Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra

Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra
Portrait, c. 1785
Born22 May 1743
Lima, Viceroyalty of Peru
Died26 March 1794(1794-03-26) (aged 50)
Mexico City, New Spain
Allegiance Spain
Service / branchSpanish Navy
Years of service1763–1793

Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra (22 May 1743 – 26 March 1794) was a Spanish Criollo naval officer operating in the Americas. Assigned to the Pacific coast Spanish Naval Department base at San Blas, in Viceroyalty of New Spain (present-day Mexico), he explored the Northwest Coast of North America as far north as present day Alaska. Bodega Bay in California is named for him.

Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra joined the Spanish Naval Academy in Cádiz at 19, and four years later, in 1767 was commissioned as an officer of the rank Frigate Ensign (alférez de fragata). In 1773 he was promoted to Ship Ensign (alférez de navío), and in 1774 to Ship Lieutenant (teniente de navío).