Captain Cook Arriving at Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii

watercolor, 22 1/2" x 30" (unframed)

$3,500

Captain James Cook was riding a wave of accomplishments when he embarked on his third and final voyage of exploration in July 1776.He had explored and charted parts of the South Pacific and unknown waters of Australia, New Zealand, and Antarctic waters. He had failed to find any evidence for the existence of the Northwest Passage. In 1778 Cook's ships discovered the Hawaiian Islands, having missed them on previous voyages.

Cook had been very successful, for the most part, when interacting with various native groups that he had come into contact with. He had managed to make use of these contacts to replenish vital food stocks. After exploring the Alaskan Coast and the Bering Straits in 1778, Cook's ships decided to head back to Hawaii rather than spend the winter in Alaska.

Hart’s painting depicts the Resolution and the Discovery arriving in Kealakekua Bay on the morning of January 17, 1779. As it happened, thousands of Hawaiian natives were gathered at the bay for a religious ceremony and Cook was met by countless canoes, outriggers and catamarans as he drifted into the sheltered waters. Captain Cook was welcomed as a deity due to an unusual circumstance and both sailors and natives enjoyed the festivities at first. As these things sometimes occur, tempers began to come into conflict and misunderstanding. Cook became eager to get away from the island and the boats set out to sea only to be forced back by a broken foremast.

The prevailing mood of the Hawaiians became unfriendly and conflicts began to arise. Finally, on February 14, 1779 a dispute over a missing boat belonging to the Resolution erupted into violence. The four marines and Captain Cook were greatly outnumbered and they were beaten with clubs and spears along the shallow surf.

East met West that day in what was basically a mistake. The boat was only " borrowed " and Cook overreacted by seizing the king to get the boat returned. Kealakekua Bay is much like it was that day, 245 years ago. The ceremonial site is still there open only to Hawaiians. There are still stone platforms among the ancient walls. The site where Captain Cook fell in the surf is marked by a marble monument erected by the government of Great Britain, the only part of Hawaii that is designated British territory. Signs remind swimmers to keep off the monument and brilliant tropical fish swirl around the marker.