This book brings to life Captain Cook's famous voyage of exploration to the South Pacific aboard the square-rigged ship "Endeavour".
Between August and October 2001 a volunteer crew, sailing an exact replica of Cook's ship, retraced the most perilous stretch of the original voyage from the Great Barrier Reef (off the east coast of Australia) to Indonesia. This book tells the story of Cook's journey through the experiences of the modern crew.
Simon Baker, author and crew member, begins by taking a fresh look at Cook and the origins of the "Endeavour" voyage - how it turned from a scientific expedition to observe an eclipse into afar-reaching quest for the mythical Great Southern Continent. Drawing on original journals Baker re-examines Cook's motives and reputation, revealing a more complex character than the hero handed own to us by history.
Cook has long been seen as one of the world's greatest explorers. Today his achievements are assessed in the context of other European "discoverers" and from the point of view of the indigenous peoples he and his crews encountered. The replica "Endeavour" and the places the modern crew visited provided a unique opportunity to examine themes that characterised Cook's voyage - science, imperialism, navigation and the experience of shipboard life.
Under the living conditions of the tall ship, the volunteers tested the achievements of Cook and his men. The BBC commissioned diaries from the historians and experts on board and their journals bring new insights into Cook's circumnavigation, a voyage that epitomised the ideals of the Age of Enlightenment.
Featuring original drawings, maps and artworks, plus spectacular new photographs, this book provides a fascinating historical account of Cook's first voyage and sheds new light on its significance through the present-day experience life aboard the replica "Endeavour".
