On January 9, 1769, Gálvez, padre Serra and town dwellers gathered on the shore of La Paz to bless and send off the "San Carlos", the expedition's flagship captained by Vicente Vila, a native of Andalusia. The hastily built galleon "San Carlos", along with the two ships to follow — the "San Antonio" and "San José" — had arrived from San Blas leaking, requiring repairs at La Paz bay. Gálvez personally superintended the repairs and loading of the "San Carlos", carrying some of the mission furniture aboard with his own hands. In his speech on the shore, Gálvez proclaimed that the ship's crew, including Franciscan friar Fernando Parrón, had the mission of planting the holy cross among the Indians at Monterey. In the name of king Carlos and viceroy Carlos Francisco de Croix, Gálvez urged the explorers to keep peace among themselves and respect their chaplain, padre Parrón. When the "San Carlos" set sail, Gálvez followed in a launch to see the ship round Cabo San Lucas.