"The Wide Wide Sea" | Reviewed by Nelson Appell

“The Wide Wide Sea,” by Hampton Sides, takes us on a trip through Captain Cook’s final journey of exploration where he was killed in the Hawaiian Islands. On July 12, 1776, eight days after the Declaration of Independence was signed by delegates to the Second Continental Congress, Cook sailed the HMS Resolution on his third, and final voyage.

            Sides offers us a thrilling expedition run by an aging captain who is changing. Along the way Sides explains to us, according to modern mores, the unhappy encounters of the Pacific Ocean natives with the explorers—and then the empires.

            Though he was killed by the native Hawaiians, Cook is known for his sympathies for the natives, which stands out in comparison to other explorers. Sides investigates this aspect of Cook. During a layover in New Zealand, Cook becomes embroiled in a conflict with the native Maoris, who have good reason to be cautious of the English explorers. The Maoris would be dealt with lightly and intelligently, for they would fight.

            By contrast, in Australia, Cook encounters the Gweagal people of Dharawal land. This encounter, as Sides retells it, did not end well for the Gweagal. Cook may have left them in peace because the Gweagal largely kept their distance, but the Age of Exploration did not. They were later hunted and overwhelmed by the men who settled and visited their lands with overwhelming numbers and weapons.

            In addition to exploration, part of Cook’s journey’s purpose was to return Mai, a native of Tahiti, to his homeland. Mai was an intriguing man, who had become a celebrity in England and popular with both men and women. Because of his regal presentation, Mai was mistaken for royalty. Though Mai was primarily motivated to seek revenge for the loss of his people’s land, he did live a good life in England, supported by England’s upper crust. But he longed for home, and Cook took him along on the passage.

            As for Cook himself, Sides notes that he was aging, and questions arose regarding his handling of the ships. He put the mission in danger more than once by entering dangerous waters without sufficient caution. A younger Cook made different decisions. He was sharper, more inclined to punishment. Those who knew Cook could see the changes in the man. Tensions with his crew rose due to his formal orders, and his secret orders, which Cook, duty-bound, did not disclose.

            This is rousing sailing history, filled with the tragedies and triumphs of the Age of Exploration. Filled with contemporary quotes and accounts, including the indigenous people that Cook encountered—“The Wide Wide Sea” sometimes reads with the narrative of a novel.

            This is a great book for history buffs, fans of both sailing fiction and sailing non-fiction, and would be a great book club book pick.

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