S1-E45: Tahiti: The Great Escape

As HMS Resolution sails away from Tahiti in May 1774, the cannon fire masks more than just ritual—it conceals heartache, temptation, and unresolved tensions. Onboard, a sailor dreams of paradise and dives for it. Onshore in Huaheine, Cook’s crew finds not only coconuts and courtesies but theft, ambush, and a mocking dance that wounds more deeply than any weapon.

This episode begins with a poignant farewell: O-Tuh, the Tahitian chief, offers Georg Forster’s father and Mr. Hodges a new life in Matavai. They refuse—but not everyone wants to leave. One sailor attempts escape, seduced by the island's promise of ease and beauty. His punishment is harsh, but understandable in light of strict naval discipline.

In the warm stillness beyond the anchor chain, a lone sailor swims for Tahiti—chasing freedom, barefoot and breathless, into the myth of paradise. – Auf das Bild klicken, um diese Folge bei YouTube anzuhören

On Huaheine, the Resolution crew encounters warm welcomes—and repeated betrayals. A local chief sinks into kava-induced stupor, thefts escalate, and a romantic past becomes public ridicule during a dramatic Hiwa dance. Even as kindness is shown—by an elderly woman offering refuge and roasted breadfruit—Cook is forced to lead a symbolic inland march to assert authority.

The journey ends in Raiatea, where the enigmatic warrior caste of the Errioys reveals a society bound by celibacy, privilege, and rituals both admired and feared. As always, this is a voyage through not just new lands, but through the complex landscapes of culture, power, and human longing.