Cruise to the end of the earth: Shiretoko

It’s a crystal clear day. The sun is high, the water is like glass and the green foliage is visible for miles. Perfect conditions for a summer cruise of Shiretoko’s raw, rugged coastline.

Despite its status as a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, many people have never heard of this place, even Japanese nationals.

Located in Japan’s northern island, Hokkaido, Shiretoko Peninsula is home to a dense brown bear population, the rarest owl in the world and more.

Shiretoko translates to “end of the earth” in Ainu, the language of the Indigenous people of Hokkaido (the island of Hokkaido was colonised by the Japanese of the south), some of whom still reside in the area.

Boat cruises like ours offer a unique means of seeing the untouched nature of this area. A variety of options are available from both the eastern village, Utoro, and western village, Rausu, depending on how far you want to go, what animals you want to see, and how close you want to get.

Our boat, the FOX, leaves from Utoro and heads all the way to the famous Cape Shiretoko.

The sound of the motor revving into action.

Kentaro, our captain, has been navigating the waters of Shiretoko since he was young, taking over the business from his father.

Like many boat captains in the area, his experience is a match for the unpredictable weather and current patterns, and enables him to continue cruises in the still chilly seasons of spring and autumn.

It’s these very patterns and seasons that have made my job working on Kentaro’s boat one of the most diverse and exciting experiences of my life; and make a cruise in almost any condition well worth the 10,000 yen (about $104 AUD at the time of writing).

One minute we’re listening to Ainu names of rock formations and stunning waterfalls blaring from the guide’s handheld speaker, and the next we’re watching a brown bear charge through the river after salmon.

Some days we see foxes, deer, eagles. On a day like today, the boats can get especially close.

Rusha Bay is renowned for its high brown bear sighting rate. It is also a haven for local fishermen who have sustainably fished salmon here for millennia.

While in other areas of Japan, strict separation between human and bear habitats is necessary for safety reasons, the small number of people permitted access to Rusha means that an unusual co-existence between fishermen and bears has been allowed to continue here.

Instead of shooting bears which approach the fishing station, fisherman call out a warning, and the bears have learned to back off. In exchange for respecting their space, the bears can use the surrounding area to feed in peace.

People and bears fishing side by side is a common sight here. As of today, there has never been a bear attack recorded in the bay.

As we approach the Cape, the wind hits its peak and huge, choppy waves batter the boat. This is the part where, on stormier days, seasick-prone folks regret not purchasing the sealegs offered at reception.

For the adventurous, like me, it turns into an adrenaline-filled rollercoaster ride, testing my balancing abilities to the max.

Japan is famous for its four seasons, and Shiretoko is no exception; fresh, bright green greets the eye in spring, while summer sports a deeper, rich green.

Autumn is not to be missed for landscape lovers, as the light fades earlier and the orange and yellow foliage spring to life under the setting sun, while the snow-capped Shiretoko Mountain Range rises in the distance.

Finally, winter in Shiretoko is unlike to anywhere in the country, being the southernmost place in the world to experience sea ice.

Special boats are needed in this season to slice through the ice, and some of the world’s biggest eagles – Okhotsk eagles – migrate from Russia during this time.

Viewing them feeding on seal carcasses on the ice is said to be a spectacular sight, though one I’ve yet to witness myself.

As Kentaro steers the boat around and we blast back towards port, the guide and I have our eyes peeled and binoculars scanning. Will today be our lucky day?

The minutes tick by in high tension. I wasn’t giving up.

Just then the guide taps me on the shoulder and points. “That might be … ?”

I look and spot that unmistakable pout of water springing up into the air. We give Kentaro the sign and the boat speeds up.

Nothing is quite like seeing marine mammals up close. While Rausu is more famous for them, Utoro is also getting its fair share of late. A wide range of species including orcas, Bryde’s whale, sperm whale and more can be seen across a range of seasons.

We give them space, but orcas in particular can be curious.

A huge shape moves in the corner of my eye, and a rush moves through my body as an orca looks right up and into my soul. Just like that and the moment is over, the orca rising to the surface for breath mere metres away.

The guide is beaming through her speaker and we exchange looks. This never gets old.

The orcas move on, but the memory of them lingers aboard, warming us as we pull our jackets on against the wind and spray, and gaze at the horizon as it reunites with the day.