120-543: The Freshwater River is the longest river on Stewart Island , the third largest of New Zealand's islands. It arises close to the island's northwestern point, from which it is separated by a ridge, and flows southeastward through the Ruggedy Flat for 25 kilometres (16 mi) before reaching the Paterson Inlet on the island's central east coast. The Freshwater is the longest New Zealand river not to be located in either of
240-548: A Scottish farm labourer from Ednam in Roxburghshire , and his locally born wife, Grace Pace (1702–1765), from Thornaby-on-Tees . In 1736, his family moved to Airey Holme farm at Great Ayton , where his father's employer, Thomas Skottowe, paid for him to attend the local school. In 1741, after five years of schooling, he began work for his father, who had been promoted to farm manager. Despite not being formally educated, he became capable in mathematics, astronomy and charting by
360-500: A Tawhiki ( Foveaux Strait ) to the South Island where the cousin lived, only to discover she had recently married. He blushed with embarrassment; so the island was called Te Ura o Te Rakitamau. Margaret Cameron-Ash claims that James Cook established the insularity of Stewart Island during his first Pacific voyage in 1770 but decided to hide his discovery for reasons of military and colonial policy. However, G. A. Mawer argues that Cook
480-572: A biographer of Cook, described Cook as being "over six feet high" with "dark brown hair", "bushy eyebrows", and "small brown eyes". Cook's first posting was with HMS Eagle , serving as able seaman and master's mate under Captain Joseph Hamar for his first year aboard, and Captain Hugh Palliser thereafter. In October and November 1755, he took part in Eagle' s capture of one French warship and
600-478: A coconut, attempted to distract Cook and his men as a large crowd began to form at the shore. At this point, the king began to understand that Cook was his enemy. As Cook turned his back to help launch the boats, he was struck on the head by the villagers and then stabbed to death as he fell on his face in the surf . He was first struck on the head with a club by a chief named Kalaimanokahoʻowaha or Kanaʻina (namesake of Charles Kana'ina ) and then stabbed by one of
720-602: A final sweep across the South Atlantic from Cape Horn and surveyed, mapped, and took possession for Britain of South Georgia , which had been explored by the English merchant Anthony de la Roché in 1675. Cook also discovered and named Clerke Rocks and the South Sandwich Islands ("Sandwich Land"). He then turned north to South Africa and from there continued back to England. His reports upon his return home put to rest
840-618: A formal burial at sea . Clerke assumed leadership of the expedition and made a final attempt to pass through the Bering Strait. He died of tuberculosis on 22 August 1779 and John Gore , a veteran of Cook's first voyage, took command of Resolution and of the expedition. James King replaced Gore in command of Discovery . The expedition returned home, reaching England in October 1780. After their arrival in England, King completed Cook's account of
960-457: A hero among the scientific community. Among the general public, however, the aristocratic botanist Joseph Banks was a greater hero. Banks even attempted to take command of Cook's second voyage but removed himself from the voyage before it began, and Johann Reinhold Forster and his son Georg Forster were taken on as scientists for the voyage. Cook's son George was born five days before he left for his second voyage. Shortly after his return from
1080-549: A hurricane in the West Indies ), Elizabeth (1767–1771), Joseph (1768–1768), George (1772–1772) and Hugh (1776–1793, who died of scarlet fever while a student at Christ's College, Cambridge ). When not at sea, Cook lived in the East End of London . He attended St Paul's Church, Shadwell , where his son James was baptised. Cook has no direct descendants – all of his children died before having children of their own. Sir Walter Besant ,
1200-446: A licence was granted to Amphibian Airways to operate an air service between Invercargill and Stewart Island. In December 1950, finance was being sought for the purchase of a Grumman Widgeon amphibious aircraft . The inaugural flight to Half Moon Bay was made on 20 March 1951, with plans for a weekly service. In 1976, Stewart Island Air Services took over an amphibian air service to Stewart Island that had previously been operated by
1320-622: A new replacement vessel was planned. In the interim, the government ship Matai replaced the Wairua . By 1960, a new vessel to take over the Foveaux Strait service was under construction in Auckland. It was the largest ship to be constructed in New Zealand at that time, and was also named Wairua . The delivery voyage to Bluff was completed on 19 December 1961, and her first crossing of Foveaux Strait
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#17328546109651440-545: A penal settlement in 1788. Artists also sailed on Cook's first voyage. Sydney Parkinson was heavily involved in documenting the botanists' findings, completing 264 drawings before his death near the end of the voyage. They were of immense scientific value to British botanists. Cook's second expedition included William Hodges , who produced notable landscape paintings of Tahiti, Easter Island , and other locations. Several officers who served under Cook went on to distinctive accomplishments. William Bligh , Cook's sailing master ,
1560-754: A population density of 0.26 people per km . Stewart Island had a population of 408 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 30 people (7.9%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 6 people (1.5%) since the 2006 census . There were 222 households, comprising 216 males and 195 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.11 males per female. The median age was 49.3 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 54 people (13.2%) aged under 15 years, 57 (14.0%) aged 15 to 29, 204 (50.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 90 (22.1%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 93.4% European/ Pākehā , 19.9% Māori , 1.5% Pasifika , 0.7% Asian , and 2.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas
1680-529: A river in Southland, New Zealand is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Stewart Island Stewart Island ( Māori : Rakiura , lit. ' glowing skies ', officially Stewart Island / Rakiura , formerly New Leinster ) is New Zealand 's third-largest island, located 30 kilometres (16 nautical miles) south of the South Island , across Foveaux Strait . It is a roughly triangular island with
