Captain Cook and his ships in Kealakekua Bay, 1778Captain James Cook's third expedition to the Pacific, his ships, HMS Discovery and Resolution. First recorded European visit to Hawai'i in 1778 Stopped at the western end of the island chain on their way from Tahiti to the northwest coast of North America. After a frustrating year fruitlessly looking for a passage from the North Pacific into the Atlantic, Cook brought his ships back to the Hawaiian chain, this time stopping at the Big Island of Hawai'i. There, at Kealakekua Bay, Cook was killed by Hawaiians when he made a misguided attempt to kidnap their high chief to force the return of a stolen boat.