I can’t decide if I love Napier more than Dunedin, they are both wonderful places, and decidedly different from each other. Unfortunately due to the extreme tides at the port following Napier, our visit was limited to 5 1/2 hours, the length of our Gannet tour, and left no time to explore this interesting town built with Art Deco architecture.
But the tour to see the largest coastal Gannet colony in the world was worth every minute. We took small 4 wheel drive busses out to Cape Kidnapper, an hour and a half from the docks, and watched these magnificent birds fly and feed their young from two different sites. They are wonderful to watch, and we were able to walk among them. I wish we could stay a week in Napier, there is so much to see and do.
On the drive back to the ship we were stopped by sheep being herded by a shepherd and his dogs. It is a beautiful sight touring along the coastal bluffs covered in green grass, with steep canyons and drainage’s to the sea, hawks flying overhead with cattle and sheep grazing in the pastures. Yes, I’m in love with Napier too. I really need to visit New Zealand again and stay longer next time.
Gail Niebrugge, landscape artist
