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Dumont d'Urville's Exploration (1827)

In January 1827, half a century after Cook's final visit, another of the world's great explorers arrived to leave his indelible mark on the Marlborough Sounds. French naval officer and scholar Jules Sébastien César Dumont d'Urville, commanding the corvette *Astrolabe*, came with a mission to fill in the gaps on the map of New Zealand. His voyage through the region resulted in the first European charting of the vast Te Hoiere / Pelorus Sound and culminated in one of the most famous and daring feats of seamanship in New Zealand's maritime history: the first passage through the treacherous Te Aumiti / French Pass.

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In Cook's Wake: A Scientific Mission

D'Urville was a great admirer of Captain Cook and his voyage was driven by a similar scientific and cartographic ambition. He sought to explore coastlines that Cook had seen only from a distance. While sailing past the entrance to the Marlborough Sounds, he noted a large, uncharted opening to the west of Tōtaranui / Queen Charlotte Sound—an opening that Cook had sailed past. Driven by curiosity, d'Urville guided the *Astrolabe* into this unknown waterway, becoming the first European to enter and explore what he would later name Te Hoiere / Pelorus Sound, in honour of one of his ship's officers.

The Daring Passage of Te Aumiti

After spending several days charting the intricate waterways of the Pelorus, d'Urville sought a shortcut into Tasman Bay. He identified a narrow, turbulent channel separating the large island at the head of the sounds from the mainland. Local Māori, who knew the channel as Te Aumiti, warned him of its dangers, describing ferocious tidal currents and a dangerous reef. Undeterred, and eager to save days of sailing, d'Urville decided to attempt the passage. On the morning of 28 January 1827, the *Astrolabe* was caught by the full force of the ebb tide, which could run as fast as eight knots. The ship was swept uncontrollably through the narrow gap, twice striking the reef. For 15 terrifying minutes, the crew battled to steer the vessel as it was dragged through the churning water before finally emerging, damaged but intact, into the calmer waters of the bay.

A Legacy of Names and Charts

D'Urville's feat of seamanship, or perhaps luck, was extraordinary. In the aftermath of the harrowing event, he recorded the names that remain on our maps today. He named the turbulent channel "French Pass" in honour of his country and his ship's survival. The large island separated by the pass he named "D'Urville Island" after himself. His exploration of the region produced a set of highly accurate and detailed charts that were a major improvement on Cook's and became the standard for mariners for many years. The event itself passed into legend, a dramatic story of European ambition and daring at the edge of the known world, forever etching d'Urville's name into the history of Marlborough.