Track of Bounty under Bligh  Home  Maps  Track of Resource

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Track of Launch

The launch put in at Tofoa on Apr 29, 1789, and departed on May 2nd; on which day John Norton, Quartermaster, was killed. Six weeks later they reached Coupang, Timor, without the loss of a single soul. Various sources give the distance as 3,618 nautical miles (4163 miles). But that would have taken them across portions of Australia. Their track, roughly plotted from Blighs positions, I found to be closer to 4400 miles. The weather was almost constantly bad, and to add to their misery, they were kept bailing for hours on end. But their misery was a blessing in disguise; fair weather and the consequent heat would probably have killed them.

The track below was plotted from Bligh's positions and dates. Until they reached the coast of Australia, Bligh gave his observed latitude and his reckoned longitude in degrees west of Tofoa. However, once they reach the Australian coast and turn north, Bligh is much less methodical. Understandable, given their steadily weakening condition. His longitude, when given, is relative to this or that landmark, which he has just named; which name didn't stick. The track I've drawn up the York peninsula and westward to Coupang is approximate.

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