In mid-summer 1625 three Basque vessels arrived to this area in search of right whales. When the ships were ready for departure in late September a terrible gale arose and the ships were driven onto the rocks and crushed in Reykjarfjörður.

Most of the crewmembers survived and started traveling along the coast on foot. The captains Pedro de Arguirre and Esteban de Tellaria guided their crew west and wintered at Patreksfjörður. They were able to return home the following year.

The crew of the other ship, led by Martin de Villa Franca, split into two groups; one comprised of Villa Franca and 17 others entered Ísafjarðardjúp where on October 13th were attacked and killed by the locals. The other went to Bolungarvík and later to Þingeyri, where on October 15th where also attacked by local fishermen. 13 crew members were killed. Only one survived and managed to escape and join Pedro de Arguirre and Esteban de Tellaria in Patreksfjörður.