On the fifth day of our trip to the east of Hokkaido, the weather cleared up, and today we joined a brown bear watching trip on a small boat operated by Hideto Maru.
This is a photography tour that takes a course that goes around to the Shiretoko cape side, deeper than the boat I joined the other day.
I was equipped with a Nikkor z 800 and a Nikon Z9.
I had already calculated the distance and was nervous about whether I would be able to capture it well in the viewfinder.
Unlike the early morning cruise the other day, this is a sunny morning cruise (departing around 9:00). Dramatic shots are difficult to obtain, but with sufficient light, dynamic shots can be expected.
The boat stopped after about 15 minutes of sailing, and the “it” walking slowly on the rocky shore on the left came into clear view.
It is amazing to see this power from an estimated 70 meters away (cropped a bit). The power and tension that can be felt even from this distance is breathtaking. The claws are so sharp. It is frightening to imagine the damage that could be done by such a thing.
Although they can be cute from a distance, their tusks, visible from time to time, remind us once again that they are an animal that should not be encountered in the forest.
The boat again went a little further and approached the mouth of the river. The location is around here (I think).
Is there a brown bear or a salmon staring into the river?
A brown bear suddenly turns his gaze toward the mouth of the river.
He put his face in the water… but he didn’t seem to catch it.
That huge frame runs at a great speed.
If you see the splashing water, you can feel the power.
In the end, it seems that they did not catch any salmon. It is not hard to see that he looks a little disappointed.
It is quite scary and I don’t want you to look at me. A bear staring at me is scarier than I thought. I really am.
Hungry or not, the brown bear is now moving out to sea in search of prey again.
The way they dip their faces in seawater to look for salmon. Doesn’t seawater stain your eyes?
Please don’t check our location regularly.
I was reminded once again of the strength of the brown bear as it moves effortlessly through the ocean at a faster speed than I had expected.
The hull of the ship is slightly reflected in the photo, and the left edge is white…otherwise, I think this would have been the best shot.
By the way, I didn’t know you could swim that deep.
It is so powerful even from the boat. I still want to go back to see the brown bear as many times as I can.
Unfortunately, when we reached the tip of Cape Shiretoko, the waves were higher.
The ship moved so much with each wave that there were moments when my body was almost in the air, except for one hand that was held by the safety bar, even though I was on the bow.
Therefore, the captain decided to turn the ship toward port for safety.
This is definitely going to be a repeat customer and I can foresee me pouring money into it every fall.
Hidetomaru’s page is not https-compatible, but you can still apply without any problem.
(The reservation page that can be accessed from within the site is secure.)
Payment is accepted in cash only.
Also, since this is the edge of the land, there are no restrooms nearby. (There is a simple restroom at the port and a public restroom at Seseki Onsen, a short drive away, but if you want a clean restroom, visit the roadside station in Rausu.)
