Juan de Ayala facts for kids
Juan Manuel de Ayala y Aranza (born December 28, 1745, died December 30, 1797) was a Spanish naval officer. He is famous for being the first European to sail into San Francisco Bay with his ship, the San Carlos. They sailed all the way from the Port of San Blas in Nayarit, Mexico.
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Juan Manuel de Ayala was born in Osuna, a town in Andalucía, Spain. He joined the Spanish navy on September 19, 1760. He worked hard and rose through the ranks. By 1782, he had become a captain. He retired from the navy on March 14, 1785. He received full pay because of his important discoveries in California.
Exploring California's Coast
In the early 1770s, the Spanish government wanted to explore the northern coast of California. They had two main goals:
- To find out if Russia had any settlements there.
- To explore the important San Francisco Bay.
At this time, Don Fernando Rivera y Moncada had already chosen a spot for a new mission in what is now San Francisco. A land group, led by Juan Bautista de Anza, was also heading north. Their goal was to help Spain take control of the area.
Ayala, who was a Lieutenant at the time, was chosen for the naval part of this exploration. He arrived in Vera Cruz, Mexico, in August 1774. From there, he went to Mexico City to get his orders. He met with the Viceroy, Don Antonio María de Bucareli y Ursua.
Commanding the San Carlos
The Viceroy sent Ayala to San Blas, a port city. There, he was given command of the Sonora, a small schooner. This ship was part of a group led by Don Bruno de Heceta, who was on the larger ship, the Santiago.
The ships set sail from San Blas in early 1775. However, something unexpected happened. The commander of another ship, the San Carlos, became very ill. Some people even said he went mad. Ayala was quickly ordered to take command of this larger ship. He sailed the San Carlos back to San Blas to drop off the sick commander. After a few days, he rejoined the other ships.
Ayala's special mission was to sail through the narrow entrance of San Francisco Bay. He was to explore what was inside the bay. Meanwhile, the Santiago and Sonora would continue sailing further north.
First European in San Francisco Bay
The San Carlos stopped in Monterey to get more supplies. They left Monterey on July 26, 1775. Ayala then sailed north towards the entrance of San Francisco Bay.
On August 5, 1775, Ayala successfully sailed the San Carlos through the Golden Gate. This was a difficult and careful journey because of the strong tides. He tried several places to anchor his ship. He found the spot near Angel Island to be the best. Ayala hoped to meet up with Anza's land group, but he could not find them. On the first night, he placed a wooden cross where he landed.
The San Carlos stayed in San Francisco Bay until September 18. After that, they sailed back to San Blas, stopping in Monterey on the way. Ayala sent a detailed report to the Viceroy. He described the geography of the bay. He also highlighted how good it was as a harbor. He noted that the bay had "very clear" weather, unlike the "troublesome fogs" often found in Monterey. Ayala also mentioned that the local Native American people were friendly.
Naming Alcatraz Island
On August 12, 1775, Ayala gave the name Isla de Alcatraces to what is now Yerba Buena Island. This name means "island of the pelicans." He chose this name because there were so many of these birds on the island.
Later, in 1826, the name "Alcatraz" was moved to Alcatraz Island. The word "Alcatraz" comes from Spanish. It likely came from an Arabic word, al-qaṭrās, which means "sea eagle." The pelicans that live in San Francisco Bay are brown pelicans.
See also
In Spanish: Juan de Ayala para niños
