusa in war canoes, with the Spanish sinking a fourth of them. An unsubstantiated claim to justify Spanish retreat.[50]
On June 14 they set sail again looking for a chain of islands in the west that had been described by their captives. They reached the Dry Tortugas on June 21.[50] There they captured giant sea turtles, Caribbean Monk Seals, and thousands ofseabirds. From these islands they sailed southwest in an apparent attempt to circle around Cuba and return home to Puerto Rico. Failing to take into account the powerful currents pushing them eastward, they struck the northeast shore of Cuba and were initially confused about their location.[51]
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