Link copied Captain Cook's early professional life discussed by expert Sign up to receive our rundown of the day's top stories direct to your inbox SUBSCRIBE Invalid email When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Considered one of the greatest navigators and explorers of all time, the Royal Navy captain was celebrated as a British national hero and icon before his death in 1779. Cook charted New Zealand and the Great Barrier Reef of Australia on his ship HMS Endeavour in 1770, paving the way for British settlement. He joined the British Merchant Navy as a teenager and then moved to the Royal Navy in 1755.