Regular readers of this Blog will know that the crew of Vulcan Spirit has become hooked on the story of Captain Cook. We last touched base with our hero at the township of 1770 in Bustard Bay, Cook’s second stop on his trip northwards up Australia’s east coast. His third and last stop was at what is now called Cooktown, and the crew of VS were determined to reach it. Cook’s stop here was involuntary, and he was extremely lucky to survive to make it. Here’s why.

The ‘Endeavour’ was proceeding north up the Queensland coast, but unbeknownst to them the Barrier Reef was closing in. On 10 June 1770, just before 11pm, in a calm sea and without any warning, the Endeavour struck a reef. One moment 20 fathoms (120 feet, 35m), the next disaster. The ship stuck fast, at high water. To cut a long story short Cook dumped his cannon, his ballast and much else besides and nearly twenty four hours later after superhuman exertion he managed to haul his ship off. Every man on board had believed they were going to perish. But their tribulation was not yet over. The ship was badly holed and the pumps could not keep her afloat. Again, all believed death was imminent. A Midshipman (basically an officer cadet, a boy) suggested a fothering sail. This is a sail, plumped up with yarn sewn into it mixed with straw and dung, which is drawn under the hull using ropes from the deck with the hope of plugging the leak from the outside. No-one else on board, including Cook, had ever seen this done before. Cook agreed, and gave Midshipman Jonathan Monkhouse the task – an outstanding piece of leadership in the circumstances. It worked, and the ship was saved although gravely damaged and in need of very urgent repairs. Cook found a river mouth, but could not enter due to heavy winds – winds which, had they come 24 hours earlier, would have destroyed the ship on the reef. Cook beached his boat in what is now called the Endeavour River and repaired it on the strand – in itself a quite extraordinary piece of seamanship ten thousand miles from home.

 

Here is the Endeavour River, with Cook’s landing in the foreground:

 

 

Cooktown is still off the beaten track to this very day. It has a sealed road now, but only since 2009 – and that washed away the very next day after it opened! Here is Cook’s monument at his landing place, a bit grander than usual and far better than those in NZ:

 

 

The Endeavour was ready for sea by 20 July, but the wind prevented their leaving until 4 August. On 30 June Cook had climbed what is now Cook’s Lookout, trying to find a way through the “insane labyrinth” of the Barrier Reef, and was dismayed to find reefs everywhere out to the horizon. Here is the view on a poor day; you can just see a few of the closer reefs, and in fact on a good day with a telescope you can just see the outer reef with the Pacific beyond:

 

 

He recorded in his journal “the only hopes I have of getting clear of them is to the northward where there seems to be a passage for as the wind blows constantly from the southeast we shall find it difficult if not impractical to return to the southward”. Impossible, I’d have said, in his boat in those conditions. So Cook set off north and with unbelievable seamanship, made it. The rest as they say, is history.

 

On a lighter note, here is a historical cannon on the waterfront at Cooktown. It dates from 1885 when there was serious fear of a Russian invasion. The local Council requested military protection from Brisbane, and this is what they got:

 

 

That’s not so bad, is it? Until you read the inscription. The cannon was over 80 years old when delivered, and it came with 2 rifles, an officer and a grand total of three cannonballs. Luckily the Russians never arrived.

A fascinating place – we’re glad we went.