1800-535: A second fruitless attempt to find the supposed continent. On this leg of the voyage, he brought a young Tahitian named Omai , who proved to be somewhat less knowledgeable about the Pacific than Tupaia had been on the first voyage. On his return voyage to New Zealand in 1774, Cook landed at the Friendly Islands , Easter Island , Norfolk Island , New Caledonia , and Vanuatu . Before returning to England, Cook made
1920-475: A settlement and British colonial outpost. After his departure from Botany Bay, he continued northwards. He stopped at Bustard Bay (now known as Seventeen Seventy ) on 23 May 1770. On 24 May, Cook and Banks and others went ashore. Continuing north, on 11 June a mishap occurred when Endeavour ran aground on a shoal of the Great Barrier Reef , and then "nursed into a river mouth on 18 June 1770". The ship
2040-573: A single visit, Cook charted the majority of the North American northwest coastline on world maps for the first time, determined the extent of Alaska, and closed the gaps in Russian (from the west) and Spanish (from the south) exploratory probes of the northern limits of the Pacific. By the second week of August 1778, Cook was through the Bering Strait, sailing into the Chukchi Sea . He headed northeast up
2160-520: A talent for surveying and cartography and was responsible for mapping much of the entrance to the Saint Lawrence River during the siege, thus allowing General Wolfe to make his famous stealth attack during the 1759 Battle of the Plains of Abraham . Cook's surveying ability was also put to use in mapping the jagged coast of Newfoundland in the 1760s, aboard HMS Grenville . He surveyed
2280-402: A total land area of 1,746 km (674 sq mi). Its 164-kilometre (102 mi) coastline is deeply indented by Paterson Inlet (east), Port Pegasus (south), and Mason Bay (west). The island is generally hilly (rising to 980 metres or 3,220 feet at Mount Anglem ) and densely forested. Flightless birds , including penguins, thrive because there are few introduced predators. Almost all
2400-495: A year. Owing to an anomaly in the magnetic latitude contours, this location is well-placed for observing Aurora australis . Approximately 18,000 years ago during the Last Glacial Maximum when sea levels were over 100 metres lower than present day levels, Stewart Island and its surrounding islands were connected to the rest of New Zealand. Sea levels began to rise 7,000 years ago, eventually separating Stewart Island from
2520-472: Is about 85% of the area of Stewart Island / Rakiura. The area of the park excludes the township around Halfmoon Bay ( Oban ) and some roads as well as private or Māori-owned land further inland. Stewart Island covers 1,747.72 km (674.80 sq mi) including the offshore islands, the most sizeable being Ruapuke Island , Codfish Island / Whenua Hou and Taukihepa / Big South Cape Island . It had an estimated population of 460 as of June 2024, with
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#17328546109652640-550: Is composed of Anglem Complex diorites, minor gabbro and granite, and many pegmatites. The Freshwater Valley Fault in between is mainly alluvium and volcanic sediments. In January 2019, Stewart Island was accredited as a Dark Sky Sanctuary by the International Dark-Sky Association . This designation is given for sites in very remote locations to increase awareness of their dark sky characteristics and promote long-term conservation. The application for accreditation
2760-496: Is debate on whether he can be held responsible for paving the way for British imperialism and colonialism . James Cook was born on 7 November [ O.S. 27 October] 1728 in the village of Marton in the North Riding of Yorkshire and baptised on 14 November (N.S.) in the parish church of St Cuthbert , where his name can be seen in the church register. He was the second of eight children of James Cook (1693–1779),
2880-484: Is dominated by the swampy valley of the Freshwater River . The river rises close to the northwestern coast and flows southeastwards into the large indentation of Paterson Inlet . The highest peak is Mount Anglem (980 metres (3,220 ft)), close to the northern coast. It is one of a rim of ridges that surround Freshwater Valley. The southern half is more uniformly undulating, rising to a ridge that runs south from
3000-639: Is possible for a man to go". On 25 May 1768, the Admiralty commissioned Cook to command a scientific voyage to the Pacific Ocean. The purpose of the voyage was to observe and record the 1769 transit of Venus across the Sun which, when combined with observations from other places, would help to determine the distance of the Earth from the Sun. Cook, at age 39, was promoted to lieutenant to grant him sufficient status to take
3120-452: Is similarly preserved. Stewart Island is the sole remaining breeding place of the critically endangered southern New Zealand dotterel . The South Island giant moa ( Dinornis robustus ) occurred on the island, subfossil remains having been retrieved in its dunes. As the island has always been sparsely populated and there has never been very much logging, much of the original wildlife is intact, including species that have been devastated on
3240-449: Is the abbreviated version of Te Rakiura a Te Rakitamau, translated as "great blush of Rakitamau", in reference to the latter's embarrassment when refused the hand in marriage of not one but two daughters of an island chief. According to Māori legend, a chief on the island named Te Rakitamau was married to a young woman who became terminally ill and implored him to marry her cousin after she died. Te Rakitamau paddled across Te Moana Tapokopoko
3360-511: The Awarua took place on 10 March 1885, and a weekly service to Steward Island commenced. A government subsidy was required to support the service, but it brought economic benefit by supporting the development of the fishing industry based on Stewart Island and increased the number of visitors. Many different vessels were used by the Bluff Harbour Board on the Foveaux Strait ferry service in
3480-578: The Baltic Sea . After passing his examinations in 1752, he soon progressed through the merchant navy ranks, starting with his promotion in that year to mate aboard the collier brig Friendship . In 1755, within a month of being offered command of this vessel, he volunteered for service in the Royal Navy, when Britain was re-arming for what was to become the Seven Years' War . Despite the need to start back at
3600-644: The Copley Gold Medal for completing his second voyage without losing a man to scurvy . Nathaniel Dance-Holland painted his portrait; he dined with James Boswell ; he was described in the House of Lords as "the first navigator in Europe". But he could not be kept away from the sea. A third voyage was planned, and Cook volunteered to find the Northwest Passage . He travelled to the Pacific and hoped to travel east to
