Manuel Quimper was a Spanish explorer and navigator who was born in 1759 in the city of Ferrol, Spain. He was the son of a Spanish naval officer and was educated in the naval academy of Ferrol. Quimper was a skilled navigator and cartographer and was appointed to the Spanish Navy in 1777.
In 1779, Quimper was sent to explore the Pacific Northwest coast of North America. He was part of a Spanish expedition led by Bruno de Hezeta, which was sent to explore the area and to establish Spanish claims to the region. Quimper was the navigator of the expedition and was responsible for charting the coastline and mapping the area.
The expedition arrived in the Pacific Northwest in 1790 and Quimper was the first European to explore the area. He charted the coastline from the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Columbia River and mapped the area in detail. Quimper also named many of the features of the area, including the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Columbia River, and the Olympic Mountains.
Quimper's maps and charts were used by later explorers, including George Vancouver and James Cook, to further explore the Pacific Northwest. Quimper's maps were also used by the British and American governments to establish their own claims to the region.
Quimper returned to Spain in 1792 and was promoted to the rank of captain. He continued to serve in the Spanish Navy until his retirement in 1802.
Quimper's legacy lives on in the Pacific Northwest. Many of the features he named are still in use today, including the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Columbia River, and the Olympic Mountains. His maps and charts are still used by modern navigators and cartographers.
Quimper's exploration of the Pacific Northwest was an important part of the history of the region. His maps and charts helped to establish Spanish claims to the area and were used by later explorers to further explore the region. Quimper's legacy lives on in the Pacific Northwest and his contributions to the exploration of the region are still remembered today.