Hawke's Bay 2013

We arrived at our vegetarian B&B in Napier.  Napier is one of our very favorite cities (and cities aren’t usually our favorites).   If you like art deco architecture, as we do, Napier is a must see city.  Napier was almost entirely destroyed by a 1931 earthquake.  By 1933, the city had been rebuilt, making it the newest and most modern city at that time.  Napier calls itself the Art Deco Capital of the World, and with 140 art deco buildings it may just be.  We didn’t post many pictures of Napier as there are quite a few in our 2011 Hawke’s Bay posting on this blog.

View Toward Cape Kidnappers From Bluff View Park

Biking Along Marine Parade

Bagpipers along Marine Parade

Art Deco Fountain

 Cape Kidnappers Gannet Reserve was certainly one of the most exciting nature trips we have taken.  During the 4 hour tour, we were riding behind one of three tractors pulling benched trailers of 35 people each,.  Our driver stopped the tractor every few minutes to tell us interesting information about the geology of the cliff face that we were passing.  The tour must go at low tide, so that they can drive along the beach under the cliffs.  They leave 2 hours before low tide.  When you get to the end of the tractor ride, you must hike up a very steep hill – it takes about 20 minutes to get to the top.  But it is well worth it when you come upon the squawking, beak tapping, and flying about gannet colony.  There are about 4000 gannets tending their nests of one chick each.  There are 3 other colonies within sight from this spot, all with similar numbers of gannets.  Being a couple meters away was an amazing feeling.  They didn’t seemed to be bothered at all by all the humans watching them and snapping lots of pictures. 

Tractor Transportation to Gannet Reserve

Fault Line with Drop of 11 Meters

Greeting Pair of Australasian Gannets

Overlooking the Plateau Gannet Colony

           

Mother Gannet with Chick

B Watching the Gannets at Block Reef Colony