3720-474: The Hawaiian islands in 1779. He was killed while attempting to take hostage Kalaniʻōpuʻu , chief of the island of Hawaii , during a dispute. He left a legacy of scientific and geographical knowledge that influenced his successors well into the 20th century, and numerous memorials worldwide have been dedicated to him. He remains controversial for his occasionally violent encounters with indigenous peoples and there
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3840-609: The Mount Cook Group . In 1980, Stewart Island Air Services rebranded as Southern Air. By 1980, a sealed airstrip had been built at Ryan's Creek above Oban, and services from Invercargill were provided using Nomad and Britten-Norman Islander aircraft. Southern Air rebranded to Stewart Island Flights in 2020. In 1998 a Southern Air Cessna ditched into Foveaux Strait on a trip from Stewart Island to Invercargill after losing power to both engines, resulting in five deaths. Oban has mainly sealed main roads, and some gravel roads on
3960-587: The Shetland Islands settled in the early 1870s. This was unsuccessful, and the settlers left within one to two years, most for sawmilling villages elsewhere on the island. Geologically, Stewart Island is made up of rocks from the Median Batholith. The island is mostly composed of granite, particularly the southern two thirds of the island. The northern third (north of the Freshwater Valley Fault)
4080-554: The siege of Quebec , which brought him to the attention of the Admiralty and the Royal Society . This acclaim came at a crucial moment for the direction of British overseas exploration, and it led to his commission in 1768 as commander of HMS Endeavour for the first of three Pacific voyages. In these voyages, Cook sailed thousands of miles across largely uncharted areas of the globe. He mapped lands from New Zealand to Hawaii in
4200-460: The " Bay of Despair ". While in Newfoundland, Cook also conducted astronomical observations, in particular of the eclipse of the sun on 5 August 1766. By obtaining an accurate estimate of the time of the start and finish of the eclipse, and comparing these with the timings at a known position in England, it was possible to calculate the longitude of the observation site in Newfoundland. This result
4320-404: The Admiralty and Royal Society at a crucial moment both in his career and in the direction of British overseas discovery. Cook's maps were used into the 20th century, with copies being referenced by those sailing Newfoundland's waters for 200 years. Following his exertions in Newfoundland, Cook wrote that he intended to go not only "farther than any man has been before me, but as far as I think it
4440-706: The Atlantic, while a simultaneous voyage travelled the opposite route. On his last voyage, Cook again commanded HMS Resolution , while Captain Charles Clerke commanded HMS Discovery . The voyage was ostensibly planned to return the Pacific Islander Omai to Tahiti, or so the public was led to believe. The trip's principal goal was to locate a Northwest Passage around the American continent. After dropping Omai at Tahiti, Cook travelled north and in 1778 became
4560-498: The English coast. His first assignment was aboard the collier Freelove , and he spent several years on this and various other coasters , sailing between the Tyne and London. As part of his apprenticeship, Cook applied himself to the study of algebra, geometry, trigonometry, navigation and astronomy – all skills he would need one day to command his own ship. His three-year apprenticeship completed, Cook began working on merchant ships in
4680-462: The Indigenous population without success. At first Cook named the inlet "Sting-Ray Harbour" after the many stingrays found there. This was later changed to "Botanist Bay" and finally Botany Bay after the unique specimens retrieved by the botanists Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander . This first landing site was later to be promoted (particularly by Joseph Banks) as a suitable candidate for situating
4800-536: The K1 chronometer made by Larcum Kendall , which was the shape of a large pocket watch, 5 inches (13 cm) in diameter. It was a copy of the H4 clock made by John Harrison , which proved to be the first to keep accurate time at sea when used on the ship Deptford ' s journey to Jamaica in 1761–62. He succeeded in circumnavigating the world on his first voyage without losing a single man to scurvy , an unusual accomplishment at
4920-770: The NSW Government at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition in London. In 1887 the London-based Agent-General for the New South Wales Government, Saul Samuel, bought John Mackrell's items and also acquired items belonging to the other relatives Reverend Canon Frederick Bennett, Mrs Thomas Langton, H.M.C. Alexander, and William Adams. The collection remained with the Colonial Secretary of NSW until 1894, when it
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5040-734: The Oregon coast at approximately 44°30′ north latitude, naming Cape Foulweather , after the bad weather which forced his ships south to about 43° north before they could begin their exploration of the coast northward. He unknowingly sailed past the Strait of Juan de Fuca and soon after entered Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island . He anchored near the First Nations village of Yuquot . Cook's two ships remained in Nootka Sound from 29 March to 26 April 1778, in what Cook called Ship Cove, now Resolution Cove, at
5160-415: The Pacific Ocean in greater detail and on a scale not previously charted by Western explorers. He surveyed and named features, and recorded islands and coastlines on European maps for the first time. He displayed a combination of seamanship, superior surveying and cartographic skills, physical courage, and an ability to lead men in adverse conditions. During his third voyage in the Pacific , Cook encountered
5280-569: The Pacific, during which he achieved the first recorded European contact with the eastern coastline of Australia and the Hawaiian Islands and the first recorded circumnavigation of New Zealand. Cook joined the British merchant navy as a teenager and joined the Royal Navy in 1755. He served during the Seven Years' War and subsequently surveyed and mapped much of the entrance to the St. Lawrence River during
5400-551: The Shore as to distinguish several people upon the Sea beach they appear'd to be of a very dark or black Colour but whether this was the real colour of their skins or the C[l]othes they might have on I know not." Endeavour continued northwards along the coastline, keeping the land in sight with Cook charting and naming landmarks as he went. On 29 April, Cook and crew made their first landfall on
