NZ James Cook Journal

Bill Whelen and John Robson from the CCSU recently had the opportunity to join a party visiting Dusky Sound in Fiordland. Bernard Smith, the eminent Australian Art Historian, was visiting New Zealand to give a paper at a conference in Wellington and the trip to Dusky had been arranged for him so he could see locations associated with William Hodges' paintings from Cook's Second Voyage.

Smith wrote "European vision in the South Pacific" and "Imagining the Pacific", which deal with the paintings and artists of European voyages to the Pacific but principally with the voyages of Cook. He also co-edited the three-volume "Art of Cook's Voyages" and assisted Andrew David with his "Charts and Coastal Views of Cook's Voyages" so can be accepted as the world's foremost expert on these subjects.

Breaksea Girl, the vessel operated by Fiordland Eco Holidays carries 12 passengers and it was a diverse group that joined Bernard and his wife Maggi at Manapouri to begin the six day adventure. Unfortunately, two people pulled out at the very last minute but the group still contained art historians, archeologists, museum curators and Cook people, represented by Bill and John.

We crossed Lake Manapouri and made a side trip to inspect the Power Station before a bus took us across the Wilmot Pass and down to Doubtful Sound to join the Breaksea Girl. Here Lance, the skipper, was waiting to welcome us and he and his crew, Essie and Jean, certainly looked after all our needs for the next few days. We sailed up the sound and out into the Tasman for the sea passage down to Dusky Sound. The sea was somewhat choppy and most took precautions against seasickness.

Late on the first afternoon, we rounded Five Fingers Point and entered Dusky Sound under sail, trying to re-enact the Resolution's passage into the same area 226 years earlier. Hodges had done a colour wash of the entrance and we tried to match up our observations with his painting. Passing the Seal Islands, Anchor Island and the Many Island we headed on through Pickersgill Harbour to anchor in Cascade Cove.

The next morning we returned to Pickersgill Harbour and went ashore on Astronomer's Point where a boardwalk allowed us to see the site of William Wales' observatory and the first brewery. A side trip was made up Cook Stream to Lake Forster. Once again, efforts were made to imagine where the Resolution had berthed against a tree trunk on the point and the location and orientation of Hodges' painting of the scene. It proved to be a very special part of the whole trip.

Moving on, we crossed to Luncheon Cove on Anchor Island to see the site of New Zealand's first (European) house and shipbuilding that had taken place here in 1792. A short distance away, Cook and a small party had had lunch here 19 years earlier. Our next stop was in Facile Harbour on the west side of Resolution Island where we spent our second night in the only bad weather of the trip. The wind buffetted the boat and we had heavy rain, which proved beneficial as we intended to visit a waterfall the next day.

The first shipwreck in New Zealand took place a hundred metres from our anchorage in 1795 when the Endeavour sank (not Cook's Endeavour) and we went ashore next morning to see remnants of the aftermath of the sinking. Nearby, a hundred years later, Richard Henry had carried out early conservation of local birds that had, unfortunately, come to nought when stoats even reached this remote corner.

The weather cleared as we sailed back south to visit the site, on Indian Island, of Cook's meeting with Maori, depicted in another of Hodges' paintings. Going ashore, we enacted the scene before inspecting Maori food storage pits.

Just to the south of Indian Island on the side of Cascade Cove is the large waterfall that was the main reason for Bernard's visit to the Sound. The waterfall tumbles down the mountainside in several falls but to reach the base of the most spectacular part of 100 metres involves a 150 metre climb up through thick Fiordland bush. In an admirable demonstration of determination and fitness for an 83-year- old, Bernard made it up and down the moss-covered, boulder and tree strewn, steep, wet slope. The overnight rain ensured that the waterfall was seen as its most magical.

We then followed the Cook Channel east to the head of the Sound at Shark Cove where we spent our third night. On the way we saw a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins and made a side trip into Sportman's Cove on Cooper Island. We visited Supper Cove the next morning and used the small boat to drift round the channels in the delta where the Seaforth River enters the Sound. This beautiful spot proved to be another (of many) highlight.

