This page reviews the cavalcade of European sailors, buccaneers, explorers and navigators, who sailed hazardous voyages into the unknown Pacific. The date of departure, commander's name and route sailed, are given. The resulting picture shows how James Cook fitted into the European exploration of the Pacific, who had preceeded him and the extent of knowledge existing when he departed England in 1768.

A truly rewarding experience awaits those who research further. Accounts of hardship, cruelty, humour, death and disease, success and accolades, blood-thirstiness, quest for adventure, meticulous exploration and so on, provide fascinating documentaries. But, whilst reading the following notes, consider the much earlier numerous navigations by Polynesians, Melanesians, Micronesians, Papuans, Indonesians, Malays, Chinese and Arabs.

This page indicates the growth of European knowledge of the Pacific and their developing influence, up to the time of Cook's third voyage.

1492 Spanish, Columbus sailed west expecting to reach Asia. After discovery of New World, the Pope, to prevent disputes between Spanish and Portuguese, fixed a Meridian of Partition 100 leagues west of the Azores and Cape de Verde Islands. The Spanish to have all newly discovered lands up to 180° west, and Portuguese to 180° east. 1494 the Meridian was moved 270 leagues further west.

1497 English, John and Sebastian Cabot sailed to find north west passage.

1500 Portuguese, Gaspar de Corte Real: Azores, Newfoundland, St. Lawrence, Lisbon. Thought he had found a passage to the Pacific, named it Strait of Anian.

1501 Portuguese, Americus Vespucius sailed to South America and along east coast for 300 leagues.

1502 Spanish, Columbus sailed along east coast of South America.

1503 French, Binot Paulmier de Gonneville: Cape of Good Hope, storm drives ship east to coast, named it Southern India (possibly Australia).

1511 Portuguese, Antonio de Abreu, Francisco Serrao, Simao Alfonso Bisagudo: Malacca, Sumatra, Java, Bali, Lombok, Lesser Sunda Is, Ceram, Malacca.

1512 Spanish, Juan de Solis sailed South American east coast to R. de la Plata.

1513 Portuguese, Jorge Alvares: Malacca, Tunmen Is (Nei Ling Ting) in Canton River. Several traders did this voyage in the following period.

1515 Spanish, Juan Diaz de Solis sailed South American east coast.

1515 Portuguese, first visited Ternate.

1516 Spanish, Hernan Ponce de Lion: Darien, San Lucar, Pearl Islands, Darien. Nata founded. 1518, Panama founded.

1517 Portuguese, Fernao Peres de Andrade: Malacca, Canton, Malacca.

1518 Portuguese, Jorge de Mascarenhas: Malacca, Fukein coast near Amoy, Foochow coast, Malacca.

1519 Spanish, Fernando de Magalhanes: Seville, San Lucar, Teneriff, Brazil at 20°S, Santa Lucia Bay (Rio Janiero), Port San Julian, Rio Santa Cruz, Pt. San Julian, Cape de las Virgenes, Str of Magalhanes, Is San Pablo, Is Tiburones, Ladrones, Archipelago de St. Lazarus, Mazagua Is, Zebu Is. Magalhanes killed, Juan Sebastian del Cano commands. Bohol Is, Mindanao, Cagayan Is, Puluan Is, Borneo city, Moluccas, Timore, Cape of Good Hope, Cape de Verde Is, St Jago, San Lucar.

1520 Portuguese, Tristao de Meneses: Malacca, Ternate.

1522 Spanish, Giles Goncales d'Avila: Panama to 17½°N.

1523 Portuguese, Simao de Brito: Ternate, Basilian Straits, Balabac Straits, NNW coast Borneo, Singapore Strait, Malacca.

1524 Spanish, Francisco Pizarro and Diego de Almagro: Panama due S. Pearl Islands, Puerto de Pinas.

1525 Spanish, Don Garcia Jofre de Loyasa: Corunna, Canary Is, St Matthew Is, Brazil coast at 21°S, Santa Cruz River, Cape de las Virgenes, Straits of Magalhanes, Tecoantepeque, San Bartholome Is, Ladrone Is, Mindanao, Polola Is, Talao Is, Zamafo Is, Moluccas. De Loyasa died. De Meneses took command. Sailed for Malacca. Found north east Papua coast.

