This Harbor[65] Ends On The North With A Large, Steep, And Broken Point, At The Foot Of Which There

Is a white farallon to which and to the point I gave the name of San Carlos[66], and with

Point San Jose, which is distant about half a league, forms the entrance of this famous port. It is to be borne in mind that any vessel that enters or leaves this port must take the precaution not to come near San Carlos Point, because in this place exist violent whirlpools which make useless the rudder, but must take the middle of the channel or sail near the shores of San Jose Point.

To the northeast 1/4 north of the middle of the entrance, an island[67] is seen, distant about one and a half leagues. This island divides the water of the flood in two channels in which a vessel may anchor, especially in the one that runs northeast 1/4 north near the island where water and wood are to be found in abundance. The vicinity of the island is such good anchorage that a vessel can anchor within a pistol-shot of the shore.

To the east-northeast of Point San Jose there is a sheltered harbor, landlocked, with bottom which diminishes gradually to the shore, where water and some wood are to be found[68]. In this harbor there is no current, and for that reason, and because it is so near the point I consider, it one of the best anchorages.

Once Points San Jose and San Carlos have been passed, and taking care to leave at one side the principal channel, an anchorage can be made at any place, because it is sheltered from all winds; the only thing to avoid is the current, which in the principal channel is five miles, and in its branches three miles.

This report was made to me by Pilot Don Jose Canizares, to whom I entrusted the examination of the port, because I was seriously sick.

[52] Pt. San Pedro.

[53] That is: Pt. Almejas or Pt. San Pedro.

[54] Barranca: The dictionary definition is a ravine or gulch, but it also means a high bluff or cliff and in that sense is used by these explorers.

[55] i. e.: from Pt. Almejas.

[56] Cliff Rouse Rocks.

[57] Punta del Angel de la Guarda - Point Lobos.

[58] Seal Rocks.

[59] Bakers Beach.

[60] Lobos Creek.

[61] i. e.: Inside of Point San Jose - Fort Point.

[62] Tamalpais

[63] Point Bonita. The present name was given it in 1776.

[64] Golden Gate Strait.

[65] i. e.: The outer harbor; outside of the Golden Gate.

[66] Lime Point.

[67] Angel Island.

[68] The Presidio anchorage.

Reconnaissance of the Port of San Francisco, with Map

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Report of the Pilot Don Jose de Canizares to Commander Don Juan de Ayala

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Translation of a Certified Copy of the Original in the Archives of the Indies at Seville.

Dear Captain: - During the four times that I made reconnaissance of this Port, and made its map, I found at the northeast and north-northeast what is shown on the map and I here describe. To the north-northeast of Angel Island, distant about a mile, there is a bay running in a direction north-northwest to south-southwest. The distance between the points forming said bay, is about two leagues, and the shore line is about two and a half leagues. To the northwest of the shore there are three small islands, forming between them and the shore a narrow passage of shallow water closed to the southwest. This bay is all surrounded with hills with few trees, which are mostly laurel and oak, but at a distance to the west-northwest, is visible a wood of what seems to be pines. In the middle of this bay is standing a high farallon with submerged rocks around it. On the northeast of it there is sufficient water for anchorage, as is shown on the map. There is no doubt of its being good anchorage for vessels, provided they have good cables and anchors, for they are subject to great stress because of the current, which at this point, cannot be less than four miles an hour[69].

North-northeast of said bay there is a mouth about two miles wide, where there are four small white rocks, the two north ones with the two south ones[70] form a channel of nine brazas depth. From this, one passes to another bay[71] more spacious, the diameter of which is about eight leagues, its shape a perfect isosceles triangle; its mouth is divided into two channels, - one, on the side of the southwest coast, turns to the northwest at about the distance of a mile and ends in two large harbors which are situated in the same shore at about four league's distance from the mouth that communicates with the first bay; from the northwest point of the furthest harbor to the north of it, distant about one and a half leagues, in turning a point to the west-northwest, a large body of water[72] is seen, which I did not examine because the channel which leads to it is extremely limited, its depth not having three codos[73] of water; from here to the east-northeast follows a low-lying island, just above the water level, ending in a division made by the hills[74]. The other channel, which is roomy and deep, runs directly in a northeast direction till it reaches the division of the hills through a canon that runs in the same direction.

All the bay, which is called the round bay (Bahia Redondo), though it is not shaped that way, is surrounded with steep hills, without trees, excepting two spots on the slopes fronting the two harbors to the southwest. The rest of it is arid, rugged, and of a melancholic aspect. Outside of the channels there is in this bay about five codos of water, and at low tide two and a half, and in some places it is dry.

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