"Animals are just like people — if the environment is good, everyone (whales and dolphins) wants to live here. But if there's no fish (food), just pollution and garbage, they won't want to stay," Captain Zhijun said gently.
Captain Zhijun
Taking Guests on the Search for Whales Has Become a Way of Life
Ever since Captain Zhijun took over Xin Fufeng No. 36 from his father, taking guests out to find whales and dolphins has become an integral part of his life. So why not call it "chasing" or "pursuing" whales? The captain explains that he would never chase cetaceans. For one thing, no boat can possibly keep up with them — you'd only frighten them away. For another, any accident or misjudgment could end up injuring the animals. That's why he has a strict rule: Xin Fufeng No. 36 only searches for whales, never chases them. This "searching" approach is also one of the defining features of whale watching in Yilan. Unlike other whale-watching destinations, the fleet operating out of Guishan Island relies on dedicated scout vessels that track cetacean movements and relay their locations to the tour boats. Thanks to this system, sighting rates in Yilan reach nearly 80–90%.
Xin Fufeng No. 36
On the day we set out, the sea was rough. Spray kicked up by the bow splashed across the deck at regular intervals, drenching the guests standing at the front of the boat. Yet no one seemed worried — Captain Zhijun steers with such steady confidence, reading the ocean conditions as though they were second nature. He always gave advance warning of what was coming, helping everyone prepare mentally, and kept the mood light with entertaining commentary on the sights along the way: the Eight Wonders of Guishan Island, the Milk Lake, and more. The whole journey was filled with laughter.
For my part, what I treasured most was a quiet stretch of time I spent with Captain Zhijun inside the wheelhouse, watching the sea. While the other passengers had gone ashore to explore Guishan Island, I had stayed behind on the boat, holding out hope for a cetacean encounter. Like an eager child, I peppered him with questions: What dolphins can you see in the waters off Yilan? Do whale mothers bring their calves here? What's the most extraordinary thing he's ever witnessed on his searches? I still remember the way he smiled and told me that once or twice a year, out here off Yilan, he gets to see a sperm whale — and that he has even witnessed the rare spectacle of a cetacean giving birth, as well as the breathtaking sight of hundreds of bottlenose dolphins leaping and dancing across the water.
I listened, completely spellbound, as he recounted one story after another, until the other passengers returned from the island and our search could continue. Xin Fufeng No. 36 cut through the wind and waves, heading further out to sea. As the swells grew bigger, my anxiety about missing the dolphins began to build — until, suddenly, a cry rang out: "Dolphins! There are dolphins!" Captain Zhijun's voice came over the loudspeaker: "Congratulations, everyone! That seasickness was worth it — take a look! Dolphins off the starboard bow! And at the bow too!" Then from the crowd: "Port side! Port side, there are dolphins there too!"
What had seemed like an empty expanse of ocean just moments before was suddenly alive with fins and flashing bodies. Dolphins darted between the waves, racing and playing; others broke the surface and curved toward the boat; some wove back and forth right alongside us. In that instant, I felt an overwhelming sense of joy. To observe wild cetaceans up this close — to watch them leap and spin with such carefree abandon — was something truly special. And judging by the cries of delight echoing all around the boat, everyone else felt the same way: overjoyed and utterly amazed to have crossed paths with these ocean spirits out on the open sea.
Captain Zhijun's Concern
Even in the middle of all that joy, I thought back to something Captain Zhijun had said earlier, gazing out at the water. He had reflected that Taiwan is a genuine treasure — you don't have to go far offshore before you're watching whales, and the variety of species is remarkable. But what worries him is this: our thriving seafood culture has indirectly depleted the food supply for cetaceans, while steadily worsening marine pollution is eroding the appeal of these waters as a place to live. With food growing scarce and the living environment deteriorating, there is a real risk that whales and dolphins may simply choose not to linger here in the years to come.
When I got back and sorted through my photos, I lingered over one image in particular: a dolphin mother and father, their calf leaping into the air between them. I found myself hoping that more and more people will come to care deeply about marine conservation — so that these wonderful creatures can keep their home, so that dolphins and whales can live alongside us generation after generation, and so that our children and grandchildren will still have the privilege of encountering them up close. May every voyage into the blue always hold the promise of a "whale" of a time.
#海洋保育署
#友善鯨豚特派員
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