San Carlos Enter San Francisco Bay

1769 - 1769

01-09-1769 – The San Carlos, a sixty-four foot packet boat with 62 persons aboard, sets sail from San Blas bound for San Diego on January 9, 1769. A second ship, the San Antonio, leaves San Blas five weeks later.

04-11-1769 – The San Antonio arrives in San Diego with nearly everyone on board incapacitated on April 11, 1769.

04-29-1769 – Driven far out to sea, the San Carlos takes almost four months to reach San Diego and Arrives on April 29. Twenty-four of the crew die of scurvy.

Gaspar de PortolaJunípero Serra Portrait06-16-1769 – Unknown to Portolá and Serra the expedition is imperiled. The main supply ship, the San José, left Loreto carrying urgently needed supplies, but the ship and its crew are lost at sea.

07-01-1769 – The military leader, Gaspar de Portolá, and the first missionary Father-President, Junípero Serra, arrive in San Diego after an arduous six-week journey. Over two-thirds of the expedition’s Indians desert en route.

The undermanned expedition establishes a garrison on San Diego’s Mission Hill. The compound as such consisted of little more than brush-covered enramadas and several grass huts.

07-14-1769 – With many sick and dying, and supplies already low, plans to proceed to Monterey by ship are scrapped. Portolá leaves San Diego to journey up the coast on foot in July of 1769.

Founding San Diego07-16-1769 – Shortly after Portolá departs, Fr. Junípero Serra founds Mission San Diego de Alcalá on Presidio Hill.

08-15-1769 – The Kumeyaay attack the San Diego compound occurs, killing José Vergerano, the servant of Fr. Serra. A wooden stockade is hastily erected for defense.

10-31-1769 – Portolá is unsuccessful in finding Monterey Bay but discovers the Bay of San Francisco.