Press Room
Article by award winning travel writer, Geraldine McManus
NZ Herald Newspaper, Travel pages
On the Edge of the World
ON THE EDGE OF THE WORLD (abridged)
Vast and seemingly endless the huge openness gives such an exhilarating feeling. In front are high cliffs, plunging downwards to the beach far below, beyond is the expanse of the Pacific Ocean stretching to the horizon and above spreads an infinite blue sky. I feel as though I am putting my toes over the edge of the world.
Summerlee Station is some 3000 acres, bounded on two sides by ocean. Gannet Safaris have for more than thirty years run an overland tour out to the gannet colony perched on the edge of the point of Cape Kidnappers. The drive to the gannets and back is 34 kilometres through beautiful farmland and forests accompanied by the backdrop of spectacular scenery.
Gannet Safaris also offer the chance to join a Helicopter safari. Tailored to the wishes of visitors one can be picked up from anywhere in the Bay and whisked through the skies above Cape Kidnappers then land and be taken by 4WD to view the gannet colony [or by wilderness safari to visit the Ocean Beach Wildlife Preserve].
The helicopter flew over the tree tops and landed in the field beside Gannet Safari’s barn-red woolshed office. Soaring upwards and flying over the Cape gave me a gannet’s eye view. There is a no-fly zone close to the colony protecting the birds. We landed on a promontory close to the road out to the point.
[Later] we enjoyed a walk along the flat ocean beach as the rollers of the Pacific rolled into shore and seabirds soared in the sky. No roads, no people, no houses. An unspoiled and isolated landscape.
Apart from the tamed farm landscape the Cape is as Captain Cook might have seen it. The astounding soaring cliffs, golden sand beaches and a coastline with odd crops of rocks nurturing a wonderful delicacy of paua and crayfish.
It seems a shame, now, that this outstandingly scenic place carries a name as bizarre and unrelated to its beauty as Cape Kidnappers. This is from the days when Captain Cook sailed nearby and that historic moment when one of his crew was nearly kidnapped.
Somehow the station names of Summerlee and Clifton are more fitting. Summerlee, could also be a quaint charming garden in far-off England, instead it’s a huge block of land dramatically edged by the ocean. The 3000 acres includes planted forest, pasture blocks and some original bush of manuka and kanuka. In sheltered valleys punga fern and taller rewarewa grace the scene.
For bird watchers there are plenty of rewards. Water holes graced with black swans and paradise ducks. Spur wing plovers and oyster catchers by the shore and overhead paragliding gulls soaring off the steep hills. Fleeting glimpses of twittering sky larks are high over the pastures. On the beach it’s possible to encounter seals [and Little Blue Penguins]. They are often sunning on the rocks or cooling off in small cave-like inlets. Unfortunately they must have been out at sea as I walked by.
It’s a special treat to be able to [visit] private station land that is being farmed. Satisfied and reinvigorated I stretched well before getting back into the vehicle.
“Look right look right,” our driver persisted as the vehicle emerged on to the hill top we were right at eye level with hundreds of gannets.
GANNETS
Location, location, location – the gannets couldn’t have chosen better.
Extraordinary high cliff tops on which to land, the best view in the world and plentiful fishing grounds. The gannets are territorial about their small nest area – each nest is pecking distance apart. Pairs mate for life mostly – working together on the nest building, fishing and eating, rearing the young and keeping them safe from predators.
The famous gannet colony is on Department of Conservation land. Over five acres was gifted to the nation in the 1920’s by the then owner of Clifton Station. It is the largest mainland gannet colony in the world.
Geraldine McManus was hosted by Gannet Safaris.