The exact spot where Cook came ashore is unknown, and it is suspected that the land has actually grown since 1778 due to deposition of sediment.

The British Royal Navy Captain James Cook (1728–1779) is well known today for his many voyages of discovery and exploration.

Waimea Bay was identified as a "tolerable" anchorage by a scouting team sent out by Cook, and he anchored there on the afternoon of January 20.

Natives congregated "in considerable numbers" on the sandy beach, and Cook came ashore with an armed escort that day and established friendly relations.

The next day, he explored up the river valley, taking extensive notes of the people and culture that have since become of considerable ethnographic importance.