He spent about three years at Valladolid. He fell in love with María Vidaurreta. Together they had a daughter. He joined the expedition of Garcia Jofre de Loaísa to colonize the Spice Islands. They left with seven ships and 450 men. the expedition was scattered by bad weather near Cape Horn. The expedition lost six of its seven ships. The remaining ship continued to the Spice Islands. On July 30, 1526 Loaísa died of scurvy. Elcano took command but he died of the disease himself on August 4, 1526. 