Replica of Capt. Cook's ship
arrives in Kealakekua Bay

By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
The ship Endeavour today sailed into the bay in Kona
where Capt. James Cook was killed. Kona residents
had invited the ship, a reproduction of the explorer's
18th-century vessel, to visit the islands on its way
around the world. Oahu residents can see it
Nov. 8-14 at Pier 9, near Aloha Tower.

Historic Endeavour

Hawaii greets a floating
museum of the ship the islands’
‘discoverer’ sailed around the world

By Burl Burlingame
Star-Bulletin

The last time one of Captain Cook's ships dropped anchor in Kealakekua Bay, 220 years ago, there was unpleasantness. The famous explorer was killed by Hawaiians in a fracas over a stolen boat.

This morning, a replica of Cook's ship HM Bark Endeavour arrived in the same bay. There was no unpleasantness.

"Time to get over that!" said Kona resident Herb Kane, a maritime artist and historian who was instrumental in bringing the ship to Hawaii.

In fact, the bay was expected to be thronged with curious residents, similar to the scene more than two centuries ago. Event planners allowed only the replica to enter the bay to preserve the cultural landscape of the arrival, to look as much like 1779 as possible.

The modern HM Bark Endeavour, called by Kane the finest replica of an 18th-century sailing vessel in the world, was built in Australia by Cook enthusiasts. It is a floating museum, exact in every detail except for a well-hidden engine. It has a permanent crew of 18, as well as 34 volunteers.

Cook sailed Endeavour on his expedition around the world, in 1768 to 1771. That time, Endeavour bypassed Hawaii. Years later, aboard HMS Resolution and flanked by HMS Discovery, Cook "discovered" the Hawaiian Islands and the Hawaiians discovered the outside world.

Endeavour has been making its way around the world, and Kane and other Kona residents invited it to make a stop in Hawaii. The ship left Vancouver, British Columbia, on Oct. 10 and arrived off the Big Island Thursday evening.

Yesterday was spent satisfying customs inspectors, and most of today will be devoted to ceremonies involving the crew, followed by a slow sail up the Kona Coast to Kailua Bay, where the ship planned to moor at Kailua-Kona at 8 p.m.

Endeavour will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily to Kona visitors tomorrow through Friday, then will sail to Honolulu and moor at Pier 9 near Aloha Tower Nov. 8-14, then move on to Port Allen, Kauai, Nov. 16-21. Admission is $10; children $5 and families $25. For Oahu information, call 566-2338.

The ship was almost forced to skip Oahu when state officials would not allow it pier space. After a newspaper story about the oversight, a mooring place was made available.