The European Discovery of Alta California
Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, at the request of the viceroy of New Spain, led an expedition in search of the Strait of Anián. The viceroy instructed Cabrillo to sail beyond the northern latitudes reached by Francisco de Ulloa. Cabrillo's expedition is important because it resulted in the European discovery of Alta California.
Cabrillo set sail from the port of Navidad on the west coast of New Spain on June 27, 1542. His two ships, the San Salvador and Victoria, were small and poorly made. His crew of 250 sailors and soldiers included two dozen Africans and Indians held in slavery.
For three months, the expedition slowly made its way northward. Their progress was slow because the currents along the coast flow from north to south and the prevailing winds also blow from the northwest. The expedition sailed into San Diego Bay on September 28, 1542. Cabrillo described the bay as "a closed and very good port." After dropping anchor, a small party of sailors went ashore. They were the first Europeans to visit what is today the state of California.
Sailing farther north, the expedition passed by San Pedro Bay near present-day Los Angeles and through the Santa Barbara Channel. By the middle of November, Cabrillo had reached the mouth of the Russian River. It was there that he decided to turn and head south.
Not much is known about the background or personal life of Cabrillo. No one knows for certain the place of his birth, his family lineage, or even his nationality. Most historians believe that Cabrillo was Portuguese, but others maintain that he was Spanish. We do know that at the time of his death in 1543, Cabrillo left an estate that was one of the richest in the Americas.