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Subject: Endeavour voyage reconstruction.
From: George Huxtable (george@XXX.XXX)
Date: Mon Aug 05 2002 - 15:58:44 EDT
A year ago, or so, there was some discussion on Nav-L about a
reconstruction voyage by the BBC, using the modern replica of Cook's
"Endeavour" to replicate a leg of Cook's first circumnavigation in 1770.
That leg was from what's now called Cooktown, on the Endeavour river in
Queensland, to Batavia (now Jakarta), Indonesia. The passage started in the
nearest real port (Cairns), and during the voyage, following the
international tensions of September 2001, the end-point was changed to the
more placid island of Bali rather than Jakarta.
My small part of this was in the initial planning of the navigation, which
was intended to use the techniques and instruments available to Cook on
that voyage (i.e. DR, noon Sun, lunar distances, and no chronometer) to
shadow the navigation of the modern vessel. I was a member of a small
advisory team assembled by the BBC. By chance, we were all members of White
Horse Cruising Club, a club of salt-water sailors who happen to live
inland, in the Oxford area.
Some Nav-L members, learning of my involvement, had questions to ask about
this voyage. However, the BBC had asked for any publicity to be limited, so
far in advance of the transmission of the programme. This I had to respect,
so I asked for any such questions to be held over, Now, a year later, the
programme is due to go out here in Britain over six weeks, starting on 20th
August, I understand. The trailers have started already. No doubt, before
long, there will be no escape for any of you, around the world.
So now I reckon to be released from my vow of silence, and if there's
anyone still interested out there with questions to ask, I'll do my best to
answer them. Be aware, though, that I didn't go on the voyage (tropical
climates are not for me), and had little contact after Endeavour set sail.
The series will be titled "The Ship", I'm sorry to state. This is the first
technical error to be noted down, as Endeavour was a Bark, and definitely
not a Ship.
Since that BBC voyage, Endeavour has sailed for Britain, around the Horn
for the first time, and is now in Whitby, Yorkshire, Cook's home town.
George Huxtable.
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george@XXX.XXX
George Huxtable, 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK.
Tel. 01865 820222 or (int.) +44 1865 820222.
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