Thus, the first circumnavigation around the globe was the result of a decision made by Juan Sebastián Elkano, along with Captain of the Trinidad Gómez de Espinosa to return from the Mollucas.
21 December 1521, the Victoria left Tidore under Elkano's command. The Trinidad had faults, so it remained in Tidore to be repaired and then return by crossing the Pacific. It set sail once repairs were finished, but it found no favourable winds or currents, so returned to the Mollucas. It was finally seized by the Portuguese.
25 January 1522, the Victoria had a layover in Timor. This was the beginning of another awful crossing: the ship, led by Elkano, crossed the Indian Ocean alone, without touching dry land.
19 May, after spending three months without touching dry land, they reached the Cape of Good Hope, in southern Africa. However, fear of being taken prisoner by the Portuguese made them push onward without landing, toward the Atlantic Ocean.
2 July, they had no choice but to stop in Cape Verde, a Portuguese colony, to purchase food. While closing the deal, the Portuguese realised that they had come from the Far East and took the 12 sailors who were on land captive. Elkano ordered the other men, who were on board the Victoria, to flee and continue on their seemingly endless journey.
6 September 1522, three years after leaving the same port, 18 men reached Sanlúcar on board the Victoria. Of the five ships that had set sail, one came back. Of the 238 men, 18 returned, including four Basques:
Juan Sebastián Elkano, captain of the Victoria, from Getaria.
Juan Akurio, pilot, from Bermeo.
Juan Arratia, cabin boy, from Bilbao.
Juan Zubileta, page, from Barakaldo.