We reached Hawkes Bay, and drove to the headland beyond Napier. When Cook was moored here, Maori traders noticed two Tahitian interpreters onboard, and believing them held against their will, ‘rescued one’ who promptly returned to the ship, and Cook then named the point Cape Kidnappers. We took a tractor ride down the beach with Gannet Beach Adventures, which was great fun and saved a long walk.
The cliffs show signs of all the geological activity with bands of different rocks, at different angles and with two very noticeable faults.
The Cape is home to a huge colony of gannets who nest here each year and we climbed up from the beach to the cliff top plateau to see them. The birds are black and naked when born, then grow snowy down which later is replaced with grey speckled feathers which they keep until their striking adult plumage with a gold coloured head and black trimmed wings and tail. They mate for life, living to around 25 and as one sits on the nest, the other goes for food, with a touching reunion ceremony each time they return. At four months old, they make a once in a lifetime flight 3000km to Australia, where they stay for a couple of years before returning to mate, however only 25% complete this feat safely.
Hawke’s Bay is also renowned for its wine, and as we drove back we passed Clearview Winery where we picked up a bottle of Cape Kidnappers Merlot to try.
We spent the night at the Clifton Road Reserve, right beside the sea, listening to the huge waves breaking on the shingle beach.
The sunrise was stunning, and motivated I had a birthday paddle … with all the foam it was like paddling in champagne!
Off Travelling Together 