Whale-watching cruise spots 500 dolphins off Ulsan's Jangsaengpo for third time running

Visitors heading to the waters off Jangsaengpo in Ulsan this summer holiday season have a chance to encounter pods of common dolphins — creatures that have captivated human imagination from ancient Greek mythology to modern marine shows.

The Whale Sea Travel Ship, operated by the Ulsan Nam-gu Urban Management Corporation, spotted a pod of about 500 common dolphins Tuesday at 3:15 p.m., roughly 18 kilometers southeast of Jangsaengpo. The 144 passengers on board had 30 minutes to observe the dolphins swimming energetically through the water.

Tuesday's sighting was the third since the vessel began regular service on March 28. On Friday, about 200 dolphins were spotted at 3:20 p.m. some 17 kilometers southeast of Jangsaengpo, and on Saturday about 300 were observed at the same location at 3:05 p.m.

Common dolphins average 2.5 meters in length and 235 kilograms in weight, with dark brown or black backs and white undersides, and a lifespan of around 40 years. They inhabit subtropical and tropical waters and appear frequently off Korea's East Sea coast, particularly in summer. On July 30 last year, more than 1,000 were observed for 10 minutes in the waters off Jangsaengpo.

Nam-gu District introduced the Whale Sea Travel Ship in July 2009, drawing on Jangsaengpo's history as the country's foremost whaling base. The vessel was upgraded to cruise-class in April 2013 and has operated annually from late March through October ever since.

During the August holiday season, the ship runs two daily departures — at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday — on a three-hour route toward the Gangdong coastal area. On Friday and Saturday evenings, a 90-minute night coastal cruise toward Jinha departs between 6:40 p.m. and 8:10 p.m. The vessel has a passenger capacity of 320.

The Jangsaengpo Whale Culture Special Zone is home to a cluster of whale-themed attractions: a whale museum displaying actual whale skeletons and whaling artifacts; a whale ecology experience center housing the country's first dolphin aquarium; a whale culture village recreating the everyday lives of Jangsaengpo residents during the peak whaling era; and "The Wave," a monorail ride through a tunnel where three-dimensional visuals and surround sound immerse visitors in a deep-sea world of freely swimming whales.

"The recent heat wave has raised sea surface temperatures, drawing the prey dolphins favor toward the Jangsaengpo coast and increasing sightings," said Lee Chun-sil, chairperson of the Ulsan Nam-gu Urban Management Corporation. "We hope visitors will take advantage of the summer vacation and holiday season to enjoy the unique cultural experiences that only Jangsaengpo's Whale Culture Special Zone can offer."