Captured By Kidnappers

Kylie Hall Is Aflutter With The Bird Life At Cape Kidnappers

Turns out it was a good idea to get a lift to the famous gannet colonies at Cape Kidnappers.

But luckily for the stragglers floundering and stumbling along the coastline, our tractor-driving guide Colin Lindsay is a softie.

“Would you like a lift?” he calls out to a weary traveller.

“They don’t realise that they’re nearly taking on a half-marathon if they choose to walk the journey,” he explains. I’m in Hawke’s Bay and have taken a 25-minute drive southeast of Napier, past sparkling waterfronts and beachy baches, to catch a ride with Gannet Beach Adventures.

I’m not a major bird lover, but I’ve heard great things about the trip to the gannets on Colin’s tractor-trailer. And, indeed, it’s a bumpy but comfortable ride as we amble along the expansive beach.