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Endeavour Reef

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Coral reef in Australia

Cooktown Endeavour River Cairns Reef Endeavour Reef Hope Islands National Park Pickersgill Reef King's "dry rock"

Endeavour Reef is a coral reef within the Great Barrier Reef. It is within the Shire of Cook, Queensland, Australia. On 11 June 1770, the HM Bark Endeavour under the command of Lieutenant James Cook struck the reef and ran aground.

History

Endeavour aground on the reef in 1770

The reef was encountered by Lieutenant James Cook when HM Bark Endeavour ran aground there on 11 June 1770. In his journals, Cook described striking the south-eastern end of the reef at 11pm after having passed just north of Pickersgill Reef about one hour before. Cook named the reef Endeavour Rocks.

The Endeavour crew discarded six cannons and ballast in order to refloat the ship. Hans Hass searched unsuccessfully for the cannons during several dives in December 1952. In 1969 an underwater search discovered the six abandoned cannons and ballast.

Geography

The reef is about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) long and runs in an east–west direction. The center of the reef is located at 15°46′41″S 145°34′53″E / 15.77806°S 145.58139°E / -15.77806; 145.58139 (Endeavour Reef). It is about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) south-east of the Hope Islands in the Hope Islands National Park and 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) off the mainland.

Philip Parker King described the region in his Voyages for the Survey of the Intertropical coasts of Australia Volume 2 following his expeditions between 1818 and 1820. King described the reef as being "... nine miles long; it lies in a North-West direction; the north end, in 15 degrees 39 minutes South, bears due from the North-east Hope." and stated that there was a dry rock on the western edge "... in latitude 15 degrees 39 minutes 55 seconds." It is probable that he was referring to Cairns Reef which is further to the north.

Recovered cannons

Of the six cannons recovered, they are held by the following museums:

References

  1. ^ "Endeavour Reef – reef in Shire of Cook (entry 11748)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  2. Pickersgill Reef coordinates per : 15°51.05′S 145°33.79′E / 15.85083°S 145.56317°E / -15.85083; 145.56317
  3. The Project Gutenberg EBook of Captain Cook's Journal During the First Voyage Round the World, by James Cook
  4. Hass, Hans: Erinnerungen & Abenteuer. Wien, Styria, pp. 256.
  5. ^ "The Vernon Anchors and HMB Endeavour Cannon" (PDF). Australian National Maritime Museum. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  6. Voyages for the Survey of the Intertropical coasts of Australia by Philip Parker King (p. 153) at Google Books
  7. "Cairns Reef (entry 5691)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  8. "Endeavour cannon". National Museum of Australia. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  9. "Cooktown Museum". National Trust of Australia (Queensland). Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  10. "Cannon, from HMB Endeavour". Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  11. "Endeavour cannon" (PDF). Royal Museums Greenwich. Retrieved 9 December 2024.

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