The first European to see the Pacific Ocean was Vasco Núñez de Balboa, a Spanish explorer and conquistador. In 1513, he crossed the Isthmus of Panama and reached the shores of the Pacific Ocean, which he named the ‘South Sea.’
Balboa’s expedition was significant because it marked the first known sighting of the ocean by a European from the Americas and opened up new possibilities for exploration and trade across the Pacific. His journey began in a quest for gold and riches, and it ultimately led to increased European interest in the Pacific region.