ABC - Captain Cook Obsession and Discovery (2007) Part 2 Taking Command

“I had ambition not only to go farther than any man had been before, but as far as it was possible for a man to go.” – James Cook

This documentary tells the real story of the life & times of Captain James Cook; the greatest explorer in history who discovered Australia & New Zealand. His 3 great voyages of discovery pushed the borders of the British Empire to the ends of the Earth. Geographer, historical consultant and bestselling author Vanessa Collingridge searches for the man behind the legend as she traces his story in a series that is part biography, part travelogue and completely enthralling. A hero to some, a villain to others, this son of an English farm labourer described more of the globe than any other man in three incredible voyages. Discover the man and his times. Step back into the 18th century to experience what it was like to navigate uncharted and unknown waters in search of a legendary Great Southern Continent and then a Northwest Passage through the Arctic ice; as well as to be among the first Europeans to visit exotic Pacific islands like Tahiti. Witness Cook's discovery of Hawaii. Sail the uncharted coast of New Zealand, proving it isn't part of the 'great south continent'. Land with Captain Cook at Botany Bay as he claims Australia for king and country, a 'discovery' that goes unquestioned for over a century. Meet the men of the Endeavour, Resolution, Adventure and Discovery, and learn what sea-life was like for the sailors and scientists who made it all possible, including the celebrated gentleman-botanist Joseph Banks and a young naval officer named William Bligh. It's a tale of obsession and discovery, respect and brutality, courage and madness, from the pomp and splendour of the royal courts of England to death on a beach on the far side of the world.

Part 2 Taking Command

Captain James Cook sets sail on the history-making adventure in search of one of the great prizes of 18th century exploration, the fabled Great Southern Continent. If Britain can find and map it, they can claim it for the Empire. Cook takes on board an additional passenger, Polynesian priest and fellow navigator, Tupaia. Cook's first encounter with New Zealand's Maori people is a disaster, so he turns to Tupaia who acts as go-between for later landings. Over six months, Cook circumnavigates both North and South islands, proving to Banks and the gentlemen aboard that New Zealand is not the Great Southern Continent. Continuing east into the unknown and landing in Botany Bay, Cook is challenged by what he encounters - Australia's flora, fauna and Indigenous people. Unlike his experience of the Pacific islanders, the Aborigines want nothing to do with the visitors. Cook's landing at Botany Bay will make him an iconic figure in modern history, but not unless he can navigate his way out of the maze of the Great Barrier Reef - a potential disaster that could kill them all.

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