New Zealand High Sea

West of the far northern coast of New Zealand, open water leads toward Cape Maria van Diemen and the Three Kings Islands. Abel Tasman named the cape in January 1643 before looking for fresh water among the islands. More than a century later James Cook's Endeavour struggled in heavy seas around the northern end of the country. On 30 December 1769 Cook identified the cape from seaward as the ship battled a southwesterly swell.