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Papa in the water Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii June 1998

Cook left after two weeks of festivities but encountered a fierce winter storm on his search for a Northwest passage. He was forced to return to Kealakekua Bay to repair his vessels. Upon his return Cook found the makahiki festival was finished, and a kapu was put on the nearly deserted bay.

The natives who remained did not understand how such a great god could have sustained such damage in his own domain. Their respect for Cook diminished, and wanting coveted metals in exchange for all the supplies they had given the English sailors, the Hawaiians helped themselves to metals and the Discovery's cutter. Cook took a party of nine marines and went ashore to take Chief Kalaniopuu hostage until the cutter was returned. Unexpectedly, natives crowded the beach, armed and excited. Stones were thrown and guns were fired. Cook was stabbed in the back and speared. He and four marines died in the skirmish near the monument's location on February 14, 1779. The Captain was 51 years old.

Ironically, it is said that the world's greatest navigator was such a poor swimmer that he apparently stumbled into an angry crowd rather than swim a few yards out to a waiting boat...