Age of Discovery

===Balboa's expedition to the Pacific Ocean===
In 1513, about {{convert|40|mi|0|abbr=off}} south of [[Acandí]], in present-day [[Colombia]], Spanish [[Vasco Núñez de Balboa]] heard unexpected news of an "other sea" rich in gold, which he received with great interest.<ref>[[#Otfinoski 2004|Otfinoski 2004]], p. 33</ref> With few resources and using information given by ''[[cacique]]s'', he journeyed across the [[Isthmus of Panama]] with 190 Spaniards, a few native guides, and a pack of dogs.

Using a small [[brigantine]] and ten native [[canoe]], they explored the coast. Reinforced on September 6, they fought battles, entered a dense jungle, and climbed the Chucunaque River mountain range. Balboa, going ahead, spotted the Pacific on September 25, becoming the first European to see it from the New World. The expedition descended for a brief reconnaissance, marking the first European navigation of the Pacific off the New World coast. After travelling more than {{convert|110|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}, Balboa named the bay where they ended up [[Bay of San Miguel|''San Miguel'']]. He named the new sea[[Pacific Ocean|'' Mar del Sur'' (South Sea)]] since they had traveled south to reach it. Balboa's main purpose in the expedition was the search for gold-rich kingdoms. To this end, he crossed through the lands of ''caciques'' to the islands, naming the largest one ''Isla Rica'' (Rich Island, today known as [[Isla del Rey (Panama)|Isla del Rey]]). He named the entire group ''[[Pearl Islands|Archipiélago de las Perlas]]'', which they are still known as today.