In 1542, Captain Juan Cabrillo landed just off the coast of Southern California, having sailed into the entrance of what would be later be known as San Diego Bay. It was a momentous occasion for the Spanish explorer, even though he was actually Portuguese, to finally find such an immense safe port so far away from home.

                                                             That looks like a nice bay.

Months of sailing had tired Cabrillo and his men, and nearly exhausted their food supplies. The bearded man – I assume he was bearded; weren’t all early 16th century explorers bearded? Even the women?

“We have done it my fine fellows,” he exclaimed, in perfect Spanish, with perhaps just a hint of a Portuguese accent. “We are tired, hungry, and I know a great place that serves wonderful fajitas and large margaritas near the Embarcadero.”

Okay, perhaps I exaggerate.

But he was pretty thrilled, according to some history paper I once read, about his discovery of the bay. His men were too – finally able to disembark and look around the vacant lands that bordered the blue waters which streamed in from the Pacific Ocean. What a relief it must have been to walk on solid ground again, after so long bouncing up and down and down and up across the waters.

In fact, embarcadero means, boarding place, in Spanish. I don’t know what it means in Portuguese, though.

Cabrillo, per history, was the first European to set foot, or webbed feet – considering he had been at sea for so long, onto the soil that would centuries later encompass one of the most beautiful cities in the United States.

It would be nearly two hundred years before any other Europeans would revisit after Cabrillo departed, and start to settle there permanently. It would be a lonely land, except for the large groups of Kumeyaay – pronounced Kumeyaay - who lived there already.

                                                        That's some pretty big territory

These Native American people, had resided near the large bay for nearly 12,000 years before Cabrillo had claimed the area for Spain. I guess, Cabrillo simply forgot about the indigenous people already living there.

“I claim this land in the name of the King of Spain, even though I’m Portuguese,” he was heard announcing, at he stuck a flag in a beach.

“Uh, sorry, but we were here first,” replied the chief of the Kumeyaay people.

“Yeah? Where’s your flag?” Cabrillo asked. All his men, who weren’t busy building sand castles, nodded in agreement.

“Got me there,” the chief lamented.

Anyway, as the centuries moved on, San Diego prospered, and in 1976, the first female port commissioner, Bernice Leyton, approved two parks to be built on the peninsula jutting out into the San Diego Bay. 

                                        The two parks have great views of Coronado Island

In 1978, the Embarcadero Marina North and South Parks were completed, with rolling open grass areas, tall eucalyptus trees, and other flora making the parks not only breathtakingly scenic, but also acting as a buffer from the western breezes coming in from the bay to protect the boats in the marina.

The Embarcadero Marina Park North, was a nine-and-a-half-acre extension for the already present Sea Port Village situated at the northern edge of the park. The designers believed, and were correct, that this addition of lands would make a gorgeous area for walking for visitors and citizens of San Diego. A walking path winds gently along the bay with views of the Coronado Bridge, as well as Coronado Island itself.

Even though Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, if we remember our history, made a pretty big name for himself as another Spanish Explorer - at least he was Spanish, born around 1510 in Salamanca, Spain - who explored the area in what would later be the American West and the country of Mexico, he never set foot in the San Diego Bay area.

Why name a bridge and island after him? How about the Cabrillo Bridge, or Cabrillo Island? Perhaps, the Kumeyaay Bridge and Kumeyaay Island would have worked out just fine also.

Sadly, it wasn’t meant to be.

Still, the view of the bay is outstanding, and being in Southern California, the weather is almost perfect year round. That is why San Diego is known as America’s Finest City. Miles upon miles of white sandy beaches, dozens of lush green parks, bike lanes all along the waterfront, and so much more to offer those who reside there and those who would like to. Those would be the tourists.

                                                The view from anywhere, is awesome

So, a few weeks ago, I decided to pay America’s Finest City, a visit. It was a quick visit. A little business, but time enough to walk around the Embarcadero Marina North Park, and wander through the shops at Seaport Village.

The sun was shining, no clouds in the sky, the crystal blue waters of the bay lapping the shorelines of the Embarcadero, and crowds of likeminded people enjoying the outdoors. I knew they were enjoying themselves as their foreheads were wrinkled up and their eyes squinting.

That’s the new way of knowing if someone is smiling. A scrunched up face. Since we’re all required to wear masks – the new way of life – no smiles were actually seen, but only felt.

“I was smiling at your joke, Dad.”

“I didn’t see any smile.”

“My eyes were watering, that’s the sign now.

The day was just lovely. In fact, love was in the air along the promenade that circles the embarcadero.

Young lovers smashing masks together as they sat on the bay retaining wall. Couples walking hand in hand, and then sanitizing soon after. 

It was all so romantic. 

But, I was alone on this trip. Laureen couldn’t accompany me – so I thought I’d do something she would never think of doing – I went shopping.

That last line was tongue in cheek – of course, me wearing a mask, no one would know.

There are actually some sixty plus stores in Seaport Village. I didn’t make but two – I was exhausted, after purchasing some snazzy t-shirts and a couple of patriotic masks.

                                           One of many shops offering great items for sale

There are also countless restaurants, bistros, coffee shops, sweet shops. And did I mention mask shops? The shopping area is so eclectic in what is offered, that it sounds silly to say it’s an eclectic set of eclectic businesses, all bunched in one area. I had to write that – just had to.

                                    Enough for anyone, wanting to enjoy San Diego at its finest

But, in this time of COVID and with all the rest 2020 has brought us – I’m waiting for swarms of locusts to descend from the heavens at this point – the Seaport Village and both parks on the Embarcadero are worth visiting.

It’s San Diego – that should say it all, but, and here’s another selling point. It’s cooler there by the water – and in this blistering summer – that is enough said.

This article was first published in the Daily Press Newspaper, in - Beyer's Byways.