Variable light Airs and Sometimes Calm with Clear pleasant weather. At daylight saw the land which we took to be Cape Maria Van Diemen bearing North-North-East, distant 8 or 9 Leagues. At Noon Latitude in per Observation 35 degrees 0 minutes South. Cape Maria Van Diemen bore North, distant 11 Leagues.
Saturday
Friday
Saturday, 6th, January 1770
First part a fresh breeze at South-West by South; in the night had it at South. A.M., light Airs from the Southward next to a Calm, and Clear weather. Course made good to-day is North 76 West; distance 8 Miles; Latitude per Observation 35 degrees 8 minutes South.
Thursday
Friday, 5th, January 1770
Fresh gales at South-West with frequent Squalls attended with rain. The South-West swell still keeping up we stood to the North-West all this day with a prest Sail in order to get an Offing. At Noon True Course made good North 38 West, distance 102 Miles. Latitude in per Observation 35 degrees 10 minutes South. Cape Maria Van Diemen bore North 10 degrees East; distant 41 Miles.
Wednesday
Thursday, 4th, January 1770
[Off Kaipara Harbour, North Island, New Zealand.]
Winds at South-West and South-West by South; mostly a fresh Gale accompanied with a rowling sea from the same Quarter. Being desirous of taking as near a View of the coast as we could with safety we keept Edging in for it until 7 o'Clock p.m., being at this time 6 Leagues from the Land. We then hauld our wind to South-East and keept on that Course close upon the wind all night, sounding several times but had no ground with 100 and 110 fathoms. At 8 o'Clock a.m. was about 5 Leagues from the Land and a place which lies in the Latitude of 36 degrees 25 minutes that had the Appearance of a Bay or inlet bore East.* In order to see more of this place we kept on our Course until 11 o'Clock when we were not above 3 Leagues from it, and then found that it was neither a Bay nor inlet, but low land bounded on each side by higher lands which caused the deception. At this time we Tack'd and stood to the North-West. At Noon we were between 3 and 4 Leagues from the Land and in the Latitude of 36 degrees 31 minutes and Longitude 185 degrees 50 minutes West. Cape Maria Van Diemen bore North 25 West, distant 44 1/2 Leagues. From this I form my judgment of the direction of this Coast, which is nearly South-South-East 3/4 East and North-North-West 3/4 West, and must be nearly a Strait Shore. In about the Latitude 35 degrees 45 minutes is some high land adjoining to the Sea; to the Southward of that the land is of a moderate heigth, and wears a most desolate and inhospitable aspect. Nothing is to be seen but long sand Hills, with hardly any Green thing upon them, and the great Sea which the prevailing Westerly winds impell upon the Shore must render this a very Dangerous Coast. This I am so fully sencible of, that was we once clear of it I am determined not to come so near Again, if I can possible avoid it, unless we have a very favourable wind indeed.**
* This was Kaipara Harbour, although, on a closer inspection, Cook thought he had been deceived. It is the largest harbour on this part of the coast. The town of Helensville stands on one of its arms.
** The mingled audacity and caution of Cook's navigation off this coast must awake the admiration of every seaman.
Winds at South-West and South-West by South; mostly a fresh Gale accompanied with a rowling sea from the same Quarter. Being desirous of taking as near a View of the coast as we could with safety we keept Edging in for it until 7 o'Clock p.m., being at this time 6 Leagues from the Land. We then hauld our wind to South-East and keept on that Course close upon the wind all night, sounding several times but had no ground with 100 and 110 fathoms. At 8 o'Clock a.m. was about 5 Leagues from the Land and a place which lies in the Latitude of 36 degrees 25 minutes that had the Appearance of a Bay or inlet bore East.* In order to see more of this place we kept on our Course until 11 o'Clock when we were not above 3 Leagues from it, and then found that it was neither a Bay nor inlet, but low land bounded on each side by higher lands which caused the deception. At this time we Tack'd and stood to the North-West. At Noon we were between 3 and 4 Leagues from the Land and in the Latitude of 36 degrees 31 minutes and Longitude 185 degrees 50 minutes West. Cape Maria Van Diemen bore North 25 West, distant 44 1/2 Leagues. From this I form my judgment of the direction of this Coast, which is nearly South-South-East 3/4 East and North-North-West 3/4 West, and must be nearly a Strait Shore. In about the Latitude 35 degrees 45 minutes is some high land adjoining to the Sea; to the Southward of that the land is of a moderate heigth, and wears a most desolate and inhospitable aspect. Nothing is to be seen but long sand Hills, with hardly any Green thing upon them, and the great Sea which the prevailing Westerly winds impell upon the Shore must render this a very Dangerous Coast. This I am so fully sencible of, that was we once clear of it I am determined not to come so near Again, if I can possible avoid it, unless we have a very favourable wind indeed.**
* This was Kaipara Harbour, although, on a closer inspection, Cook thought he had been deceived. It is the largest harbour on this part of the coast. The town of Helensville stands on one of its arms.
** The mingled audacity and caution of Cook's navigation off this coast must awake the admiration of every seaman.
Tuesday
Wednesday, 3rd, January 1770
Winds at West-South-West and South-West; a fresh breeze and Squally, the remainder moderate with frequent Squalls attended with rain. In the evening shortned Sail and at Midnight Tack'd and made a Trip to the North-West until 2 a.m., then wore and stood to the Southward. At daylight made Sail and Edged away in order to make the Land; at 10 saw it bearing North-East and appeared to be high land; at Noon it extended from North to East-North-East distant, by Estimation, 8 or 10 Leagues, and Cape Maria Van Diemen bore North 2 degrees 30 minutes West, distant 33 Leagues. Our Latitude by observation was 36 degrees 2 minutes South. A high rowling swell from the South-West.
