I'm in Hokkaido, leading a private Hokkaido Photography Workshop. This morning we photographed the Steller’s sea eagles. The pack ice on the north coast to the east coast of Hokkaido is a highlight, setting the stage for Steller’s Sea Eagles as they hunt. The weather here is wild and unpredictable—I've faced snowstorms, blizzards, thundersnow, and arctic bomb cyclones. Safety remains my top priority. There’s nothing quite like experiencing these powerful natural elements firsthand, but it’s also a reminder of why you want to travel with someone who knows the land and the weather intimately. I’ve spent years building relationships with local fishermen, seaweed harvesters, and boat captains in Rausu. Over countless gatherings and cups of tea, we've heard all sorts of theories from visiting photographers about the fate of the pack ice—my favorite is when someone insists, “The pack ice is gone!” It always makes us locals smile and laugh a little to know the real story behind these extraordinary conditions. 

During winter storms in Hokkaido, most pack ice on the Pacific Coast doesn’t disappear—it sinks below the waves, resurfacing days after storms pass. I never take risks with my groups. Before heading out after a storm, I always check with local captains and review the latest satellite images and coast guard updates to ensure the ice is safe. I’ve seen boats venture out too soon, pressured by clients eager for photos—some get stuck for days, waiting for an icebreaker. In over twenty years of leading tours, I’ve called off expeditions twice for safety, and each time it was the right decision. Steller’s Sea Eagles are worth waiting for, but no photo is worth risking anyone’s safety. Nothing compares to seeing a Steller's Sea Eagle on pack ice. During my annual Hokkaido photo workshops, I book three mornings on a chartered vessel to photograph raptors. In two decades of leading birding photo tours here, we’ve only completed all three mornings a couple of times. We typically make two cruises to spot and photograph the magnificent Steller’s sea eagle—glacial relics from several ice ages. Somehow, they seem immune to time. These rare, formidable predators have existed since the days of dinosaurs, representing near evolutionary perfection. Their deep, piercing call—ra-ra-ra-raurau—awakens echoes of their dinosaur legacy for those lucky enough to hear them in the wild.