Yesterday, Cunard Line’s flagship Queen Mary 2 was saluted by another historic vessel also currently circumnavigating Australia – the Endeavour – as the two vessels crossed paths off the coast of Victoria.
The encounter with the small ship, a replica of Captain James Cook’s HM Bark Endeavour, occurred between Cape Duquesne and Cape Nelson, just outside Portland, Victoria, as Queen Mary 2 sailed from Adelaide to Melbourne where she is making her maiden visit today. Carrying approximately 4,000 guests and crew, and rising 62 metres above the water, the 151,400-ton Queen Mary 2 dwarfed the 397-ton Endeavour, which is carrying 54 people and stretches 39 metres to the top of its mast.
While Queen Mary 2 will take 20 nights to circumnavigate Australia (Fremantle to Fremantle), the Endeavour is taking 13 months on its journey around the country.
“Queen Mary 2’s maiden voyage around Australia has been a fantastic experience for all on board and we have very much enjoyed being part of history,” said Commodore Christopher Rynd, master of Cunard’s flagship ocean liner. “To sail by the Endeavour – a replica of Captain Cook’s ship – and to see her size really brought home how brave and adventurous explorers were just two centuries ago.”
Both circumnavigation voyages by Queen Mary 2 and the Endeavor take place more than 200 years after the first circumnavigation of Australia undertaken by Captain Matthew Flinders in 1801-03.
