First Pacific voyage

James Cook · 1768 CE – 1771 CE · Earth

First Pacific voyage — James Cook · 1768 CE – 1771 CE · Earth — Recorded expedition route · schematic map

Observe the transit of Venus and search for the southern continent.

Historical context

The Royal Society needed a Pacific station to observe the 1769 transit of Venus, and the Admiralty had a hidden second aim: to find the southern continent. Cook combined the two into a voyage of measurement and discovery.

The voyage, step by step

  1. Departure from Plymouth

    26 August 1768

    HMS Endeavour sails on 26 August 1768 to observe the transit of Venus from Tahiti.

  2. Transit of Venus at Tahiti

    June 1769

    In June 1769 the astronomers observe the transit, and Tupaia joins the ship as pilot.

  3. Charting New Zealand

    October 1769

    In October 1769 the Endeavour reaches New Zealand and spends six months charting both islands.

  4. Botany Bay

    April 1770

    In April 1770 the ship anchors at a bay whose plants give it the name Botany Bay; the east coast is claimed for Britain.

  5. Grounding on the Great Barrier Reef

    11 June 1770

    On 11 June 1770 the Endeavour strikes coral and nearly sinks; the crew jettison guns and stores to float her off.

  6. Batavia

    1770 CE

    The ship is repaired at Batavia, but malaria and dysentery kill many of the crew before the voyage home.

  7. Homecoming

    July 1771

    The Endeavour returns to England in July 1771, having charted thousands of kilometres of Pacific coastline.

Outcome

Charted New Zealand and eastern Australia, guided by Tupaia.

James Cook

British navigator who charted New Zealand and eastern Australia, crossed the Antarctic Circle and mapped much of the Pacific.

Read on Wikipedia

Sources

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