Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra was a descendant of Spaniards who was born in Lima, in 1743. At 18 years, he went to Spain to get a position at the Naval School of Cadiz. After his graduation, the sailor insisted on returning to his native America, which he achieved by 1773 as a member of a exploratory mission in the Pacific American Coast.

The expedition was attacked three times: First by scurvy, then by insubordination and lastly by Indians. This made Heceta, the leader of the exploration, to begin the return trip. Bodega y Quadra, however, insisted on advancing and he went on with the exploration on a single ship, reaching Alaska, and founding two new ports before going south for the winter.