European exploration of the bay likely occurred as early as Pensacola's establishment in the early 16th century. The bay has been included in most major maps of the bay system and harbor, dating back to that era. Between its first mapping and the present day, the bay has been listed under several different names, primarily Oyster Cove, Galvez Bay, and East Bay. During
Hurricane Ivan's landfall in September 2004, the
storm surge from the
Gulf of Mexico came into East Bay, flooding the shoreline of the bay. == References ==