Today we visited the town of Napier, our final stop on the North Island of New Zealand. It was the site of an earthquake that leveled the town. When they rebuilt, they decided to rebuild all the structures in an Art Deco style. It makes for beautiful architecture. As a result, one of our activities was a tour of the city with an emphasis on the Art Deco style and the history of the makeover. I chose the alternate program and headed to the headlands of Kidnappers Bay to visit a gannet colony. Bird colonies are unique places with not only hundreds of birds at the nesting sites but also a swirl of birds overhead as they continually come and go from nests. These colonies are magical places where we can behold a celebration of life. Check out our photos to see just a few images of our time at the colony.
12/21/2024
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National Geographic Orion
Great Barrier Island, New Zealand
Due North of Auckland, New Zealand lies a secluded archipelago known as the Bay of Islands. National Geographic Orion motored within this paradisical labyrinth to reach Great Barrier Island. A dedicated group of conservationists have been fighting a winning battle against invasive mammals for the last several decades. Today, our National Geographic-Lindblad explorers were the beneficiaries of this inspirational project. Awaiting our arrival on the docks was the highly endangered New Zealand brown teal. As if to thank the conservationists for his survival, the precious feathered wonder posed for photographs in the morning sun. As we meandered through floral gardens, we were serenaded by the New Zealand tui as they hopped from branch to branch in search of juicy nectar. After reaching the island’s summit, we were greeted by a Maori conservationist who explained the importance of the forest to his people. We eased our way through a canopy of ancient tree ferns to the prize of the forest, a giant kauri tree. It stood defiantly among the ferns as a testament to the island’s ecological recovery. A swaying canopy bridge allowed each participant to walk within touching distance of this marvel of the New Zealand forest.