1525 Portuguese, Diogo da Rocha: Ternate, Celebes, blown off course to Ilha de Gomes de Sequeira (probably Yap or Palau Is.), Ternate.

1526 Portuguese, Jorge de Meneses: Malacca, North Borneo, south of Mindanao, Halmahera, Ilha de Versiga (near Cape de Goede Hoope, New Guinea).

1526 Spanish, Sebastian Cabot: Seville, Brazil, River Plata. Son of the explorer John Cabot, he sailed with his father's first voyage to North America in 1497. After working as a mapmaker, he was appointed by Charles V of Spain to be Chief Navigator to the Spanish Navy. In 1525, he was asked to lead a Spanish expedition to Asia by the Westward route. However, upon arriving at the River Plate, he met some settlers whose tales of riches caused him to abandon his mission and stay where he was. Three years later, he returned to Spain empty-handed and was imprisoned for disobeying orders. Later, Cabot moved to England and became governor of the Merchant Adventurers, England's most important trading company.

1527 Spanish, Alvaro de Saavedra: New Spain, Ladrones, Isla de los Royes, Mindanao, Visaya, Mindanao, Sarrangan, Candigar, Moluccas, Tidore, Hamei, Papua (named Isla del Oro), Moluccas, Papua, Los Pintados, Los Buenos Jardines.

1527 Spanish, The use of the land route across Isthmus of Panama developed.

1529 French, Jean and Raoul Parmentier: to Sunda Is.

1531 Spanish, San Miguel de Tangarala, a town, founded in Peru.

1532 Spanish, Diego Hurtado de Mendoza: Acapulco, de Buena Esperanza (in Coluna Province), Xalisco, 200 leagues further north, then returned to Tamochola River.

1533 Spanish, Diego Bezerra de Mendoza and Hernando de Gryalva: St Jago, (16½°N). Mendoza killed by crew who sailed north, Santa Cruz Is, California Peninsula discovered. Gryalva's ship S.E. then N.W. to Santo Tomas Is, to mainland coast, south to Tecoantepeque.

1534 Spanish, Simon de Alcazova: San Lucar, Canary Is, Trinidad, River Gallego to Straits of Magalhanes, entered but returned. Crew mutinied, sailed for West Indies.

1535 Spanish, Lima (Los Reyes) founded. Porto Viejo, Truxillo etc, founded. Diego de Almagro with army marched south from Cuzco to make discoveries. Passed through Copayapo and Coquimbo to Concomicagua.

1536 Spanish, Cortes with army marched from Mexico to Chametlan. Ships joined him. Sailed: San Felipe, Bahia de Santa Cruz, Gulf of California, Santa Cruz, Acapulco.

1537 Spanish, Hernando de Gryalva: Mexico to St. Miguel de Tangarara to assist Pizarro defend Cuzco against Peruvians. After this he sailed west along equator to discover new lands: O'Acea, Dos Pescadores, Haime, Apia, Coroa, Meonsum, Bufu, Guedes, Terrenate, Batochina de Moro (Gilolo).

1539 Spanish, Marcos de Niza (a friar) walked from Culiacan, Petatlan, Cevola, Celiacon.

1539 Spanish, Francisco de Ulloa: Acapulco, St. Jago, Gulf of California, Santa Cruz, San Pedro y San Pablo, Cabo Roxo (Red Cape), Puerto de Guaimas, Los Diamantes, Ancon de San Andres, Santa Cruz round the southern cape of California Peninsula, northward to Bahia de San Abad, San Roque Is, San Marcos Is, Isle de Cedros, Cabo del Engamio and return.

1540 Spanish, Hernando de Alarcon: Acapulco, St. Jago, Gulf of California, up River de Buena Guia. Traded with Indians in a similar manner to James Cook. Returned to Colima.

1540 Spanish, Francisco Vasquez de Cornado marched: Culiacon to 40°N then return.

1541 Spanish, Santiago founded.

1542 Spanish, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo: Puerto de la Navidad, Puerto de la Trinidad, Puerto de la Madalena, Cabo del Enganno, Cabo de la Cruz, Pueblos de las Canoas, Cabo de la Galera, Puerto de la Possession, Cabo de Martin, Cabo de Pinos, Cabo de Fortunas, return to Navidad.

