1770: Banks Peninsula Discovered
February 16, 2022
By AHNZ
Today’s the day, 16 February 1770, Banks Peninsula was discovered by Cook’s Endeavour. Record-keeping was less impressive in October 1809 aboard similar ship, Pegasus, but that crew did make the observation that this was a Peninsula not to be an island as Cook had thought.
Of course, it had been an island once. When the great moa-infested Canterbury rain forests burned down (Maori, was that you?) massive erosion occurred filling the rivers with shingle and joining the old volcano island to the mainland.
Pegasus’ First Mate, William Stewart (this guy is a big deal,) named the bay that had been discovered beyond the Peninsula: Pegasus Bay. The new (about 10 years now..) town of Pegasus (est. 2008) owes its name to him. So does Stewart Island itself which was thought by Cook to be a peninsula! The Pegasus crew probably solved that one too while they were there, unless someone else beat them to it.
“This visit by Captain Samuel Chase and his crew not only offered the opportunity to correct Cook’s mistake (or was it?) but their naming of Pegasus Bay – the stretch of shore from Sumner to the Waipara river mouth – has survived the test of time and is known by this name today.” – COOK’S ERROR CORRECTED – OCTOBER 1809, DISCO
As I type the artificial Lake Pegasus is off limits due to poison algal bloom once again as seems to happen every summer. Also about now, February, Banks Peninsula and the Port Hills are at great fire risk teetering on a State of Emergency and evacuation due to wildfires. Any lakes and hills in control of The State are likely to become poison or on fire or both; It’s the status quo!
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Image: Lloyd Homer, ref. Stuff.co.nz/
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