5520-518: The South Island. Stewart Island is part of the Southland District for local government purposes. Archaeology indicates that the island was settled in the 14th century, shortly after the Māori settled in the South Island . The original Māori name, Te Punga o Te Waka a Māui , positions the island firmly at the heart of Māori mythology. Translated as "The Anchor Stone of Māui’s Canoe", it refers to
5640-555: The Terra Australis was believed to lie further south. Despite this evidence to the contrary, Alexander Dalrymple and others of the Royal Society still believed that a massive southern continent should exist. Cook commanded HMS Resolution on this voyage, while Tobias Furneaux commanded its companion ship, HMS Adventure . Cook's expedition circumnavigated the globe at an extreme southern latitude , becoming one of
5760-639: The aid of Tupaia , a Tahitian priest who had joined the expedition, Cook was the first European to communicate with the Māori . However, at least eight Māori were killed in violent encounters. Cook then voyaged west, reaching the southeastern coast of Australia near today's Point Hicks on 19 April 1770, and in doing so his expedition became the first recorded Europeans to have encountered its eastern coastline. On 23 April, he made his first recorded direct observation of Aboriginal Australians at Brush Island near Bawley Point , noting in his journal: "... and were so near
5880-567: The analogue switch off on 28 April 2013. Oban has ADSL broadband and phone services delivering speeds up to 24 Mbit/s download. James Cook Captain James Cook FRS (7 November [ O.S. 27 October] 1728 – 14 February 1779) was a British explorer, cartographer and naval officer famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 in the Pacific Ocean and to New Zealand and Australia in particular. He made detailed maps of Newfoundland prior to making three voyages to
6000-519: The angle of the sun or a star above the horizon with an instrument such as a backstaff or quadrant . Longitude was more difficult to measure accurately because it requires precise knowledge of the time difference between points on the surface of the Earth. The Earth turns a full 360 degrees relative to the Sun each day. Thus longitude corresponds to time: 15 degrees every hour, or 1 degree every 4 minutes. Cook gathered accurate longitude measurements during his first voyage from his navigational skills, with
6120-606: The archipelago for some eight weeks, he made landfall at Kealakekua Bay on Hawai'i Island , the largest island in the Hawaiian Archipelago. Cook's arrival coincided with the Makahiki , a Hawaiian harvest festival of worship for the Polynesian god Lono . Coincidentally the form of Cook's ship, HMS Resolution , or more particularly the mast formation, sails and rigging, resembled certain significant artefacts that formed part of
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#17328546109656240-634: The bottom of the naval hierarchy, Cook realised his career would advance more quickly in military service and entered the Navy at Wapping on 17 June 1755. Cook married Elizabeth Batts , the daughter of Samuel Batts, keeper of the Bell Inn in Wapping and one of his mentors, on 21 December 1762 at St Margaret's Church, Barking , Essex. The couple had six children: James (1763–1794), Nathaniel (1764–1780, lost aboard HMS Thunderer which foundered with all hands in
6360-449: The chief executive of Real Journeys stated: "Not only are Stewart Island ferries completely unsubsidised but the Foveaux Strait is an extremely expensive piece of water to operate on commercially". Stewart Island Flights provides air services across Foveaux Strait between Invercargill Airport and Ryan's Creek Aerodrome on Stewart Island. Their aircraft also land on the sand at Mason Bay, Doughboy Bay, and West Ruggedy Beach. In 1950,
6480-829: The coast of Alaska until he was blocked by sea ice at a latitude of 70°44′ north. Cook then sailed west to the Siberian coast, and then southeast down the Siberian coast back to the Bering Strait. By early September 1778, he was back in the Bering Sea to begin the trip to the Sandwich (Hawaiian) Islands. He became increasingly frustrated on this voyage and perhaps began to suffer from a stomach ailment; it has been speculated that this led to irrational behaviour towards his crew, such as forcing them to eat walrus meat, which they had pronounced inedible. Cook returned to Hawaii in 1779. After sailing around
6600-499: The coming of Cook is often used to signify the onset of the colonisation . Cook carried several scientists on his voyages; they made significant observations and discoveries. Two botanists, Joseph Banks and the Swede Daniel Solander, sailed on the first voyage. The two collected over 3,000 plant species. Banks subsequently strongly promoted British settlement of Australia, leading to the establishment of New South Wales as
6720-414: The command. For its part, the Royal Society agreed that Cook would receive a one hundred guinea gratuity in addition to his Naval pay. The expedition sailed aboard HMS Endeavour , departing England on 26 August 1768. Cook and his crew rounded Cape Horn and continued westward across the Pacific, arriving at Tahiti on 13 April 1769, where the observations of the transit were made. However,
6840-472: The continent at a beach now known as Silver Beach on Botany Bay ( Kamay Botany Bay National Park ). Two Gweagal men of the Dharawal / Eora nation opposed their landing and in the confrontation one of them was shot and wounded. Cook and his crew stayed at Botany Bay for a week, collecting water, timber, fodder and botanical specimens and exploring the surrounding area. Cook sought to establish relations with
6960-417: The country's two main islands. The river's catchment dominates much of the island's north, forming a wide swampy basin that covers some 150 square kilometres (58 sq mi) (almost a tenth of the island's total area). A tramping track runs along the lower reach of the river. 46°54′S 167°58′E / 46.900°S 167.967°E / -46.900; 167.967 This article about
7080-517: The documents and memorabilia were transferred to the Mitchell Library in the State Library of New South Wales . The provenance of the collection shows that the objects remained in the hands of Cook's widow Elizabeth Cook, and her descendants, until 1886. In this year John Mackrell, the great-nephew of Isaac Smith , Elizabeth Cook's cousin, organised the display of this collection at the request of
7200-425: The early 1930s and with a checklist by botanist Leonard Cockayne populated it with all the local indigenous plants. She gave the land and her house to the government in 1940, and today Moturau Moana is New Zealand's southernmost public garden. There are many species of birds on Stewart Island that have been able to continue to thrive because of the absence of the stoats, ferrets, and weasels that humans brought to