1542 Spanish, Ruy Lopez de Villalobos: Puerto de Natal, St Thomas Is, Nublada Is, Roca Partida Is, Dos Reyes Is, De los Matalotes Is, Mindanao Is, Sarragan. Here Villalobos drove out natives, named island group Philippines.

1542 Portuguese, Fernao Mendes Pinto: Malacca, blown off course to Kyushu.

1543 Spanish, Gaetan: Sarragan, east of Mindanao, Tandaya, Abriojos, Las dos Hermanas, Los Volcanes, Forfana, Philippines.

1544 Portuguese, Traders voyaging regularly to Kyushu.

1545 Spanish, Ynigo Ortiz de Retez: Tidore, Nueva Guinea, Is de la Madalena, Moluccas, Tidore.

1550 Portuguese, Traders become permanently established in Macao.

1552 Spanish, Francisco de Ulloa: Valdivia (Peru) southward and return.

1557 Spanish, Juan Ladrilleros: Valdivia, same route as Ulloa, explored coastal islands through Strait of Magalhanes and return.

1563 Spanish, Juan Fernandez: From Chile out to sea. Galapagos Is, Malpelo and Cocos Is appear for first time in Ortelius atlas of 1570.

1564 Spanish, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi: Navidad, de los Barbudos, Il. de los Plazeres, Is de Paxoros, Las Hermanas Is, Ladrones, Philippines. Founded San Miguel on Zebu Is.

1565 Spanish, P. Andresde Urdaneta: Philippines, Ladrones, turned north, sighted Japan, east to North American coast, south to New Spain. Was first to make west-east crossing by practical route.

1567 Spanish, Alvaro de Mendoza: Callao (port of Lima), Baxos de la Candelaria, Santa Ysabel de la Estrella, La Galera, Buena Vista, Florida Is, San Dumas Is, San German Is, Guadalupe Is, Guadalcanar Is, San Christoval, Santa Ana, Santa Catalinas, San Christoval, northern route east, San Francisco Is, Is. de Cedros, Santiago, Callao.

1574 Spanish, Juan Fernandez: discovers San Felix Is, and San Ambor Is.

1574 English, John Oxnam: Crosses Isthmus of Darien, builds pinnace, sails to Pearl Islands, captures Spanish bullion ships, returns, caught and executed.

1576 English, Martin Frobisher searches for north west passage. Went on two further expeditions 1577 and 1578.

1577 English, Francis Drake: Plymouth, Cape Cantin, Cape Blanco, Mayo Is, St Jago Is, Brava Is, Brazil at 31½°S, Rio de la Plata, Seal Bay, Port St Julian, Cape Virgenes, Straits of Magalhanes, Cape Horne, Mocha Is, Valparaiso, Coquimbo River, Tarapaca, Arica, Arequipa, Callao, Cape San Francisco, Cammo Is, Guatulco, out to sea then back to North American coast, up coast to 48°N, returned to 38°30' (Port of Drake) Is of St James, Is of Thieves (Isle de Sequeira), Mindanao, Terranate, east of Celebes, south coast of Java, Cape of Good Hope, Sierra Leone, Plymouth.

1579 Spanish, Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa: Callao, Pisco, San Felix, Gulf de la Santissima Trinidad, Puerto del Rosario, Puerto Bermejo, Caba Espiritu Santo, Puerto de la Misericordia, Puerto Candelaria, Is de Carlos III, Bahia de la Gente, Rio de San Juan, Bahia de San Gregorio, Caba de las Virgenes, Isle Ascension, Is Santiago, Azores, Spain.

1581 Spanish, Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa: Cadiz, Cape de Verde Is, Rio Janiero, St. Catalina Isle, fought Fenton and Drake expedition, Strait of Magalhanes, founded City de Nombre de Jesus at mouth of strait. Founded San Felipe. Rio Janiero, captured by English.

1582 English, Edward Fenton: England, Guinea, St. Catalina Isle, River de la Plata, St. Vincent, England.

1582 Spanish, Francisco de Gali: Acapulco, Ladrone Is, Philippines, Macao, Lequios Is, North America at 37½°N, New Spain.

1586 English, Robert Withrington and Christopher Lister: Plymouth, Sierra Leone, Brazil at 28°S, sailed south to 44°S, returned.

