1
00:00:06,049 --> 00:00:09,469
(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
2
00:00:17,351 --> 00:00:19,353
DAVE: Divers in the water.
Divers in the water.
3
00:00:20,688 --> 00:00:24,400
Well, this is the danger zone.
This is where the predators lie.
4
00:00:26,611 --> 00:00:28,362
Leopard Seal! Leopard Seal!
5
00:00:30,782 --> 00:00:33,659
Stop it. No. No biting.
6
00:00:35,244 --> 00:00:36,287
No.
7
00:00:37,038 --> 00:00:38,915
Now we’ve just got to watch it here.
8
00:00:40,416 --> 00:00:42,543
Uh-oh. (BLEEP)
9
00:00:44,420 --> 00:00:46,255
-(THEME MUSIC BEGINS)
-Ooh!
10
00:00:48,591 --> 00:00:49,467
You ready?
11
00:00:49,550 --> 00:00:50,510
BERTIE: I'm Bertie.
12
00:00:51,219 --> 00:00:53,221
Filming animals is my job.
13
00:00:53,346 --> 00:00:54,722
That is not a chase you see every day.
14
00:00:55,139 --> 00:00:57,433
BERTIE: And I take it really seriously!
15
00:00:57,725 --> 00:00:59,018
Look, I'm trying to film penguins.
16
00:00:59,185 --> 00:01:01,062
-(ROARS)
-Oh, and I've missed it.
17
00:01:03,064 --> 00:01:04,565
Well, that was quite close.
18
00:01:05,775 --> 00:01:09,904
BERTIE: I want to tell wildlife stories
in a rapidly changing world.
19
00:01:10,571 --> 00:01:13,157
That sounded like a big crack!
20
00:01:13,741 --> 00:01:14,575
(GASPS)
21
00:01:16,202 --> 00:01:18,204
BERTIE: These are my adventures.
22
00:01:19,330 --> 00:01:21,165
(THEME MUSIC ENDS)
23
00:01:24,418 --> 00:01:27,213
BERTIE: Nine thousand miles
from my home in England
24
00:01:27,296 --> 00:01:29,715
is the coldest continent on Earth.
25
00:01:36,639 --> 00:01:38,182
We’ve made it to Antarctica!
26
00:01:39,016 --> 00:01:43,271
Look at that big wall of icy mountains
at the end of the world.
27
00:01:44,856 --> 00:01:46,274
Oh, my word!
28
00:01:50,444 --> 00:01:54,907
BERTIE: These freezing waters are home
to a variety of extraordinary animals,
29
00:01:57,827 --> 00:02:00,997
and I'm here to film one
of the biggest who have ever lived
30
00:02:01,122 --> 00:02:02,123
on our planet...
31
00:02:04,834 --> 00:02:06,544
the mighty Fin Whale.
32
00:02:07,378 --> 00:02:12,800
Twice as long as a Greyhound bus,
as heavy as a fully-loaded airliner,
33
00:02:13,217 --> 00:02:16,262
they range thousands of miles
across the world’s oceans.
34
00:02:18,681 --> 00:02:23,352
Hunted to the very edge of extinction
over decades of commercial whaling,
35
00:02:23,603 --> 00:02:26,230
they are still listed
as a vulnerable species.
36
00:02:27,899 --> 00:02:31,277
But in the last few years,
scientists have reported seeing
37
00:02:31,402 --> 00:02:35,865
huge gatherings of Fin Whales off
a remote island in Antarctica,
38
00:02:36,574 --> 00:02:39,785
and I want to film
the largest gathering in history,
39
00:02:40,077 --> 00:02:42,330
above and below the waterline.
40
00:02:44,081 --> 00:02:47,752
And we’re sure to see some other
epic animals on our journey.
41
00:02:49,253 --> 00:02:53,466
Antarctica is a monumental challenge
to film in at the best of times,
42
00:02:53,674 --> 00:02:55,718
freezing cold water, howling winds.
43
00:02:55,968 --> 00:02:58,596
But the whale gathering
we're going for doesn’t happen
44
00:02:58,804 --> 00:03:01,390
in a nice little sheltered bay
in the lee of a mountain.
45
00:03:01,515 --> 00:03:04,227
It happens out in the roughest bit
of ocean on the planet.
46
00:03:06,187 --> 00:03:07,855
BERTIE: There is no shelter
in the Southern Ocean,
47
00:03:08,397 --> 00:03:11,067
where winds can hit 70 miles per hour,
48
00:03:12,276 --> 00:03:14,862
whipping up waves over 70 feet high.
