Atlantic islands -- The journeys of Bartholomew Dias and Vasco da Gama -- America is discovered by Christopher Columbus -- John Cabot's search for the North West Passage -- Ferdinand Magellan and the first circumnavigation of the world -- The French claim to Canada is secured by Jacques Cartier -- Spanish treasure ships scour the Pacific -- Francis Drake and the voyage of the Golden Hind -- The quest for a route to the orient -- -- The historic voyage of the Mayflower -- Abel Tasman discovers Tasmania -- The original Robinson Crusoe and the buccaneers of England -- Roggeveen discovers Easter Island and Anson's fleet strikes gold -- Louis-Antoine de Bougainville explores the Pacific's flora and fauna -- Captain Cook's epic voyage on board the Endeavour -- The transatlantic voyages of greed and despair -- John Harrison and the search for longitude -- The First Fleet arrives at Botany Bay -- Charles Darwin and the voyage of the Beagle -- Isambard Kingdom Brunel and the race across the Atlantic -- Scott, Amundsen and Shackleton travel to the ends of the Earth -- Voyages under the sea.

For all of the seafarers and explorers in this book their exploits would bring immortality for the parts they played in the voyages that changed the world.