The Cape Kidnappers coast faces the waves of the mighty Pacific Ocean rolling into the Hawkes Bay, on the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand. This coastline juts out into the sea and the gorgeous crystal blue ocean creates waves as it crashes up on the beach. The coast here has cliffs almost right up to the beach and the only access to this part of the coastline is via a tractor drawn trailer (a great vacation tour!!). This very edge of the coast is actually the end of an eight kilometre peninsula that sticks right out in the Pacific Ocean.
The Cape here has a rather odd name and it has its own piece of history to tell. It is named Cape Kidnappers because the local Maori people once tried to kidnap a crew member from Captain James Cooks' ship the 'Endeavour' in 1769. ... continue below the picture...
... The Maori people are indigenous people to New Zealand and when Captain James Cook and his men came to explore in 1769 they brought disease and weapons that they had never seen before, and they didn't like it. This was a time when European explorers thought they could claim whatever land they found as their own. So the Maori people tried to enact some revenge and attempted to kidnap one of Cooks' crew, but they were unsuccessful. This Cape however, still bears the name of their attempt.
Cape Kidnappers Coastline seen from the Australasian Gannet Colony, Hawkes Bay, East Coast, North Island, New Zealand.
Technical Information:
I photographed this photo with the digital SLR camera model Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II, aperture of f/5.6, exposure time of 1/320 sec. on ISO 100, as always I used a original Canon Lens, the focus lenght for this picture was 130mm.