49
00:03:16,572 --> 00:03:19,242
And with sea temperatures
just above freezing,
50
00:03:19,575 --> 00:03:22,787
human survival in the water
would be measured in minutes.
51
00:03:25,248 --> 00:03:26,582
And there’s another catch.
52
00:03:26,999 --> 00:03:29,877
The Antarctic winter
is just around the corner,
53
00:03:30,586 --> 00:03:35,925
so every day that we stay here
it will get colder, darker, stormier...
54
00:03:37,009 --> 00:03:38,469
and more dangerous.
55
00:03:40,471 --> 00:03:44,600
Our skipper wants us out of here
in 28 days, not a day longer.
56
00:03:47,228 --> 00:03:48,562
The clock is ticking.
57
00:03:52,358 --> 00:03:55,236
The key to our success lies
in the food supply.
58
00:03:55,778 --> 00:03:58,823
The ocean is vast,
but if we can find their food
59
00:03:58,990 --> 00:04:00,616
we should find the whales.
60
00:04:02,410 --> 00:04:05,204
And penguins are our first major clue.
61
00:04:06,414 --> 00:04:07,748
They eat the same food.
62
00:04:11,294 --> 00:04:13,838
There’s nothing quite like arriving
at a penguin colony.
63
00:04:14,380 --> 00:04:17,049
It is a complete assault on the senses.
64
00:04:17,300 --> 00:04:22,054
It’s noisy, it’s really smelly...
and there’s just so much going on.
65
00:04:22,305 --> 00:04:24,015
(PENGUINS SQUAWKING)
66
00:04:24,223 --> 00:04:25,683
(IMITATING PENGUIN)
67
00:04:30,104 --> 00:04:33,482
These penguins love rocks,
they love rocks!
68
00:04:33,649 --> 00:04:37,778
Antarctica is so icy that these penguins
need bare rock to nest on.
69
00:04:38,237 --> 00:04:40,323
And they use the rocks
to build their nests,
70
00:04:40,448 --> 00:04:43,784
so you can see there's a couple here
just running around...
71
00:04:45,202 --> 00:04:47,288
then running back to their nests
with rocks.
72
00:04:50,833 --> 00:04:53,502
Here he comes, this g... this one's
going to grab a rock just here....
73
00:04:58,591 --> 00:05:00,092
There we go, there’s a nice one.
74
00:05:01,510 --> 00:05:02,678
Back to its nest.
75
00:05:04,388 --> 00:05:06,974
While our goal is to go
for a big whale aggregation,
76
00:05:07,183 --> 00:05:10,061
all the animals here,
these Chinstrap Penguins,
77
00:05:10,227 --> 00:05:12,104
the Antarctic Fur Seals
that are running around
78
00:05:12,188 --> 00:05:13,189
in this colony as well,
79
00:05:13,397 --> 00:05:17,151
everything is going to be out
in the sea hunting together.
80
00:05:20,488 --> 00:05:23,783
BERTIE: Antarctica may be the best place
to film giant animals,
81
00:05:24,283 --> 00:05:27,119
but you can’t just rock up
with your camera and press record.
82
00:05:27,703 --> 00:05:29,663
You have to pay the price of admission.
83
00:05:31,582 --> 00:05:34,460
And that means crossing one
of the deadliest stretches
84
00:05:34,585 --> 00:05:37,838
of water on Earth,
between South America and Antarctica,
85
00:05:39,090 --> 00:05:40,466
the Drake Passage.
86
00:05:47,139 --> 00:05:50,768
It’s a 500-mile stretch of violent
and unpredictable ocean,
87
00:05:51,435 --> 00:05:54,522
and countless ships much bigger
than ours have been lost
88
00:05:54,647 --> 00:05:56,232
without trace in these waters.
89
00:06:02,655 --> 00:06:05,574
For our skipper Ben Wallis,
even the simplest jobs
90
00:06:05,783 --> 00:06:07,034
become life-threatening.
91
00:06:07,827 --> 00:06:09,870
Ben needed to change a lightbulb
in the mast.
92
00:06:11,163 --> 00:06:13,082
The worst part about all of this
is that a
93
00:06:13,499 --> 00:06:15,626
a big roll down
at boat level
94
00:06:16,794 --> 00:06:20,214
is an even bigger roll
at the top of the mast!
95
00:06:23,384 --> 00:06:26,470
In waves like these,
with the sea temperature only
96
00:06:26,595 --> 00:06:29,390
just above freezing,
anyone who falls overboard
97
00:06:29,723 --> 00:06:30,850
is just not gonna survive.
