A first expedition led by Juan José Pérez Hernández in 1774 with just one ship, the frigate "Santiago" (alias "Nueva Galicia" ), did not reach as far north as planned. Thus in 1775, when a small group of officers from Spain reached the Pacific port of San Blas in the Viceroyalty of New Spain (present day México), the viceroy placed one of them, Bruno de Heceta, in charge of a second expedition. This expedition was to have two ships, with the second a smaller ship that could explore in shallower waters.