Cook Islands #481 (1978) – Captain James Cook’s landing in “Owyhee”

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Cook Islands #481 (1978) – Captain James Cook’s landing in “Owyhee”

Captain James Cook’s landing in “Owyhee” refers to his arrival in what is now known as the Hawaiian Islands. Cook first sighted the Hawaiian Islands on January 18, 1778, during his third Pacific voyage. At the time of Cook’s arrival, he and his crew named the islands the “Sandwich Islands” after John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who was the First Lord of the Admiralty at that time.

Upon sighting the islands, Cook and his crew initially anchored their ships, HMS Resolution and HMS Discovery, at Waimea Bay on the island of Kauai. This marked the first recorded European contact with the Hawaiian Islands. Cook and his crew spent some time in the islands, exploring and interacting with the native Hawaiian people.