Cape Kidnappers is a headland at the south-eastern extremity
of Hawke Bay on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island and sits at the
end of an 8 km peninsula which protrudes into the Pacific Ocean.
The headland was named after an attempt by local Māori to
abduct the servant of a member of Captain Cook's crew aboard HMS Endeavour,
during a landfall there on 15 October 1769. The crew member was Tiata, a
Tahitian accompanying Cook's interpreter Tupaia.
Cook's journal states that Tiata was in the water near
Endeavour when a Māori fishing boat pulled alongside and dragged him aboard.
Sailors from Endeavour′s deck immediately opened fire on the fishing boat,
killing two Māori and wounding a third. Tiata promptly jumped overboard and
swam back to Endeavour, while the remaining Māori paddled their craft back to
shore.
Cook described the Cape as having steep white cliffs on
either side, with two large rocks resembling hay stacks near the headland. As the picture shows, these have since eroded
to needles.
The Cape is a breeding site for over 3000 pairs of
Australasian Gannets and to view the birds, tractors ferry tourists along the
7km of beach at low tide. The departure
point is from Clifton which is 10 km south-east of Clive. It is a bumpy ride across the beach and
rocks, and the fare-saving option is to leave early and take the 6 hour walk
there and back.