1586 English, Thomas Cavendish: Plymouth, Canary Is, Sierra Leone, San Sebastian Is, Port Desire, Straits of Magalhanes, San Felipe, Mocha Is, Santa Maria Is, Bahia de Quintero, Morro Moreno, Paita, Isle de Puna, Guatulco, Puerto de Navidad, Bahia de Compostella, Bahia de Mazatlan, Caba San Lucas, Ladrone Is, Philippines, south coast Java, Cape of Good Hope, Plymouth.

1589 English, John Chidley: Plymouth, Barbary Coast, Port Desire, Straits of Magalhanes, Cherbourg.

1591 English, Thomas Cavendish and John Davis: Plymouth, Bahia de San Salvador, Santos, St. Vincent, Port Desire, Strait of Magalhanes, Port Desire, Cavendish returned to England. Davis stayed. Discovered islands now known as Falkland Islands, Strait of Magalhanes, Port Desire, Ireland.

1593 English, Richard Hawkins: Plymouth, Santos (used water distilling apparatus), Hawkins Maidenland (Falkland Islands), Strait of Magalhanes, Mocha Is, Bahia de Valparaiso, Coquimbo, Arica, Arequipa, Quilca, Callao, Truxillo, Bahia de Catames, Caba de San Francisco, Bahia de Catames, captured by Spanish.

1595 Spanish, Alvaro de Mendana and Pedro Fernandes de Quiros: Payta (Peru), Is de la Madalena, Las Marquesas de Mendoca, Is de San Bernardo, La Solitaria Is, Santa Cruz Is group, Ladrones, Philippines.

1596 Spanish, Sabastian Vizcaino: Acapulco, Il. de Mazatlan, Bahia de Santa Cruz, Acapulco. This was the first trip to set up a base for ships coming from Philippines.

1598 Dutch, Jacob Mahn: Goree, Cape de Verde Is, Mahn dies, Simon de Cordes commands, Guinea, Rio de la Plata, Str. of Magalhanes, Chile at 46°S, Santa Maria Is, one ship commanded by William Adams to Las Colunas Is, Bungo (Kuril Islands), other ship commanded by Cordes to Moluccas, captured by Portuguese.

1598 Dutch, Olivier van Noort: Goree, Plymouth, Canary Is, Guinea, Rio Janiero, Is de Santa Clara, San Sebastian Is, Port Desire, Cape Virgenes, Str. of Magalhanes, Mocha Is, Valparaiso, Rio Guasco, Arequipa, Ladrones, Philippines, Porto Borneo, Java, Cape of Good Hope, St. Helena, Rotterdam.

1602 Spanish, Sebastian Vizcaino: Acapulco, Puerto de la Navidad, Ilse de Mazatlan, Cape de San Lucas, Bahia de Ballenas, Ilse de la Asuncion, Puerto de San Bartolome, Is de Cedros, Is de San Geronimo, Is de Cenizas, Bahia de San Simon y Judas, Is los Coronados, Puerto de San Diego, Canal de Santa Barbara, Rio del Carmelo, Monterey, Puerto San Francisco, Cape Blanco de San Sebastian, Is de Cedros, Mazatlan, Acapulco.

1605 Spanish, Pedro Fernandez de Quiros: Callao, Is la Encarnacion, Is San Juan Bantista, Los 4 Coronados, Is la Dezena, Is la Sagittaria, Is la del Peregrino, Is de la Gente Hermosa, Is Taumaco, Is Tucopia, Nuestra Senora de la Luz Is, Is Santa Maria, Bahia de San Felipe y Santiago (thought this was the great southern continent), Puerto de la Navidad. Luis Vaez de Torres commanding another ship of the expedition stayed, sailed down west side of Bahia de San Felipe y Santiago. Then SW to 21°S, NW to 11½°S, to coast of New Guinea, 300 leagues along south coast, then up northern coast, Moluccas, Philippines.

1614 Dutch, Joris Spilbergen: Texel, Isle of Wight, Ilha Grande (Brazil), Cape Virgenes, Str. de Magalhanes, Mocha Is, Santa Maria Is, Conception, Valparaiso, Quintero, Arequipa, Callao, Payta, Isle de Lobos, New Spain at 13°N, Acapulco, Salagna, Santiago, Puerto de Navidad, Cape Corrientes, Santo Thomas Is, Ladrones, Philippines, Moluccas, Cape of Good Hope, Europe.