7320-459: The effects contained in her, nor obstruct her immediate return to England by detaining her or sending her into any other part of Europe or to America; but that you treat the said Captain Cook and his people with all civility and kindness ... as common friends to mankind." A U.S. coin, the 1928 Hawaii Sesquicentennial half-dollar , carries Cook's image. Minted for the 150th anniversary of his discovery of
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#17328546109657440-562: The entire coastline that he had just explored as British territory. Cook returned to England via Batavia (modern Jakarta , Indonesia), where many in his crew succumbed to malaria , and then the Cape of Good Hope , arriving at the island of Saint Helena on 30 April 1771. The ship finally returned to England on 12 July 1771, anchoring in The Downs, with Cook going to Deal. Cook's journals were published upon his return, and he became something of
7560-494: The ferry service is operated by the tourism company RealNZ (formerly Real Journeys). The first scheduled service across Foveaux Strait began in 1877 for weekly mail delivery, but soon also carried passengers and general cargo. A larger vessel, the Bluff Harbour Board tug P.S. Awarua , took over the service in 1885. The Awarua arrived in Bluff on 4 January 1885, after a delivery voyage lasting more than 6 months since leaving dock in London. A trial excursion to Stewart Island on
7680-451: The first European to begin formal contact with the Hawaiian Islands . After his initial landfall in January 1778 at Waimea harbour, Kauai , Cook named the archipelago the "Sandwich Islands" after the fourth Earl of Sandwich —the acting First Lord of the Admiralty . From the Sandwich Islands, Cook sailed north and then northeast to explore the west coast of North America north of the Spanish settlements in Alta California . He sighted
7800-405: The first half of the 20th century, including the Southland and Theresa Ward , MV. Tamatea , and the steamer Orewa . Demands for a daily service across Foveaux were published in 1937. The twin screw steamer Wairua took over the Foveaux Strait ferry service in 1944. By 1959, the ferry service was operating with annual losses of £7,464. The steamer Wairua was 46 years old by that time, and
7920-497: The first to cross the Antarctic Circle on 17 January 1773. In the Antarctic fog, Resolution and Adventure became separated. Furneaux made his way to New Zealand, where he lost some of his men during an encounter with Māori, and eventually sailed back to Britain, while Cook continued to explore the Antarctic, reaching 71°10'S on 31 January 1774. Cook almost encountered the mainland of Antarctica but turned towards Tahiti to resupply his ship. He then resumed his southward course in
8040-470: The first voyage, Cook was promoted in August 1771 to the rank of commander . In 1772, he was commissioned to lead another scientific expedition on behalf of the Royal Society, to search for the hypothetical Terra Australis. On his first voyage, Cook had demonstrated by circumnavigating New Zealand that it was not attached to a larger landmass to the south. Although he charted almost the entire eastern coastline of Australia, showing it to be continental in size,
8160-434: The frigate HMS Solebay as master under Captain Robert Craig. During the Seven Years' War , Cook served in North America as master aboard the fourth-rate Navy vessel HMS Pembroke . With others in Pembroke ' s crew, he took part in the major amphibious assault that captured the Fortress of Louisbourg from the French in 1758, and in the siege of Quebec City in 1759. Throughout his service he demonstrated
8280-449: The help of astronomer Charles Green , and by using the newly published Nautical Almanac tables, via the lunar distance method – measuring the angular distance from the Moon to either the Sun during daytime or one of eight bright stars during night-time to determine the time at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich , and comparing that to his local time determined via the altitude of the Sun, Moon, or stars. On his second voyage, Cook used
8400-513: The inland areas. Almost all the island is owned by the New Zealand government and over 80 per cent of the island is set aside as the Rakiura National Park , New Zealand's newest national park. Many of the small offshore islands, including the Snares, are also protected. The ferry journey across Foveaux Strait between Bluff Harbour on the South Island and Oban in Stewart Island is about 39 km (21 nmi) long. The present high speed catamaran service typically takes one hour. As of 2024,
8520-399: The island is owned by the New Zealand government, and over 80 per cent of the island is set aside as the Rakiura National Park . Stewart Island's economy depends on fishing and summer tourism . Its permanent population was recorded at 408 people in the 2018 census , most of whom live in the settlement of Oban on the eastern side of the island. Ferries connect the settlement to Bluff in
8640-589: The islands, its low mintage (10,008) has made this example of an early United States commemorative coin both scarce and expensive. The site where he was killed in Hawaii was marked in 1874 by a white obelisk. This land, although in Hawaii, was deeded to the United Kingdom by Princess Likelike and her husband, Archibald Scott Cleghorn , to the British Consul to Hawaii, James Hay Wodehouse, in 1877. A nearby town
8760-441: The king's attendants, Nuaa. The Hawaiians carried his body away towards the back of the town, still visible to the ship through their spyglass. Four marines, Corporal James Thomas, Private Theophilus Hinks, Private Thomas Fatchett and Private John Allen, were also killed and two others wounded in the confrontation. The esteem which the islanders nevertheless held for Cook caused them to retain his body. Following their practice of
8880-452: The large colonies of sooty shearwaters on the offshore Muttonbird Islands are subject to muttonbirding , a sustainable harvesting programme managed by Rakiura Māori. Meanwhile, a small population of kākāpō , a flightless parrot which is very close to extinction, was found on Stewart Island in 1977 and the birds subsequently moved to smaller islands such as Codfish Island / Whenua Hou for protection from feral cats. The South Island saddleback
9000-518: The losses could not continue, and that the service would be withdrawn. Private operators would be invited to operate a service. The Wairua continued on the Stewart Island ferry service until September 1985, when she was sold for service in Fiji. Private operators provided a replacement ferry service to Stewart Island after the government service ended in 1985. A new ferry for the Stewart Island service
