In 1577 Queen Elizabeth I commissioned three men to sail around the world. On November 15, 1577, under the command of three captains, Sir Francis Drake, John Winter, and Thomas Doughty, the "Queen's Corsair" set sail from Plymouth to the Spanish-controlled Rock of Gibraltar.
In secret original plans, Drake was intended to be the sole captain; however, upon leaving, the command was to be split three ways among Drake, John Winter, and Thomas Doughty. The split of command cause dissension among the crew, but soon Drake established himself as the true leader.

The planners also had a different reason for sending Drake. Queen Elizabeth I assumed that a small force of about 200 men could severely disrupt the flow of gold and silver to Spain. The Queen finally decided on Drake due to his skill as a pirate and the relative ease with which she could disown him.
On first day of the voyage the winds blew up and unleashed one of the worst storms ever seen. Drake called off the voyage and took anchor in the nearby harbor of Falmouth. During the storm Drake's ship, the Pelican, began to drag anchor. Drake ordered the mainmast to be cut. The cutting of the mast lightened the ship enough to save it and his crew. This storm cause a lot of controversy due to the heavy damage sustained to Drake's ship, while Winter's ship escaped the storm with no damage. All three commanders were forced to go back to Plymouth before resuming the trip.