No little endeavour, as replica of Cook's ship begins refit in dry dock

A replica of the ship Captain James Cook commanded to Australia and New Zealand on his first voyage of discovery, has entered dry dock on the Tees for repairs and conversion work that will see it transformed into a visitor attraction in Whitby.

By The Newsroom

Published 20th Apr 2018, 16:27 BST

Updated 20th Apr 2018, 16:51 BST

Endeavour in dry dock as work begins on its refit. Picture: Charlotte Graham

The vessel is one of only two life-size replicas of Cook’s original Endeavour. Built with a steel frame, unlike the seagoing wooden replica that drew crowds to Whitby in 2002, it had been based at Stockton.

But last year a partnership led by Andrew Fiddler, a Whitby businessman and former naval officer, outbid rival offers from Portsmouth, London and Dubai to give the ship a new home.

It will now undergo a four-week refit before it makes the journey to Whitby, the town in which Cook learned his trade.

Its arrival will coincide with the 250th anniversary of the original voyage, which set off from Portsmouth

Mr Fiddler sad: “The first, challenging leg of the journey to Whitby has been completed and we can now look forward to seeing the next stage in her transformation towards becoming a high quality interactive, family-friendly attraction.”