Napier & Cape Kidnappers Gannet Colony

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February 12th 2009

Published: February 20th 2009

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Tracy Tbird Bignose Rob

Cape Kidnappers

Gannetts greeting each other - they mate for life

14th January 2009 Cape Kidnappers

Rob has had a bad back for the last week and had to see an osteopath, but I had really wanted to see the gannet colony at Cape Kidnappers, so we agreed I should go alone, while Rob rested at the house. We checked the tides and then Rob drove me down to Cooks Beach where the walk starts from.

I set off at 12 noon and walked along the beach. It was a lovely day and the walk was fantastic, along cliff edged beaches. It was 10kms to the first of the gannets on the beach and I was wishing Rob was with me - the birds were so close on the rocks and had huge fluffy chicks with them, which looked so comical - Rob would have loved it.

Further along I had to walk up a pathway which rose steeply up to the main gannet colony. I was the only person there. I could smell the birds before I saw them. I have quite an iron-cast stomach, but even I felt like gagging! It STANK! After a moment or two you kind of get used to it, and watching the

Cape Kidnappers

The walk along the beach to the gannett colony

birds certainly takes your mind off it - adults were feeding chicks, chicks were calling and crying. Adults were running the gauntlet when they landed - they would land in another bird's territory and have to run through the crowds whilst being pecked and pulled to bits, until they either reached their 'patch' or made it to the outer reaches of the colony. It was all fascinating to watch (if you didn't breathe too much! I sat watching, mesmerized, for ages, until other people started to arrive, then I set off.

The walk back along the beach was equally wonderful - gannets, terns and gulls flying overhead and not a soul around!

11th-15th January 2009 Napier

We had the biggest piece of luck. On a site at Wairoa we chatted briefly to a kiwi couple who asked where we were heading next. We said 'Napier' and couldn't believe it when they said that they had a house they rented to fruit pickers there which was empty at the moment and we were more than welcome to stay there for free. We couldn't believe they were offering it to us when we were just strangers, but it was

Cape Kidnappers

Gannetts and their chicks on the rocks on the beach

true! They gave us the address, telling us we would be near Mclaren Park where Rob wanted us to go to watch a football match. We were gobsmacked at their generosity.

When we got to Napier we easily found the house which was a little cracker - lovely and roomy, t.v., garden, close to own and the cricket ground - perfect! We had an amazing stay. Lovely as Erica is, it's always lovely to stay in a real bed. We visited the 'art-deco' town of Napier, which was lovely, had a game of crazy golf (which I won (2 all)!!!)

We went to watch the 5th ODI cricket match between NZ (Blackcaps) and the West Indies. I'm not the world's biggest cricket fan, but I loved every minute of it. It was a hot day, we had our little chairs nestled on the grassy bank overlooking the ground with our picnic and the odd glass of wine/beer - lovely! I did actually watch the cricket and enjoy it! The Windies batted first & Chris Gayle, who I quite like, scored 135. Unfortunately, towards the end of the Black Caps batting, it started to rain and the match was