1615 Dutch, Jacob le Maire and Wilhelm Cornelisz Schouten: Texel, Plymouth, Cape Verde Is, Sierra Leone, Port Desire, Hawkins Maidenland, Straits of Le Maire, Cape Horn, Juan Fernandez Is, Honden Is, Sondergrondt Is, Waterlandt Is, Vlieghen Is, Cocos Is, Good Hope Is, Horne Is, Groene Is, north coast New Guinea, The 25 Islands, Vulcano Is, Moa and Inson Is, Maba, Morotai Is, Moluccas, Jacarta, ship seized by General East India Company.

1616 Dutch, Theodoric Hertoge: during passage to East Indies, fell in with land 25°S. This was Australian west coast. Sailed north and this strip known as Dirk Hertoges Road and Cape.

1618 Spanish, Bartolome Garcia de Nodal: Lisbon, Rio Janiero, Port Desire, Cape Virgenes, Canal de San Sebastian, Str. le Maire, Ilse de Diego Ramirez, Str. of Magalhanes (W to E), Lisbon.

1623 Dutch, Jacob l'Heremite: Goree, Cape St. Vincent, Barbary Coast, Cape de Verde Is, Sierra Leone, Cape Lopez Gonzalvo, Is St. Thomas, Is Amiobou, Str. le Maire, Cape Horn, Nassau Bay, Juan Fernandez Is, Callao. l'Heremite dies, Schapenham commands. Guayaquil, Callao, Is Puna, Acapulco, San Bartolome Is, Ladrones, Moluccas.

1628 Dutch, Francis Pelsart: Texel, Cape of Good Hope. Abrollos of Frederick Houtman, westward in storm to land at 27°S, sailed north along coast to 22° 17', sailed for Java (apparently same portion of coast covered by Dampier).

1636 Dutch, Gerard Pool. Amboyna, Banda, New Guinea.

1639 Russian, I.Y. Moscvitin. Ulya River, Sea of Okhotsk, Okhota River, Aldoma River, Amur River.

1639 Dutch, Matthys Kwast: Batavia North to 340 miles east of Japan. Several other Dutch voyages in this direction searching for "Gold and Silver" Islands.

1642 Dutch, Abel Jansen Tasman: Batavia, Mauritius Is, 43°S x 88°6'E, 49°4'S x 114°56'E, 45°5'S x 153°34'E, Anthony Van Diemans Landt, Frederick Hendricks Bay, sailed east, Staten Land, Moordenaars Bay, Taranaki coast, Drie Koningen Is (Three Kings Is), Pylstaart Is, Amsterdam Is, Rotterdam Is, Prins Willems Is, Onthona Java Is, Marken Is, Groene Is, St James Is, Anthony Kaans Is, Gerrit Denys Is, Vischers Is, New Guinea at 166°57'E x 50°27'S, Vulcano Is, Jamna Is, Moa Is, Willem Schouten Is, Cape de Goede Hoop, Caram Is, Batavia.

1642 Dutch, Marten Geritzen de Vries: Batavia, Moluccas, Ongelukkig Is, east coast of Japan, Cape Nabo, Land of Yesso, Staten Eylant, Compagnies Landt, Straits of de Vries, Cape Van Patientee, North to 49° then turned back to Azqueis, sailed east 450 miles on 37½° latitude, then to Tayowan and Batavia.

1642 Dutch, Henry Brewer: Texel, Fernambuco, Strait le Maire, Brewers Harbour (on Chile coast), Castro, Brewers Harbour, Carelmappa. Brewer dies. Elias Herckeman commands, Chilova, Baldivia, Strait le Maire, Brasil, Fernambuco.

1647 Russian, Fedot Alexeev and Semeon Dezhnev: Kolyma River, East Cape, Diomede Is, Anadyr River.

1648 Russian, Semeon Deschnev, Gerafim Ankudinov, Fedot Alexeev: Kolyma River, Tschuktschi Isthmus, Anadyr River.

1648 Russian, Semeon Deschnev: River Kolyma, Isthmus of Tschelatski, Bay of Anadir (Sea of Kamschatka).

1650-90 Russian, common sailings on Sea of Okhotsk.

