Cape Kidnappers
You can never get enough photos of this beautiful spot in Hawkes Bay.
These birds are so marvelous they almost look artificial.
They nest here in the thousands and it is amazing how close you can get to them, if you reach out you can almost touch them. They are noisy and they are very smelly.
After about a half hour hike up a steep hill you are rewarded by a strong smell of ammonia, but believe me when I say it's worth the climb and the smell:-))
In the pictures you can see chicks and adult birds. There are about three or
four colonies in the area and you get a good view of all of them.
Not only do you see these magnificent birds but also the cliffs along the
shore line are fascinating, most were raised out of the ground due to
seismic activity and in several places you can clearly see the fault line!!
Also, some of the rocks in the area got there from lake Taupo, which is a
good two hours drive away.
Lake
Taupo was a volcano that erupted years ago and threw rocks and lava as far
as Hawkes Bay.
If you visit Hawkes Bay, you must go to Cape Kidnappers!!
How to get there
Ask anyone about Cape Kidnappers and they will direct you there!! There are
several ways of visiting the cape:
1- Walk: I think it is about a two hour walk one way, you have to
watch the tide times though, otherwise it is easy to get stranded.
2- Tours: There are several tours you can take, they are reasonably
priced ranging from NZ$20-40.
The unimog is a big Mercedes Benz 4 wheel drive truck that will take
you along the beach to the Gannet colonies.
The Tractor &Trailor is just as it's name suggests, a tractor tows
you on a trailer along the beach.
Bus tours on private property are the lazy persons transport where
the bus will take you from the road to the gannets direct without going
anywhere near the beach.
4 wheel drive motor cycles which are fun and you get to drive
yourself, these are slightly more expensive though, about NZ$90/person on a
bike or NZ$120/2 people on a bike!!
WARNING
Different people react differently to different mushrooms.
NEVER eat a wild mushroom without being 100% sure it is safe to do so.
Best Gourmet Mushrooms in New Zealand
Best Gourmet Mushrooms in New Zealand
Best Gourmet Mushrooms in New Zealand
Last Update
18 Feb 2007