Captain James Cook 1728 - 1779

occupation:
Cartographer,
Explorer, navigator,
Mariner
Nationality:
British
born in:
Marton, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Made three voyages to the Pacific Ocean, charting many areas and recording several islands and coastlines. His most notable accomplishments were the British 'discovery' and claiming of the east coast of Australia; the European 'discovery' of the Hawaiian Islands; and the first recorded circumnavigation and mapping of Newfoundland and New Zealand. Cook died in Hawaii in a fracas with Hawaiians during his third exploratory voyage in the Pacific in 1779.