Captain Cook

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250 years ago in 1768 Captain James Cook set sail on his first voyage to Australasia when he succeeded in circumnavigating and charting the coastline of New Zealand. Two more voyages were to follow and it was on his third that he met his untimely and violent death on Hawaii. 

I mention this only because, I live within a short distance of his birthplace (now host to a museum in his honour) at Marton as well as his boyhood homes of Great Ayton and, of course, Staithes and Whitby where he first worked as a young man. Despite the passing of time, he remains a notable historical figure locally and indeed one of our neighbourhood hospitals is even named after him.


I was listening to an item on the radio this morning which related to his expeditions and consequently recalled the names of the ships which he commanded in order to undertake those journeys: Endeavour; Resolution supported by Adventure; Resolution again, supported by Discovery.

What wonderful names and capable of being aptly assumed for retirement too when, after decades of endeavour, we resolve to retire and undertake a period of adventure and personal discovery. I'm sure Captain Cook would have been horrified at the analogy, laughing off my comfortable escapades and self analysis as piffling self indulgence. He'd probably be right too, but if longevity is a measure of success I have at least made it beyond his fifty years and don't believe that I stand to be thrown into a cooking pot by cannibals, anytime soon.



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