The skills, knowledge and experience that took Captain James Cook to the
South Seas and around the world seemed to come out of nowhere. In fact,
as author Jerry Lockett has discovered, their foundation was laid during
the time he spent in Atlantic Canada. His experiences on Canada's east
coast and the naval men he met there shaped him to become one of the
most successful explorers of all time.
Cook arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1758 as a competent but
undistinguished warrant officer in Britain's Royal Navy. Over the next
nine years he learned the complex skill of navigation and prepared many
detailed maps of the coastline and key harbours. He left with the skills
and reputation that made him an obvious choice to lead a voyage of
exploration to the far side of the world.
In this absorbing and well-researched biography Jerry Lockett tells us
of Cook's experiences as a young man and of the influential men who
became his mentors and patrons. He also describes Cook's role in the key
British military actions at Louisbourg and Quebec which brought an
effective end to the French regime in North America.