WARNING: The normal route to reach the cache is affected by tides. Please first check out the time of low tide on the day of your trip at THIS SITE and make sure your trip can be completed 2-3 hours either side of low tide.
Cape Kidnappers is most famous for it's gannet colony, the largest mainland gannet colony in the world. The formations of the rocks and cliffs on the way are also a geologists dream due to tectonic and seismic activity. To top it all, the beaches and views are simply stunning.
The gannets are migratory birds, arriving at Cape Kidnappers each year around September/October. Chicks start to hatch around December/January and then once fledged, like many kiwi's they clear off to Australia! By Mid March/April all the birds have gone. However, the views, cliffs and their geological features remain there all your round! Not far away is also one of the worlds finest golf courses but it will probably remain out of view during your trip.
Even if you visit the area outside the "Gannet Season", you will still be rewarded by its natural beauty.
Getting There
The adventurists way to get to the cape involves a trip of about 8 km (16 km return) along the beach, starting near the excellent cafe at Clifton. Heading in a southerly direction, a brisk walk will get you there after around 1-2 hours depending on your fitness. You could even cycle along the beach as the sand tends to be quite firm but you'll perhaps need to carry your bike in a couple of places. Or, why not chat to a local at the holiday/beach camp and see if you can hitch a ride on a quad bike - my favourite method. There's also a commercial operator who will transport you there for the price of a bit more than GC.com premium membership!
The walk may involve a few places where you may need to paddle or wade through the odd rock pool but keep going until you see the pathway leading to the DOC shelter. At the base of the climb DOC provide a nice little picnic area complete with toilets. A well used track, steep in places, then ensures a generally uphill walk of about 1km which takes you through farmland, and maybe stock, leading to the 'plateau' gannet area. Here you can also see views of the 'black reef', 'whalebone reef' and 'saddle' areas as well as outstanding views of the coastline.
The Cache
You do not need to go near the cliff edge or the other side of the fence to find this cache. There are not many obvious hiding places at GZ but due to the high muggle zone, a natural feature provides a well guarded spot. Although not essential, you might find that a pair of gloves for the retrieve will be 'handy'. A little natural camo will also be appreciated for the re-hide.