The Breaksea Girl next sailed down the Bowen Channel and up Acheron Passage to leave Dusky the same way Cook and the Resolution had done. We made a quick visit up and down Wet Jacket Arm in lovely, sunny afternoon conditions, a far cry from the torrential rain of Cook's crew's visit. Our anchorage for the night was behind the Harbour Islands in Breaksea Sound and not Cook's more exposed spot at Occasional Cove on the Acheron Passage.

Leaving Breaksea Sound, we saw the seal colony on Breaksea Island before heading back up the coast to Doubtful Sound. We saw albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters on the passage and then went looking for Fiordland Penguins on the Shelter Islands at the mouth of the Sound.

Our last night was spent at the head of First Arm where other boats joined us. After several days of being alone, three boats definitely felt like a crowd. We made our way slowly back to Deep Arm via Cooked Arm (stopping to see tree daisies and extremely friendly dolphins) and Hall Arm. Farewells were made to Lance and Essie before we retraced our steps to Manapouri and the party disbanded.

It had been a very special trip on many levels. The natural beauty, the wildlife and the history, especially the Cook connection, combined to make it an unforgettable experience.

SAILING ABOARD THE ENDEAVOUR REPLICA: John Robson’s experience from Tauranga to Auckland in early February 2000.

I had been aboard the Endeavour Replica on several occasions in the past in Australia, England and New Zealand but had never actually been to sea on the ship. By monitoring the Endeavour's progress up the West Coast of North America, I was aware of plans to cross the Pacific and return to New Zealand and I was determined not to miss the opportunity that the visit would afford.

So, even before the details of the itinerary had been announced I contacted the HM Bark Endeavour Foundation via email and asked to book a place on the voyage that entered Auckland. Having a terrible case of fear of heights that I knew would prevent me ever climbing the rigging I also decided that I would indulge myself further by asking to go as a supernumerary. My planning soon paid off when I was confirmed as one of the supernumeraries on the voyage that would sail from Tauranga to Auckland in early February 2000. It was now a matter of waiting for several months for the moment to arrive.

The details later emerged that the voyage would actually be from Mount Maunganui (across the harbour from Tauranga) to Devonport (similarly across the harbour from Auckland) and would take three days with two nights at sea. We were summoned to be at Mount Maunganui at 2.00pm on 1 February in order to be briefed in the ways of the ship and to get into the rhythms of watches, etc aboard.

On arrival at the Mount, the Endeavour was seen to be tied up at the wharf and looking extremely small as a P&O cruise ship, the Sky Princess, was immediately astern and dwarfing our ship. I then managed a quick look around the Endeavour to renew an old acquaintance before reporting in for duty.

Gradually, the rest of the other volunteer crew assembled and we were ushered into the Port Authority's building to meet Captain Chris Blake and before being instructed in various safety matters and being allocated to our watches by our First Officer, Geoff Kerr, and Second Officer, Gill Dippie.

Even as a supernumerary, I was assigned to a watch, the Main Mast Watch, but with the privilege that I could opt out of any duty I chose. However, I wanted to experience the voyage on the Endeavour to the full and indicated to our watch's Captain of Tops, Todd Vidgen, that I would try to be involved in all activities except going aloft (I was reasonably true to my word except that I was allowed to sleep in on the last morning so missing the 4.00 to 8.00am watch!).

The ship was still open to the public until 6.00pm on that first afternoon so we had to wait before assuming our positions aboard but it was not long before we were enjoying the first of the wonderful meals created by Caroline, our Cook. As my watch colleagues were shown where and how to sling their hammocks, I was whisked away by Di, the steward, and shown my cabin, that used by Joseph Banks off the Great Cabin. I had two companions as supernumeraries and we began getting to know each other before having a more personal meeting with Captain Blake.

My watch was on duty after midnight so we had a few hours to go ashore before then. Since we were still tied up, our first watch largely involved checking people going ashore and returning, which only needed a couple of people at any one time.

The real work started the next morning when we started cleaning and preparing the ship for sailing. The ship carries a permanent crew of about 16 persons with 8 trainee crew also on board and it was these people who did most of the hard work. As the ship would use its engines to leave the harbour, there was no need to fully set the sails but we did need to brace the arms.