98
00:06:30,933 --> 00:06:32,810
There is not enough time for us
to turn the boat around
99
00:06:32,935 --> 00:06:34,395
and go back and find them
100
00:06:34,895 --> 00:06:37,857
Hey! (CHUCKLES)
101
00:06:39,692 --> 00:06:41,402
-All good?
-Like brand new.
102
00:06:48,409 --> 00:06:51,287
We’re a few days into the crossing now
and I’m feeling
103
00:06:51,912 --> 00:06:52,872
pretty rough.
104
00:06:53,247 --> 00:06:57,293
But I thought this would be a good time
to give you a little boat tour, so...
105
00:06:59,837 --> 00:07:00,921
Right, let’s go in here.
106
00:07:01,630 --> 00:07:03,424
Here’s one of the boys’ rooms.
107
00:07:04,133 --> 00:07:05,384
You all right, lads?
108
00:07:05,885 --> 00:07:08,888
Right, in here we’ve got Tash,
who, uh,
109
00:07:09,472 --> 00:07:10,973
is... has a very important job.
110
00:07:11,056 --> 00:07:13,350
She’s in charge of all the...
all the footage.
111
00:07:13,476 --> 00:07:15,352
-Download going all right?
-Yeah. Going great.
112
00:07:15,686 --> 00:07:19,773
Now got to be gentle around this corner
because Will is feeling
113
00:07:19,899 --> 00:07:22,401
a little worse-for-wear.
How you doing, man?
114
00:07:22,693 --> 00:07:25,488
Nope, not... not good.
Okay, we’ll leave him to it.
115
00:07:25,738 --> 00:07:28,115
And, ooh...
We got... we got some movement!
116
00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:30,701
(BERTIE LAUGHS)
117
00:07:30,993 --> 00:07:32,703
-(RETCHES)
-Oh. (CHUCKLES)
118
00:07:33,954 --> 00:07:35,164
Oh dear.
119
00:07:39,502 --> 00:07:43,631
BERTIE: After four days at sea,
we get our first glimpse of Antarctica,
120
00:07:44,131 --> 00:07:45,090
Elephant Island.
121
00:07:48,344 --> 00:07:51,847
And we’re rewarded with a sign
that we’ve come to the right place.
122
00:07:53,098 --> 00:07:54,308
Whoa!
123
00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:56,977
That... giant
124
00:07:57,603 --> 00:08:00,189
is a Fin Whale,
that’s our first Fin Whale.
125
00:08:00,981 --> 00:08:03,192
And for an animal
that's absolutely massive,
126
00:08:03,442 --> 00:08:06,153
it doesn’t show much of its body
from the surface,
127
00:08:06,362 --> 00:08:08,280
so I’m going to chuck the drone up
to get a better look.
128
00:08:08,989 --> 00:08:09,865
Nice one.
129
00:08:14,036 --> 00:08:17,456
Well, this beauty is a Southern Fin Whale.
130
00:08:17,915 --> 00:08:21,377
And these 80-foot giants
can live 90 years.
131
00:08:21,919 --> 00:08:23,879
They are massive.
132
00:08:24,129 --> 00:08:28,676
A big female can be more than 80 tons,
that’s about 16 African Elephants.
133
00:08:29,343 --> 00:08:31,845
And they can be fast. I mean,
these Fin Whales are shaped
134
00:08:32,263 --> 00:08:34,348
like a torpedo,
so they're super streamlined.
135
00:08:34,473 --> 00:08:37,518
They can clock speeds of up
to 25 miles an hour.
136
00:08:40,980 --> 00:08:44,316
These whales in Antarctica have
a lovely yellowy-orange hue,
137
00:08:44,441 --> 00:08:48,070
it makes them look a bit dirty.
And those are diatoms.
138
00:08:48,195 --> 00:08:51,448
They're little microscopic organisms
that grow on the skin of the whale.
139
00:08:56,161 --> 00:08:59,039
BERTIE: In one of man’s greatest crimes
against nature,
140
00:08:59,373 --> 00:09:03,377
three quarters of a million Fin Whales
were killed before commercial whaling
141
00:09:03,627 --> 00:09:05,629
was banned in 1986.
142
00:09:08,340 --> 00:09:11,802
From the brink of extinction,
their numbers seem to be recovering,
143
00:09:12,386 --> 00:09:14,221
and that’s why we’re here now.
144
00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:20,436
Our first job is to find a safe place
to anchor,
145
00:09:20,811 --> 00:09:22,271
which is easier said than done.
146
00:09:22,855 --> 00:09:26,650
Elephant Island is completely exposed
to the furious storms
147
00:09:26,775 --> 00:09:28,027
of the Southern Ocean.
