People and families gather at Lyttelton Wharf to await the arrival of the HMNZS Endeavour as it makes its way up the harbour. On board are members of the New Zealand party of the Trans-Antarctic Expedition. The crew are on hand to secure the ship to the wharf on arrival.
On the eve of their departure in Christchurch, the Prime Minister Sidney Holland and other officials and members of the community watch as Sir Edmund Hillary lays a wreath on the memorial of Antarctic explorer, Captain Scott.
The inscription on the memorial reads “I do not regret this journey which shows that Englishmen can endure hardships that help one another and meet death with as great fortitude as ever in the past.”
In memory of Captain Cook, the first man to explore Antarctic waters, the expedition ship was named ENDEAVOUR .
After a year of preparation and training, and two weeks of loading, the Endeavour is visited by HRH Duke of Edinburgh prior to an official farewell from the wharf.