Our neighbour, the Sky Princess, left before us and we marked its departure by firing our cannon. After a short holdup as another ship entered port, we untied and sailed out under power into the Bay of Plenty. Lifeboat drill took place and we were shown again the use of life jackets.

Just offshore the engines were turned off and we set about the sails for the journey north. The winds were favourable and we made excellent progress at about 9 knots up the Coromandel coast, inside Mayor and Court of Aldermen Islands (names given by Cook 230 years earlier). The sunny day and good conditions gave us the opportunity to explore and get to know the ship or just sit on deck and watch the world go by.

In the early evening we passed Mercury Bay backed by a beautiful sunset before we started threading our way through the Mercury Islands. It was already dark by the time we carefully avoided rocks south of Great Mercury Island under the direction of Captain Chris Blake (John Robson at the helm!). The winds were still favourable and continued on, east of Great Mercury, Cuvier and Great Barrier Islands.

However, when most of us came on deck the next morning, Thursday, we found that the winds had shifted and died. The Endeavour had reached the northern end of Great Barrier but had then been forced east and out to sea. We tried to work back to sail through the Colville Channel but it was impossible and, instead, we slowly made our way round Needles Point, the northern point of Great Barrier Island.

Here the conditions changed again and we were virtually becalmed in the Hauraki Gulf between Great and Little Barrier Islands, or as the Ancient Mariner would have said "as idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean". It did, however, provide further opportunities for sail handling and cleaning the ship, swabbing the decks, cleaning the galley and the heads, dusting the cabins, etc. Geoff Kerr, the First Officer, gave us a talk on ship handling, explaining how to change direction by tacking and wearing. Later, we rehearsed a sea shanty in readiness for our welcome at Devonport.

The permanent crew had been running fishing lines off the ship’s stern and we enjoyed fresh tuna steaks for dinner that evening but another "fish" incident provided the highlight that afternoon. A large shoal of fish was swimming north through the Gulf tracked by thousands of seabirds, mainly gannets. Near the ship, several hundred gannets dived, one after another, into the shoal over a period of two to three minutes in a quite breathtaking display.

As darkness came we were still close by Little Barrier Island and the weather forecasts were not good for strong and favourable winds to take us into Auckland the next day. Through the night, the engines were re-engaged and the Endeavour taken south to be off the north coast of Waiheke Island at dawn.

Very slowly, on Friday morning, the Endeavour made its way through the Rakino Channel between Rakino and Motutapu Islands into the Western Hauraki Gulf. The Louis Vuiton Cup, the preliminaries of the America's Cup yachting competition was nearing its finale and we saw the yachts at a distance. The flotilla going out to watch the yachts all came close to us, circled us once or twice and sped off to gain good positions from which to see the racing.

Off Takapuna, the Royal New Zealand Navy's launch came alongside to deliver the Governor-General and his party, including the Naval Commodore and two Maori elders, who accompanied us for the last part of the journey into port. We proceeded to the America's Cup village where we fired a broadside before returning to berth at the Devonport wharf. This last manoeuvre proved difficult and we needed the help of a tug.

On the wharf, we were welcomed by the Mayor of North Shore City and given a powhiri by the local Maori Iwi. Captain Chris Blake spoke on our behalf and we then supported him with a rendition of "Leave her Johnny, leave her". Sadly, it was then time to say goodbyes and disperse. It had been a trip of a lifetime and had given a huge insight into life aboard one of Cook's ships. Anyone who has the opportunity to sail on the Endeavour should grasp it with both hands.

REVIEW by John Robson of

Pacific images: views from Captain Cook's Third Voyage , compiled by Eleanor C. Nordyke. Honolulu: Hawaiian Historical Society, 1999. 0945048041.

In this lovely book, Nordyke has brought together the drawings made by John Webber on Cook's last voyage. The illustrations are reproduced on the verso or left page while Nordyke has selected relevant pieces from the journals of Cook and others and these are shown opposite on the recto page. A simple and straightforward book put together with care.

John Robson
232 b Old Farm Road, Hamilton
ph home 07-856-4807 work 07-856-2889 x 6511
johnrobs@voyager.co.nz
j.robson@waikato.ac.nz