Join Us in France · Sunday, September 6, 2026
In June 1788, Lapérouse's ships, the Boussole and Astrolabe, were caught in a cyclone off the coast of Vanikoro in the Solomon Islands and disappeared. Despite extensive searches, the exact fate of Lapérouse and his crew remains one of maritime history's enduring mysteries.
“And somewhere in June of 1788, the Boussole and the Astrolabe are caught up in a cyclone.”
“And they disappear. Yeah. And they disappear off of, now they know, off the coast of an island called Vanikoro, which is part of the Solomon Islands.”
“By 1793, they did discover remains of one of the ships on this island, Vanikoro, but they have never, ever, ever found anything directly related to him personally.”