George Vancouver: A Coast for the English King

Early Years: Under Cook
1772 - 1789

Even though he was only an ordinary seaman, Vancouver was trained by William Wales, a famous astronomer on board Resolution. For Cook's third expedition in 1776, Vancouver was a midshipman on HMS Discovery. Discovery and Resolution went to look for the Pacific Ocean entrance to the Northwest Passage.

Going Out on a Limb…
It was during Cook's second voyage that Vancouver climbed out on the bowsprit, thereby claiming to be the person on board who had come closest to the South Pole.

Fisher, Robin. Vancouver's Voyage: Charting the Northwest Coast, 1791-1795. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 1992, p. 8.

	Vancouver was trained by William Wales, an astronomer who was sent to observe the Transit of Venus, on Captain Cook's first voyage. Wales taught Vancouver how to find longitude by measuring lunar distances.