Fun with Maps ISSUE 2025-105

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (June 11, 2025) – In today’s edition of Fun with Maps, the famous Captain Cook almost sunk his ship, but found beauty below.

LOOK OUT BELOW

Captain James Cook ‘discovered’ the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia on June 11, 1770.

It was a less than glorious discovery since Cook’s ship, Endeavour, ran into the reef and nearly sank.

Cook’s ship was navigating through a tricky patch of rocks and shoals recording depth levels when it ran into a rock (actually coral) and was stuck for almost an entire day. 

Despite throwing cannons and other heavy cargo overboard, it took 23 hours to dislodge the ship which then needed to return to shore for further repairs.

Cook managed to map out quite a bit of the shoreline, but details of the Great Barrier Reef were still under investigation into the twentieth century.  Located on the northeast coast of Australia, the Reef stretches over 1400 miles and is the largest marine ecosystem in the world.

Tallis created this map of Australia in 1851.  The reefs are shown in part.  The interior of this island continent is uncharted and is blank.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.