1667 French, Jean Baptiste de la Follada: On a trading trip in Moluccas. First known presence of French in Pacific.

1669 English, John Narborough: Downs, Madiera, Cape de Verde Is, Mayo Is, St Jago Is, Penguin Is, Port Desire, Seals Bay, Port San Julian, Port Desire, Cape Virgin Mary, Str. of Magalhanes, Nuestra Senora del Socorro Is, Chiloe Is, Baldivia, Sts. of Magalhanes, Port Desire, Tercera, England. This voyage significant for accurate soundings, charts and descriptions of the straits.

1673 English, Thomas Peche: Bristol, Str. le Maire, Moluccas, Philippines, north to search for Straits of Anian and quick way to England. 150 leagues inside straits (now thought he was around Aleutian Is), down American west coast, Str. Magalhanes, England.

1674 French, Antonio de la Roche: Hamburg, Teneriffe, Str. of la Maire, Chiloe Is, la Roche's Passage, Bahia de Todos los Santos, Rochelle.

1684 Japanese, sailed from west coast northward to Kamschatka and return.

Within these past fifty years, improvements in nautical instruments and progress in discovery had led to some improvement in accuracy of maritime geography. The route via Straits of le Maire, Peru to the Moluccas was used frequently and in the next fifty years little of note occurs.

Between 1680 and 1697, buccaneers, principally English, dominated the Pacific coast of New Spain and Chile. The captains included John Coxon, Richard Sawkins, Bartholomew Sharp, John Watling, John Cook, John Eaton, Edward Davis, Captain Swan, Captain Townley, Messrs Rose, le Picard and Des-Marias (French), Captain Harris, Captain Knight, Ambrose Cowley, Lionel Wafer, William Dampier and M. Grogneit (French).

1686 English, Captain Swan: After buccaneering on Pacific American coasts, sailed west from Bay of Vanderas; Guahan, Mindanao, Philippines, China Seas, Ponghou Is, Bashee Is, Philippines, Celebes, Timor, NW coast of New Holland, Sumatra, Nicobar Is, Madagascar.

1689 English, John Strong: Plymouth, Falkland Is, Str of Magalhanes, Mocha Is, Baldivia, Rio Tumbez, Juan Fernandez Is, Str of Magalhanes, West Indies, England.

1690-1712 Russian, Kamchatka visited by several ships.

1695 French, de Gennes: Rochelle, Rio Janiero, Str of Magalhanes, Cape Frio, Rochelle.

1696 Dutch, Vlaming: Texel, Cape of Good Hope, Is St Paul, Is Amsterdam, reached Australian coast at 31°58'S, north along coast to Hertog Bay, found remnants of Hertog visit, sailed north to 25°24'S, then to River William, Is Moni, Batavia.

1698 French, M. de Beauchesne: France, Port Desire, Str of Magalhanes, Baldivia, Arica, Arequipa, Galapagos Is, Cape Horn, Falkland Is, Rochelle.

1699 English, William Dampier: Downs, Santa Cruz, Mayo Is, Bahia de Todos los Santos, Cape of Good Hope, New Holland at 27°38', north along coast to 15°37', to Timor, Cape Maba, Cape of Good Hope, Schouten Is, Vischers Is, Gerrit Denijs Is, Antong Kaans Is, St Johns Is, Cape St George, Cape Orford, Port Montagne, discovers strait, Cape Glocester, Crown Is, King Williams Is, Cape Maba, Ceram Is, Timor Java, Cape of Good Hope, Asencion Is.

1703 English, William Dampier: Kinsale, St Jago, Is Grande, Cape Horn, on New Spain and Chile coast for 14 months before sailing to East Indies. William Funnel: who was in accompanying ship sailed to Ladrones, Guedes Is, to New Guinea coast, sailed west to St. Johns Strait, Ceram Is, Amboyna.

1708 English, Stephen Courtney and Woodes Rogers (and Dampier as pilot): Bristol, Canary Is, Teneriffe, Cape de Verde Is, Falkland Is, Cape Horn, Juan Fernandez Is (here picked up Alexander Selkirk, marooned 4 years), spent some time on Peru coast, then sailed for Guahan Is, Gilolo Is, Bouton Is, Batavia, Cape of Good Hope, Texel, London.

1709 French, M. Frondet: To Japan, Clipperton Is, California.

1709-11 French, French ships sailed to La Concepcion, including Captains: Doublet, Noail du Parc, Boilloret, Raqueine, Pisson, Daniel, Le Brun, Battas du Chesne.

