To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before - Captain Cook - Profound History Does Not Come Easy

I am an avid fan of history, especially when it comes to places where we travel.  This current trip is no exception.  We are moving around the world south of the equator, and have spent the last few weeks crossing the South Pacific.  

During this trip I have been doing research into the original explorers - one in particular - who opened up this part of the world.   Back in the 1700's, Europeans first sailed these waters and laid eyes on many lands for the first time. 

I have been fascinated with Captain Cook, who oddly seems to have been given little credit for his heroic and history making journeys.    

Captain James Cook, aboard the Endeavor (pictured at the top of this blog post), opened up this part of the uncharted world.  He deserves credit and respect for doing this with his intrepid crew and ship 250 years ago.  

The obstacles he overcame and the courage to carry on in the face of complete uncertainty have earned him a place in history.  

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Ironically, we've been traveling to many of the places he "discovered" (I say that with quotes because there were indigenous people living in these places before he showed up).  

Anyway, he had a pretty big head start but we've been crossing paths with the Captain for a few weeks, with more to come. 

Our current trip I have named the Southern Cross - after the constellation that appears on the flags of New Zealand and Australia - and which has been a distinguishing mark of the Southern Hemisphere.

In other words, we're traveling south of the equator where the Southern Cross has a noteworthy significance.   Indeed, it's how these early explorers navigated through remote and distant waters, using the stars.

In fact unbeknownst to us, we are following in Cook's footsteps.  This was not by design, it just sort of happened.  

Captain Cook came around the southern end of South America, around Tierra del Fuego, and sailed up through the south seas into Tahiti, (Easter Island would come later), and into New Zealand, where we are tonight. 

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Before we left Tahiti, I made it a point to go visit the location where Captain Cook had landed.   It was a special moment for me.  I've been reading a book about his epic voyage for a month, with amazing stories of his courageous and resourceful journeys.  

Turns out he had landed ashore not too far from where we were staying in Papeete (pronounced Pah-Pay-Et-Tay), Tahiti.  Since we did not have a car, and Fiona was occupied with other things, I took a local bus. 

This is always an adventure, using local public transportation in a place where they don't speak English, and there is no published information on where you're trying to get to. 

Anyway, after an interesting half hour bus ride along the seashore, and a half hour walk down a local road, I came to Pointe Venus (that's the French spelling).  It was a rather isolated place, a nice contrast to the rather busy, crowded, and noisy city of Papeete.

Another note:  It was hot in Tahiti - close to 90 degrees F, and very humid.  It did not cool down much at night, but fortunately we had good air conditioning.  At any rate, once I got to this distant beach peninsula point, it was cooler with ocean breezes.  In other words, it felt really nice and rather refreshing there. 

 
I walked around and found several meaningful historical markers.  There were markers related to the early missionaries, and other things.  

Of significance were three in particular.  

For starters, this place was where one of the more well known sea borne adventures took place - The Mutiny on the Bounty.  Captain William Bligh was "relieved" of his position as captain of the Bounty by a certain Fletcher Christian (who was played in the movie version by Marlon Brando). 

Bligh and a few loyal crew members were cast adrift in a small boat.  Astonishingly, they reached the Timor islands, 4,000 miles away.  One of the more amazing stories of years gone by.

Regarding this episode, there was a small monument there, one that will probably not win any design awards.  

With a special appearance by Robert Louis Stevenson

 
And there is the lighthouse, built in 1867 by a certain Robert Stevenson.  This is the father of Scotsman Robert Louis Stevenson, the author of "Treasure Island", and "Kidnapped", and other south seas pirate adventures. 

Robert Louis visited here in Tahiti to see this structure (see the plaque) and it had a tremendous influence on him to write Treasure Island. 

 

But Captain Cook tops them all 

He sailed to Tahiti and other places in one of the most tremendous feats of exploration in human history.  There were no maps, and he had a rather small boat.  He overcame incredible odds to "discover" the vast corners of the world, (including Hawaii, and even parts of the Oregon Coast).  

He named this particular spot Point Venus, because part of his mandate was to come to this region of the world and observe the crossing of Venus in front of the Sun on June 3, 1769.  This was the place it happened.   They came ashore at this place in Tahiti.

Ironically (did I use that word before?) he has a rather modest monument in his honor.  

 
The son of a simple Scottish laborer, James Cook rose through the ranks of the British navy to become one of the most celebrated sailors, commanders, and explorers of all time.  

 
I sat on a rock at Pointe Venus and looked out to sea for a long time, trying to absorb the scale of what happened so long ago in this place.  Some things you just cannot comprehend.   They are not meant to be comprehended.