San Diego expedition

During the Spanish rule of California, Spain's Inspector General, José de Gálvez, organized the Portola Expedition for a joint land-sea movement up the Pacific coast. The expedition was led by Gaspar de Portolá, the governor of Las Californias. The first leg of the expedition consisted of five groups, all departing from Baja California and heading north to San Diego. Three groups travelled by sea, while two travelled by land in mule trains.

The three ships, built in San Blas, Mexico, set sail for San Diego in early 1768: the flagship San Carlos, captained by the lieutenant of Spain's Navy Vicente Vila;^[3] the San Antonio, captained by Juan Pérez, a native of Palma de Majorca; and the San José. The ships crossed the Gulf of California from San Blas and reached the East Coast harbor of La Paz at the tip of Baja California in December 1768. However, the San Carlos had to unload its cargo for repairs.^[4][5]

On January 9, 1769, the flagship San Carlos left the port of La Paz. Inspector General Gálvez, Padre Junípero Serra, and the town residents blessed and sent off the San Carlos, along with its chaplain, Franciscan friar Fernando Parrón. Vicente Vila remained in command, followed by lieutenant Pedro Fages, who later became Lieutenant Governor of the Californias under Gaspar de Portolá, and the engineer and cartographer Miguel Costansó. Gálvez supervised the repairs and loading of the ship, which carried 25 Catalan soldiers under Fages' command, surgeon Pedro Prat of Spain's Navy, and Hernando Patron as chaplain.^[6][5]

The San Antonio arrived in San Diego Bay landing on April 11, 1769, and the San Carlos on April 29. Many crew members on both ships had fallen ill, mostly from scurvy, and all but two on the San Carlos had died.^[7] The expedition's surgeon Prat struggled to treat the ill men, as he too was weakened from scurvy. Friar Parrón had become weak with scurvy as well.^[8] Despite Prat's efforts, many of the ill men died in San Diego. Due to the men lost on the San Carlos, it was decided that the ship, along with Father Serra and Vila, would remain in San Diego.^{[9][5]: p37}

San Francisco Bay expedition

San Carlos, the first Spanish ship to enter San Francisco Bay.

Six years later, on July 26, 1775, the San Carlos took on supplies and departed Monterey, heading for San Francisco. Their mission was to locate the "Bay of San Francisco" and claim the area for Spain. The San Carlos, under the command of Spanish naval officer and explorer Lieutenant Juan Manuel de Ayala, became the first ship to enter the San Francisco Bay. It was sent by viceroy Antonio María de Bucareli to survey the waters of the bay. On August 5, 1775, the San Carlos reached the entrance of the San Francisco Bay, known as the Golden Gate.^{[7]: p55 [5]: p88}

The ship dropped anchor by an island, which was later named Isla de Los Ángeles (now known as Angel Island). The ship's pilots set out in longboats to chart the rivers of the bay.^[10] On August 12, 1775, Ayala named another island La Isla de los Alcatraces, now called Yerba Buena Island. The San Carlos remained in the bay until September 18, 1775, before returning to San Blas. Ayala provided a detailed account of the geography of the San Francisco Bay.^[11]

The California Historical Landmark marker, No. 236, commemorates the significance of the San Carlos as the first ship to enter San Francisco Bay. The marker is located in the Aquatic Park Historic District near the corner of Beach and Larkin Streets.^[12][13] Below is a quote from this landmark.