9120-418: The lowland areas with mānuka shrubland at higher elevations. The trees are thought to have become established here since the last ice age from seeds brought across the strait by seabirds, which would explain why the beech trees that are so common in New Zealand, but whose seeds are dispersed by the wind rather than birds, are not found on Stewart Island. Noeline Baker purchased land near Halfmoon Bay in
9240-577: The main islands of New Zealand. Mason Bay, on the west side, is notable as a long sandy beach on an island where beaches are typically far more rugged. One suggestion is that the bay was formed in the aftershock of a meteorite impact in the Tasman Sea ; however, no evidence has been found to support such a claim. Three large and many small islands lie around the coast. Notable among these are Ruapuke Island , in Foveaux Strait 32 kilometres (20 mi) northeast of Oban; Codfish Island / Whenua Hou , close to
9360-415: The main islands. There are even more species of birds, including huge colonies of sooty shearwater and other seabirds, on The Snares and the other smaller islands offshore. The birds of Stewart Island include weka , kākā , albatross , the flightless Stewart Island kiwi , silvereyes , fantails , and kererū . The endangered yellow-eyed penguin has a significant number of breeding sites here, while
9480-443: The mainland post-colonisation. However, although habitats and wildlife were not threatened by invasive species historically, now there are populations of brushtail possums , feral cats, hedgehogs and three species of rats, but no mustelids or mice. There is a large population of white-tailed deer , which were introduced to coastal areas and are hunted for meat and sport. There is also a small population of red deer , confined to
9600-426: The mainland. The only town is Oban , on Halfmoon Bay . A previous settlement, Port Pegasus , once boasted several stores and a post office, and was located on the southern coast of the island. It is now uninhabited, and is accessible only by boat or by an arduous hike through the island. Another site of former settlement is at Port William , a four-hour walk around the north coast from Oban, where immigrants from
9720-477: The mid-20th century. Upon his return, Cook was promoted to the rank of post-captain and given an honorary retirement from the Royal Navy, with a posting as an officer of the Greenwich Hospital . He reluctantly accepted, insisting that he be allowed to quit the post if an opportunity for active duty should arise. His fame extended beyond the Admiralty; he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society and awarded
9840-605: The most commonly used. The name was officially altered to Stewart Island/Rakiura by the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998 , one of many such changes under the Ngāi Tahu treaty settlement. Rabbits were introduced to the island in 1943 which later became a pest after rapid multiplication. Stewart Island has an area of 1,680 square kilometres (650 sq mi). Its terrain is hilly and, like most of New Zealand, Stewart Island has an Oceanic climate . The north
9960-495: The northernmost tip of the coast and, without leaving the ship, Cook named it York Cape (now Cape York ). Leaving the east coast, Cook turned west and nursed his battered ship through the dangerously shallow waters of Torres Strait . Searching for a vantage point, Cook saw a steep hill on a nearby island from the top of which he hoped to see "a passage into the Indian Seas". Cook named the island Possession Island , where he claimed
10080-430: The northwest shore; and Big South Cape Island , off the southwestern tip. The Tītī / Muttonbird Islands group is between Stewart Island and Ruapuke Island, around Big South Cape Island, and off the southeastern coast. Other islands of interest include Bench Island, Native Island, and Ulva Island , all close to the mouth of Paterson Inlet , and Pearl Island, Anchorage Island , and Noble Island, close to Port Pegasus in
10200-560: The northwest stretch in 1763 and 1764, the south coast between the Burin Peninsula and Cape Ray in 1765 and 1766, and the west coast in 1767. At this time, Cook employed local pilots to point out the "rocks and hidden dangers" along the south and west coasts. During the 1765 season, four pilots were engaged at a daily pay of 4 shillings each: John Beck for the coast west of " Great St Lawrence ", Morgan Snook for Fortune Bay , John Dawson for Connaigre and Hermitage Bay , and John Peck for
10320-522: The outskirts. The only ferry/barge link to the South Island for vehicles is to Bluff. Stewart Island is able to receive most AM and FM radio stations broadcast in the Southland region. Television services are available via satellite using Sky or Freeview . Analogue terrestrial television services could be received on Stewart Island from the Hedgehope television transmitter located in the South Island prior to
10440-521: The part played by the island in the legend of Māui and his crew, who from their canoe Te Waka a Māui (the South Island), caught and raised the great fish Te Ika a Māui , the North Island . Rakiura is the commonly known Māori name. It is usually translated as "Glowing Skies", a reference to the aurora australis , the southern lights that are a phenomenon of southern latitudes. For some, Rakiura
10560-483: The passing of the New Zealand Constitution Act 1846 , the island became part of New Munster , which entirely included the South Island. When New Munster was abolished in 1853, Stewart Island became part of Otago Province until 1861, when Southland Province split from Otago. In 1876, the provinces were abolished altogether. For most of the twentieth century, "Stewart Island" was the official name, and
10680-436: The popular myth of Terra Australis. Cook's second voyage marked a successful employment of Larcum Kendall's K1 copy of John Harrison 's H4 marine chronometer , which enabled Cook to calculate his longitudinal position with much greater accuracy. Cook's log was full of praise for this time-piece which he used to make charts of the southern Pacific Ocean that were so remarkably accurate that copies of them were still in use in
10800-457: The result of the observations was not as conclusive or accurate as had been hoped. Once the observations were completed, Cook opened the sealed orders, which were additional instructions from the Admiralty for the second part of his voyage: to search the south Pacific for signs of the postulated rich southern continent of Terra Australis . Cook then sailed to New Zealand where he mapped the complete coastline, making only some minor errors. With