1714 French, Forgeais de Laugerie: To Formosa, Paita, Valparaiso.

1719 English, John Clipperton and George Shelvocke: Plymouth, ships part, Shelvocke: Str le Maire, Juan Fernandez, Payta, Juan Fernandez Is, his ship wrecked, builds another, cruises coast, meets Clipperton at Quimbo. Clipperton sailed to Guehan Is, Amoy, Macao. Shelvocke: Bay of Panama, Puerto Segura, Roca Partida, Macao, Whampo.

1721 Dutch, Jacob Roggewein: Texel, Canary Is, Brasil, Falkland Is, Mocha Is, Juan Fernandez Is, Easter Is, Carlshof Is, Schaadelyk Is, Daageraad Is, Abendroth Is, Labyrinth Is, Verquikking Is, Bauman Is, Tienhoven and Groningen Is, Moa Is, Gilolo Is, Batavia.

1721 Russian, I. Evreinov and F. Luzhin: Bolsheretsk, Kuril Is, return.

1728 Russian, Vitus Bering: Kamchatka River, north along coast to 67°18'48"S x 168°W (north of Bering Strait), return.

1732 Russian, I. Federov and M. Gvozdev: Kamchatka River, north along coast, then east to Diomede Is, King Is, and return.

1735-45 Spanish, Jorge Juan and Antonio de Ulloa: extensively surveyed Ecuador coast and seas.

1738 Russian, M. Spanberg: Okhotsk, Kuril Is at 45°N.

1738 French, Louzier Bouvet: Port l'Orient, Santa Katalina Is, Cape de la Circoncision, Cape of Good Hope. This voyage was made with object of finding new land in the South Atlantic for use as a French base.

1739 English, George Anson: St Helens Road, Madiera, Santa Katalina Is, Pt San Julian, Cape de las Virgenes, Str le Maire, Cape Horn, Nuestra Senora de Socorro, Juan Fernandez Is, Valparaiso, Lobos Is, Payta, Quimbo Is, Acapulco, Chequetau, Acapulco, Ladrones, Botel Tobago, Xima Is, Macao, Cape Espiritu Santo, Canton River, Macao, Cape of Good Hope, Spithead.

1739 Russian, M. Spanberg and W. Walton: Okhotsk, Honshu, south to 37°30', Kuril Is, Hokkaido, Okhotsk.

1740-43 Spanish, Jorge Juan and Antonio de Ulloa: surveyed Juan Fernandez Is.

1741 Russian, V. Bering and Chirikov: Avachinskaya Guba, Aleutian Is to N. American coast at 55°11'N, Kamchatka. This expedition discovered Afognak Is, Kodiak Is, Chirikov Is, Semidi Is, Shumagin Is, Ummak Is, Unalaska Is, Alka Is, Adak Is, Buldir Is, Semichi Is, Attu Is, Agattu Is.

1741-50 Russian, merchants and hunters making frequent trips into Aleutians as far as Kodiak Is.

Up to this time, ocean voyages were of an acquisative or commercial nature and here occurs a distinct break. A new series of voyages began, which had two characteristics:
1. The sole purpose of advancement of knowledge.
2. By improvements in the execution of geographical science and navigation, situations of new lands were so correctly ascertained and described that sailors seeking them again, had no difficulty finding them. This movement was headed by England.

1764 English, John Byron: Downs, Plymouth, Canary Is, Cape de Verde Is, Rio Janiero, Port Desire, Str of Magalhanes, Falkland Is, Port Desire, Str of Magalhanes, Masafuera Is, King George Is, Prince of Wales Is, Is of Danger, Duke of York Is (Atafu), Byron Is (in Gilbert group), Tinian, Batavia, Capetown, Antigua, Downs.

1766 English, Samuel Wallis and Philip Carteret: Plymouth, Canary Is, Str of Magalhanes, here Wallis parted, Queen Charlotte Is, Tahiti, Wallis Is, Tinian north of Philippines, Batavia, Capetown, Downs. Carteret sailed from Str of Magalhanes, Pitcairn Is, Osnaburg Is, Duke of Gloucester Is (Tuamotu Group), between Society Is and Cook Group, to Queen Charlotte Group, east end New Guinea, Batavia, Capetown, Hastings.

