Gibraltar of the Pacific
The discovery of Morro Bay, California
Shortly after the beheading of King Henry VIII’s wife, Queen Katherine Howard, in England, King Charles V, Holy Roman Emporer/King of Spain, ordered the Spanish explorers to continue their voyages.
Iberian Explorer, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, set sail from the Mexican port of Navidad to continue his voyages and explore the west coast of North America. Cabrillo was commissioned by Antonio de Mendoza, the Viceroy of New Spain, to explore the Pacific coast specifically in hopes of discovering rich cities and the aquatic passage. He was also instructed to meet with Francisco Vasquez de Coronado. Francisco was believed to be traveling up from Mexico, across the western plains and the Rocky Mountains and on to the Pacific.
On June 27, 1542, Cabrillo set out from Navidad with three ships: his flagship San Salvador, and two smaller ships. For more than four months, Cabrillo and his party sailed up the California coast visiting the southern shores and channel islands. The sailors encountered many delays due to rough waters and fog. In November of 1542, they entered Estero Bay, located between Morro Bay and Cayucos. High winds and unsettled seas kept the ships far away from the beautiful shores. Cabrillo was enchanted by the large rock protruding from the ocean. “Morro” is translated as either…