10920-592: The rules governing commercial activities. For example, every transport service operated solely on Great Barrier Island , the Chatham Islands , or Stewart Island is exempt from the Transport Act of 1962. Although the clay soil is not very fertile, the high rainfall and warm weather mean that the island is densely forested throughout. Native plants include the world's southernmost dense forest of podocarps (southern conifers) and hardwoods such as rātā and kāmahi in
11040-519: The season of worship. Similarly, Cook's clockwise route around the island of Hawaii before making landfall resembled the processions that took place in a clockwise direction around the island during the Lono festivals. It has been argued (most extensively by Marshall Sahlins ) that such coincidences were the reasons for Cook's (and to a limited extent, his crew's) initial deification by some Hawaiians who treated Cook as an incarnation of Lono. Though this view
11160-518: The ships returned to Kealakekua Bay for repairs. Tensions rose, and quarrels broke out between the Europeans and Hawaiians at Kealakekua Bay, including the theft of wood from a Hawaiian burial ground under Cook's orders. On 13 February 1779, an unknown group of Hawaiians stole one of Cook's longboats. By then the Hawaiian people had become "insolent", even with threats to fire upon them. Cook responded to
11280-494: The shop window. After 18 months, not proving suited for shop work, Cook travelled to the nearby port town of Whitby to be introduced to Sanderson's friends John and Henry Walker. The Walkers, who were Quakers , were prominent local ship-owners in the coal trade. Their house is now the Captain Cook Memorial Museum . Cook was taken on as a merchant navy apprentice in their small fleet of vessels, plying coal along
11400-519: The sinking of another, following which he was promoted to boatswain in addition to his other duties. His first temporary command was in March 1756 when he was briefly master of Cruizer , a small cutter attached to Eagle while on patrol. In June 1757, Cook formally passed his master 's examinations at Trinity House , Deptford , qualifying him to navigate and handle a ship of the King's fleet. He then joined
11520-447: The south end of Bligh Island . Relations between Cook's crew and the people of Yuquot were cordial but sometimes strained. In trading, the people of Yuquot demanded much more valuable items than the usual trinkets that had been acceptable in Hawaii. Metal objects were much desired, but the lead, pewter, and tin traded at first soon fell into disrepute. The most valuable items which the British received in trade were sea otter pelts. During
11640-472: The southwest. Further offshore The Snares are oceanic islands, a volcano and some smaller islets, that were never connected to the larger Stewart Island. Stewart Island has a temperate climate. However, one travel guide mentions "frequent downpours that make 'boots and waterproof clothing mandatory", and another guide says that rainfall in Oban, the principal settlement, is 1,600 to 1,800 mm (63 to 71 in)
11760-652: The stay, the Yuquot "hosts" essentially controlled the trade with the British vessels; the natives usually visited the British vessels at Resolution Cove instead of the British visiting the village of Yuquot at Friendly Cove. After leaving Nootka Sound in search of the Northwest Passage, Cook explored and mapped the coast all the way to the Bering Strait , on the way identifying what came to be known as Cook Inlet in Alaska. In
11880-513: The theft by attempting to kidnap and ransom the King of Hawaiʻi , Kalaniʻōpuʻu . The following day, 14 February 1779, Cook marched through the village to retrieve the king. Cook took the king (aliʻi nui) by his own hand and led him away. One of Kalaniʻōpuʻu's favourite wives, Kanekapolei , and two chiefs approached the group as they were heading to the boats. They pleaded with the king not to go. An old kahuna (priest), chanting rapidly while holding out
12000-420: The time of his Endeavour voyage. For leisure, he would climb a nearby hill, Roseberry Topping , enjoying the opportunity for solitude. In 1745, when he was 16, Cook moved 20 miles (32 km) to the fishing village of Staithes , to be apprenticed as a shop boy to grocer and haberdasher William Sanderson. Historians have speculated that this is where Cook first felt the lure of the sea while gazing out of
12120-497: The time, they prepared his body with funerary rituals usually reserved for the chiefs and highest elders of the society. The body was disembowelled and baked to facilitate removal of the flesh , and the bones were carefully cleaned for preservation as religious icons in a fashion somewhat reminiscent of the treatment of European saints in the Middle Ages . Some of Cook's remains, thus preserved, were eventually returned to his crew for
12240-655: The time. He tested several preventive measures, most importantly the frequent replenishment of fresh food. For presenting a paper on this aspect of the voyage to the Royal Society he was presented with the Copley Medal in 1776. Cook became the first European to have extensive contact with various people of the Pacific. He correctly postulated a link among all the Pacific peoples, despite their being separated by great ocean stretches (see Malayo-Polynesian languages ) . Cook theorised that Polynesians originated from Asia, which scientist Bryan Sykes later verified. In New Zealand
12360-534: The valley of the Rakeahua River , which also flows into Paterson Inlet. The southernmost point in this ridge is Mount Allen , at 750 metres (2,460 ft). Notable twin rock formations in this region are known as Gog and Magog. In the southeast the land is somewhat lower, and is drained by the valleys of the Toitoi River , Lords River , and Heron River . South West Cape on this island is the southernmost point of
12480-518: The voyage. The Australian Museum acquired its "Cook Collection" in 1894 from the Government of New South Wales . At that time the collection consisted of 115 artefacts collected on Cook's three voyages throughout the Pacific Ocean, during the period 1768–1780, along with documents and memorabilia related to these voyages. Many of the ethnographic artefacts were collected at a time of first contact between Pacific Peoples and Europeans. In 1935 most of
12600-468: The whaleboat of the sealing brig Union (out of New York) in 1804 and on his 1806 chart, it was called Smith's Straits. The island received its English name in honour of William W. Stewart . He was first officer on the Pegasus , which visited in 1809, and he charted the large south-eastern harbour that now bears the ship's name ( Port Pegasus ) and determined the northern points of the island, proving that it
