Juan Fernández (c. 1536 – c. 1604) was a Spanish explorer and navigator. Probably between 1563 and 1574 he discovered the Juan Fernández Islands west of Valparaíso, Chile. He also discovered the Pacific islands of San Félix and San Ambrosio (1574).
Some early historians (eg Alexander Dalrymple and James Burney) claim that Fernández was the first European to reach New Zealand. Around 1576, he is thought to have been sailing a considerable distance off the west coast of South America heading towards Lima from Valparaíso when he was blown off course in a storm and sighted land. Mainstream historians do not however accept the claims; for instance University of Auckland history professor James Belich said claims that the French and Chinese discovered New Zealand prior to Abel Tasman in 1642 had also been put forward. "I think there are a number of theories of this kind and all are highly unlikely."[1]
He set sail back for Chile and had aspirations to return and establish a colony. This idea was soon scrapped due to lack of interest by officials and the Spanish public. A record exists in the Spanish Admiralty libraries, which were reviewed in the 19th century by the Chilean biographer José Toribio Medina who is the main source for the claim in South American literature.
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