The boat was sitting off the coast of Spain as a Spanish fisherman and his captain discovered the body of an old castaway in one of their nets. Though the captain and fisherman believed the sailor to be dead, the castaway woke up as the captain clutched the sailor's ship's log and told the fishermen his story of having sailed on Ponce de León's ship. Upon this discovery, they immediately sailed for Cádiz, where the castaway was brought to the royal palace, and presented to King Ferdinand.