12720-548: Was 16.9, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 67.6% had no religion, 23.5% were Christian , 0.7% were Buddhist and 2.9% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 84 (23.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 63 (17.8%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $ 33,500, compared with $ 31,800 nationally. 57 people (16.1%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
12840-569: Was added to the service in December 2004. However, within two weeks of beginning service, the vessel was sold to Fullers Northland for service in the Bay of Islands , after Fullers suffered the loss of a vessel. Real Journeys bought out their partners to take complete control of the Stewart Island ferry service in May 2005. In 2015, responding to proposals for subsidised travel to Stewart Island for senior citizens,
12960-402: Was an island. In 1824, he initiated plans in England to establish a timber, flax and trading settlement at Stewart Island and sailed there in 1826, with it becoming known as Stewart's Island . In 1841, the island was established as one of the three Provinces of New Zealand and was named New Leinster . However, the province existed on paper only and was abolished after only five years. With
13080-528: Was badly damaged, and his voyage was delayed almost seven weeks while repairs were carried out on the beach (near the docks of modern Cooktown, Queensland , at the mouth of the Endeavour River ). The crew's encounters with the local Aboriginal people were mostly peaceful, although following a dispute over green turtles Cook ordered shots to be fired and one local was lightly wounded. The voyage then continued and at about midday on 22 August 1770, they reached
13200-563: Was built in Invercargill for the company Stewart Island Marine, and launched in April 1999. The new vessel was a catamaran capable of taking 100 passengers, one third more than the vessel it replaced. In 2004, after operating the business for 14 years, Stewart Island Marine sold the ferry service to Stewart Island Experience — a joint venture between two private individuals and the tourism company Real Journeys . A third vessel seating 160 passengers
13320-412: Was communicated to the Royal Society in 1767. His five seasons in Newfoundland produced the first large-scale and accurate maps of the island's coasts and were the first scientific, large-scale, hydrographic surveys to use precise triangulation to establish land outlines. They also gave Cook his mastery of practical surveying, achieved under often adverse conditions, and brought him to the attention of
13440-418: Was first suggested by members of Cook's expedition, the idea that any Hawaiians understood Cook to be Lono, and the evidence presented in support of it, was challenged in 1992 by Gananath Obeyesekere in the so-called Sahlins–Obeyesekere debate . After a month's stay, Cook attempted to resume his exploration of the northern Pacific. Shortly after leaving Hawaii Island, Resolution ' s foremast broke, so
13560-554: Was given command of HMS Bounty in 1787 to sail to Tahiti and return with breadfruit . Bligh became known for the mutiny of his crew , which resulted in his being set adrift in 1789. He later became Governor of New South Wales , where he was the subject of another mutiny—the 1808 Rum Rebellion . George Vancouver , one of Cook's midshipmen , led a voyage of exploration to the Pacific Coast of North America from 1791 to 1794. In honour of Vancouver's former commander, his ship
13680-409: Was made by Venture Southland, an agency responsible for the region's economic and community development initiatives and tourism promotion, with the aim of attracting more visitors, particularly in the winter period. Rakiura National Park is the 14th of New Zealand's national parks and was officially opened on 9 March 2002. The park covers close to 1,400 square kilometres (540 sq mi), which
13800-601: Was named Discovery . George Dixon , who sailed under Cook on his third expedition, later commanded his own. Cook's contributions to knowledge gained international recognition during his lifetime. In 1779, while the American colonies were fighting Britain for their independence , Benjamin Franklin wrote to captains of colonial warships at sea, recommending that if they came into contact with Cook's vessel, they were to "not consider her an enemy, nor suffer any plunder to be made of
13920-415: Was on 20 December. The new Wairua was the first vessel in New Zealand to be fitted with anti-roll capabilities. The service to Stewart Island was twice a week during winter, and three times a week during summer. By 1985, the accumulated losses in operating the Wairua on the Foveaux Strait service over the previous 10 years totalled $ 6 million. The Minister of Transport , Richard Prebble , announced that
14040-743: Was part of the Otago Province . In local government today, Stewart Island is represented by one councilor on the Southland District Council . There is a Stewart Island/Rakiura Community Board to serve as the link between the community and the District Council. At the Southland Regional Council , it is part of the Invercargill-Rakiura ward. Stewart Island shares with some other islands a certain relaxation in some of
14160-456: Was simply unsure whether it was an island because his focus was on finding the southern extent of New Zealand, and conditions were unfavourable for more closely exploring a possible strait. The strait was first charted by Owen Folger Smith , a New Yorker who had been in Sydney Harbour with Eber Bunker , from whom he probably learned of the eastern seal hunting . Smith charted the strait in
14280-485: Was that 207 (58.5%) people were employed full-time, 54 (15.3%) were part-time, and 3 (0.8%) were unemployed. Fishing has been, historically, the most important element of the economy of Stewart Island, and while it remains important, tourism has become the main source of income for islanders. There has also been some farming and forestry. From 1841 to 1853, Stewart Island was governed as New Leinster Province , then as part of New Munster Province . From 1853 onwards, it
14400-565: Was transferred to the Australian Museum. Cook's 12 years sailing around the Pacific Ocean contributed much to Europeans' knowledge of the area. Several islands, such as the Hawaiian group, were encountered for the first time by Europeans, and his more accurate navigational charting of large areas of the Pacific was a major achievement. To create accurate maps, latitude and longitude must be accurately determined. Navigators had been able to work out latitude accurately for centuries by measuring
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