1766 French, Louis Antoine de Bougainville: Brest, Rio Janiero, Str of Magalhanes, Archipel Dangereux (Tuamotu Arch), Archipel de Bourbon (Society Is), Isles de Navigateurs (Samoa Is), Grandes Cyclades (New Hebrides), Solomon Is, New Britain, New Ireland, Ceram, Batavia, Capetown, Saint-Malo.

1768 Russian, P.K. Krenitzin and M.D. Levashov: discovered Isanotski Strait.

1768 English, James Cook: The 1st expedition, in HMS Endeavour.

1769 French, Jean Francois Marie de Surville: France, Capetown, Pondicherry (India), Singapore Straits, Cavite (Philippines), New Britain, Lauriston Bay (Doubtless Bay, N.Z.), sailed east along 43°S parallel to Chile coast, north to Callao (probable course).

1770 Spanish, Felipe Gonzalez y Haedo and Antonio Domonte: Callao, San Carlos Island (Easter Is), Chiloe Island.

1771 French, Nicholas Thomas Marion de Fresne and Julien Crozet: Mauritius, sailed east along 46°S parallel, Crozet Is, Van Diemans Land, Coromandel Peninsula, de Fresne killed, M. Crozet commands, Ile du Point du Jour (Daybreak Is), Samoa, north of Carolines, Guam, Cavite (Philippines), Batavia, Mauritius.

1772 Spanish, Domingo de Boenecha: Callao, San Simon y Judas Is (Tauere Is), San Quintin Is (Haraiki), Todos Santos (Anaa), Tahiti, Valparaiso.

1772 English, James Cook and Tobias Furneaux.

1774 Spanish, Domingo de Boenecha: Callao, San Narciso (Tatakoto), San Julian (Tahanea), Tahiti.

1774 Spanish, Andia y Varela: Callao, Isla de das Animas (Amanu), Tahiti, Santa Rosa Is (Raevavae Is, in Austral group), Callao.

1774 Spanish, Juan Jose Perez Hernandez: San Blas, Vancouver Is, Nootka Sound, San Blas.

1775 Spanish, Bruno de Hezeta and Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra: San Blas, Isla Sorrocco, Alexander Archipelago, Columbia River, San Blas.

1775 Spanish, Cayetano de Langara y Huarte: Callao, Tahiti, Callao.

1776 English, James Cook and Charles Clerke: The Third Voyage.

1779 Spanish, Ignacio Arteaga and Juan Quadra: San Blas, north to south Alaskan coast.

1783 Russian, G.I. Shelekhov, G. Izmailov and D. Bocharov: For several years on Alaskan coast and Kurils.

1785 French, Jean-François de Galaup de La Pérouse: Brest, Str le Maire, Valparaiso, Easter Is, Hawaiian Is, Lituya Bay (Alaska), Monterey Bay, Hawaiian Is, Ile Necker (in Marianas), Macao, Cavite (Philippines), Formosa, Sea of Japan, Honshu, Tartary, Hokkaido, Sakhalin, La Perouse Strait, Kuril Is, Petropavlovsk (Kamchatka), Mauna Is (Tutuila Is), Tonga, Huonga Tonga, Huonga Haapai, Tongatapu, Pylstaart Is (Ata Is), passed near Norfolk Is, Botany Bay, NE to Vanikoro Is (in Santa Cruz Is) where shipwrecked.

The History of Europe and the whole world might have been very different if a certain young officer cadet had succeeded in his attempt to join La Pérouse's expedition. Napoleon Bonaparte, the future Emperor of France, was turned down - saving him from an early death on a remote Pacific Island.

1786 Russian, G.L. Pribilof: discovered St. George and St. Pail Is.

1795-99 English, Matthew Flinders and George Bass: Sailed around Tasmania (then known as Van Dieman's Land) proving it was an island. A small island off the coast of Australia is named after him. Later, in 1801, Flinders successfully charted the Australian coast. He was wrecked on a coral reef during the return voyage to England and endured two months of hardship before he and his crew could set sail again. Accused of being a Spy, when his ship reached Mauritius (due to the war between Britain and France), he was imprisoned for six years - reaching home, at last, in 1810.

Main information source: Olympic Stationery (NZ) Ltd., September 1969: "As we remember Captain Cook".

© 1998 Michael Dickinson

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