Solander Islands — Cosy Nook, New Zealand
Posted by: 
Dunbar Loop
S 46° 19.843 E 167° 43.549
58G E 709801 N 4865595
The first voyage of James Cook expedition to the south Pacific Ocean aboard HMS Endeavour was from 1768 to 1771. While charting the waters and shorelines around New Zealand he named some small islands off of the South Island.
Waymark Code: WMQA8J
Location: South Island, New Zealand
Date Posted: 01/21/2016
Views: 2
The first voyage of James Cook was a combined Royal Navy and Royal Society expedition to the south Pacific Ocean aboard HMS Endeavour, from 1768 to 1771. It was the first of three Pacific voyages of which Cook was the commander. The aims of this first expedition were to observe the 1769 transit of Venus across the Sun (3–4 June of that year), and to seek evidence of the postulated Terra Australis Incognita or "unknown southern land".
In what was perhaps the first global scientific experiment in the world's history, 1769 was a momentous year. With scientists and observers where sent around the globe to take measurements of the Transit of Venus on June 3, 1769 observations were also made from Tahiti by James Cook and Charles Green at a location still known as "Point Venus". This occurred on the first voyage of James Cook, after which Cook explored New Zealand and Australia. This was one of five expeditions organised by the Royal Society and the Astronomer Royal Nevil Maskelyne.
However this three year voyage had a second mandate, to explore Terra Australis Incognita. The southern Pacific Ocean remained mostly unexplored and uncharted by European explorers and the Royal Society wanted to learn more. Cook managed to reach New Zealand on 6 October 1769. He was the second European explorer to do so, the first after Abel Tasman in 1642.
By 11 March 1770 the Cook expedition had reached these volcanic islands off of the South Island. Here he named the remote outcropping for Daniel Carl Solander, a Swedish botanist, who was a part of this voyage of scientific discovery.
A few days later on 31 March 1770 Cook left the waters of New Zealand for an exploration of Australia. However, Cook's voyage had significant impact on New Zealand. It laid the foundation for the group of islands to become a British colony in the 19th century.
Type of Historic Marker: Historical description of the area
Historical Marker Issuing Authority: New Zealand Historic Places Trust
Age/Event Date: 03/11/1770
Related Website: [Web Link]
Give your Rating: 
|
Visit Instructions:
Please submit your visiting log with a picture of the object and include some interesting information about your visit.
Recent Visits/Logs:
| There are no logs for this waymark yet. |
|
|
|