For crown and country
When the ship HMS Endeavour hit a reef and got stuck, little did James Cook, the leader of the expedition, know of the grand discovery he had made: The Great Barrier Reef. This complex of coral reefs, shoals and islets off the northeastern coast of Australia is the longest and largest reef complex in the world.
Born to a farmhand in Scotland, James’ introduction to the sea was while apprenticing in a general store in a coastal village north of Whitby, Scarborough, England. He was an explorer, navigator, cartographer and captain in the British Royal Navy. He is known for his three voyages undertaken between 1768 and 1779 in the Pacific Ocean and Australia. He died on February 14, 1779, in Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii, United States.
Cook did not realise the magnitude of the discovery that he had unwittingly stumbled upon. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest structure of living organisms in the world and is recognised as a site of environmental importance and is a World Heritage Site.
Back in England, he was promoted to commander and presented to King George III. He was soon organising his next ambitious voyage, but that is another story.
Check the timeline to keep abreast of his voyage.