Spanish East Indies chief consort, and his subjects. Seeking to develop trade between the East Indies and the Americas across the Pacific Ocean, Antonio de Mendoza encouraged the exploration of these Asian territories and commissioned the expedition of Ruy López de Villalobos to the Philippines in 1542–1543. Miguel López de Legazpi set out from Mexico, and established the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines in 1565, which became the town of San Miguel in present-day Cebu. That same year, another member of the expedition, Andrés de Urdaneta discovered a maritime route from the Philippines to Mexico, across the Pacific, leading to the important
East Cracroft Island . The island is separated from the mainland on its northwest by Chatham Channel, which leads from Knight Inlet to the entrance to Call Inlet which is to the east. Havannah Passage leads from the opening of Call Inlet south then west along the south side of the Cracroft Islands to Johnstone Strait. Hull Island is off East Cracroft's southeast in the Havannah Channel. On the island's north, separating it from Minstrel Island, is a narrows called The Blow Hole. East Cracroft Island East Cracroft Island is an island in the Johnstone Strait region of the Central Coast region of