Monday
Tuesday, 2nd, January 1770
Fresh breezes at South-South-West and West accompanied with a rowling Sea from the South-West. At 5 p.m. the wind Veering to the Westward we Tack'd and Stood to the Southward. At this time the North Cape bore East 3/4 North and was just open of a point that lies 3 Leagues West by South from it, being now well assured that it is the Northermost Extremity of this Country and is the East point of a Peninsula which Stretches out North-West and North-West by North 17 or 18 Leagues, and as I have before observed is for the most part low and narrow except its Extremity where the land is Tollerable high and Extends 4 or 5 Leagues every way. Cape Maria Van Diemen is the West point of the Peninsula and lies in the Latitude of 34 degrees 30 minutes South; Longitude 187 degrees 18 minutes West from Greenwich.* From this Cape the Land Trends away South-East by South and South-East to and beyond Mount Camel, and is everywhere a barren shore affording no better prospect than what ariseth from white sand Banks. At 1/2 past 7 p.m. the Island of the 3 Kings bore North-West by North and Cape Maria Van Diemen North-East by East, distant 4 Leagues. At 5 a.m. Cape Maria Van Diemen bore North-North-East 1/2 East and Mount Camel East. At Noon was in the Latitude of 35 degrees 17 minutes and Cape Maria Van Diemen by judgment bore North distant 16 Leagues; having no land in sight, not daring to go near it as the wind blow'd fresh right on shore and a high rowling Sea from the Same Quarter, and knowing that there was no Harbour that we could put into in case we were Caught upon a lee shore.
* This is extraordinarily accurate, seeing that the ship was never close to the Cape, and the observations were all taken in bad weather. The latitude is exact, and the longitude is only three miles in error. The persistence with which Cook clung to this point until he could resume his exploration and examination of the coast is very characteristic of the man. He would not willingly miss a mile of it, nor did he.
* This is extraordinarily accurate, seeing that the ship was never close to the Cape, and the observations were all taken in bad weather. The latitude is exact, and the longitude is only three miles in error. The persistence with which Cook clung to this point until he could resume his exploration and examination of the coast is very characteristic of the man. He would not willingly miss a mile of it, nor did he.
Sunday
Monday, 1st, January 1770
P.M., fresh breezes at South-West by South and Squally, the remainder moderate breezes at South-West by South and South-West clear weather. At 7 p.m. Tack'd and stood to the Westward. At this time Mount Camel bore North 83 degrees East and the Northermost land or Cape Maria Van Diemen North by West, being distant from the Nearest Shore 3 Leagues; in this situation had 40 fathoms Water.
NOTE. Mount Camel doth not appear to lay little more than a Mile from the Sea on this Side* and about the same distance on the other, so that the land here cannot be above 2 or 3 Miles broad from Sea to Sea, which is what I computed when we were in Sandy Bay on the other side of the Coast. At 6 a.m. Tack'd and Stood to the Eastward, the Island of the 3 Kings North-West by North. At Noon Tack'd again and stood to the Westward, being in the Latitude of 34 degrees 37 minutes South; the Island of the 3 Kings bore North-West by North, distant 10 or 11 Leagues; and Cape Maria Van Diemen North 31 East, distant 4 1/2 Leagues; in this situation had 54 fathoms. I cannot help thinking but what it will appear a little strange that at this season of the Year we should be 3 Weeks in getting 10 Leagues to the Westward and 5 Weeks in getting 50 Leagues, for so long it is since we pass'd Cape Brett; but it will hardly be credited that in the midst of Summer and in the Latitude of 35 degrees South such a Gale of wind as we have had could have hapned which for its Strength and Continuance was such as I hardly was ever in before. Fortunately at this time we were a good distance from land, otherwise it would have proved fatal to us.**
* It is, in fact, about six miles, but the coast in front is so low that the mistake in estimation is very natural.)
** The north point of New Zealand is celebrated for bad weather.
NOTE. Mount Camel doth not appear to lay little more than a Mile from the Sea on this Side* and about the same distance on the other, so that the land here cannot be above 2 or 3 Miles broad from Sea to Sea, which is what I computed when we were in Sandy Bay on the other side of the Coast. At 6 a.m. Tack'd and Stood to the Eastward, the Island of the 3 Kings North-West by North. At Noon Tack'd again and stood to the Westward, being in the Latitude of 34 degrees 37 minutes South; the Island of the 3 Kings bore North-West by North, distant 10 or 11 Leagues; and Cape Maria Van Diemen North 31 East, distant 4 1/2 Leagues; in this situation had 54 fathoms. I cannot help thinking but what it will appear a little strange that at this season of the Year we should be 3 Weeks in getting 10 Leagues to the Westward and 5 Weeks in getting 50 Leagues, for so long it is since we pass'd Cape Brett; but it will hardly be credited that in the midst of Summer and in the Latitude of 35 degrees South such a Gale of wind as we have had could have hapned which for its Strength and Continuance was such as I hardly was ever in before. Fortunately at this time we were a good distance from land, otherwise it would have proved fatal to us.**
* It is, in fact, about six miles, but the coast in front is so low that the mistake in estimation is very natural.)
** The north point of New Zealand is celebrated for bad weather.
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