After Matthew Flinders, together with George Bass, had already circumnavigated Tasmania, the Brit set sail again on July 18, 1801, and reached the coast of Australia on December 6. However, the planned circumnavigation and mapping of the remote continent is a race against time, as his ship is deteriorating uncontrollably, and the French competition is hot on his heels. Against all reason, Flinders defies numerous dangers and, starting in 1802 after a tragic accident that claimed the lives of eight crew members, takes command of the HMS Investigator, which he tirelessly navigates from the crow's nest, making countless measurements and working on the legendary maps that would etch his name into the history books. Due to numerous leaks in his ship and the illnesses suffered by his men, Flinders was unable to survey the north and west coasts of Australia as hoped. Nevertheless, he was the first to successfully circumnavigate Australia.