148
00:09:29,570 --> 00:09:33,449
It’s not long before we’re treated
to a taste of what we can expect
149
00:09:33,574 --> 00:09:34,617
from the weather here.
150
00:09:36,076 --> 00:09:38,287
I started this mission by saying
that we were coming
151
00:09:38,495 --> 00:09:40,623
to the toughest place
in the world to film,
152
00:09:41,081 --> 00:09:44,335
but it’s only now that we're here
that the reality of that
153
00:09:44,418 --> 00:09:45,669
is really dawning on me!
154
00:09:46,128 --> 00:09:48,213
I mean, we can’t do anything in this.
155
00:09:49,048 --> 00:09:51,759
We’re just going to have to hang on
to this anchorage
156
00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:54,845
until this storm passes.
157
00:09:57,056 --> 00:09:59,016
We’re going nowhere for now.
158
00:10:01,477 --> 00:10:04,104
BERTIE: To have any chance
of tracking down the whales,
159
00:10:04,229 --> 00:10:05,731
we need to get scientific,
160
00:10:05,981 --> 00:10:08,525
to predict where
their food hotspots will be.
161
00:10:10,611 --> 00:10:12,863
And I've brought just the person
to help with that,
162
00:10:13,322 --> 00:10:14,323
Leigh Hickmott,
163
00:10:14,615 --> 00:10:16,283
a world-leading whale expert.
164
00:10:16,700 --> 00:10:20,663
Where do you think is going to be
our prime areas?
165
00:10:21,163 --> 00:10:24,208
We can see where the isobaths
come close together
166
00:10:24,416 --> 00:10:27,586
indicates the water going
from very deep water
167
00:10:27,711 --> 00:10:29,171
to very shallow water quite quickly.
168
00:10:29,922 --> 00:10:32,841
And those are the areas we want
to try and concentrate on.
169
00:10:34,134 --> 00:10:37,054
BERTIE: So Leigh thinks our best chance
of success is here,
170
00:10:37,221 --> 00:10:41,642
northwest of the island where the seabed
suddenly drops away hundreds of feet,
171
00:10:42,726 --> 00:10:44,853
forming a steep underwater cliff.
172
00:10:46,188 --> 00:10:48,148
Deep ocean currents smash
173
00:10:48,315 --> 00:10:50,526
into this cliff and are forced upwards,
174
00:10:50,734 --> 00:10:53,237
carrying the nutrients
that attract small creatures,
175
00:10:53,404 --> 00:10:55,614
which attract bigger creatures,
which attract...
176
00:10:56,073 --> 00:10:57,282
well, you get the idea.
177
00:11:01,704 --> 00:11:04,540
After two days stuck on anchor,
the storm passes
178
00:11:06,208 --> 00:11:07,960
and I’m itching to get out.
179
00:11:08,252 --> 00:11:11,255
We've got to test our plan,
and find some whales in the area
180
00:11:11,463 --> 00:11:13,632
we're calling the Northwest Corner.
181
00:11:14,383 --> 00:11:15,676
Wow, here we go.
182
00:11:16,176 --> 00:11:18,595
I don’t know, today could be the day.
The anchor's up,
183
00:11:19,096 --> 00:11:19,972
heading out.
184
00:11:20,180 --> 00:11:22,599
It’s looking pretty windy out there,
but we’ve got to be in it to win it.
185
00:11:22,725 --> 00:11:25,978
The conditions seem to change
every five minutes, so, uh, yeah.
186
00:11:26,145 --> 00:11:27,646
Fingers crossed the whales
are out there somewhere.
187
00:11:33,402 --> 00:11:36,530
BERTIE: But as soon as we are offshore,
we hit heavy seas.
188
00:11:39,366 --> 00:11:42,119
It’s definitely not flat,
there’s a big swell left over.
189
00:11:42,870 --> 00:11:44,121
You know, it’s one challenge
190
00:11:44,830 --> 00:11:46,665
finding the whales in all this swell,
191
00:11:47,374 --> 00:11:51,128
but then on top of that,
being able to launch the little boat
192
00:11:51,336 --> 00:11:53,464
for diving and launching drones,
193
00:11:54,298 --> 00:11:55,340
it’s, uh...
194
00:11:55,799 --> 00:11:57,468
Yeah, it’s going to be
a real challenge.
195
00:11:57,634 --> 00:12:00,137
(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
196
00:12:02,806 --> 00:12:05,684
BERTIE: We’ll need to rely on our GPS
and depth sounder
197
00:12:05,893 --> 00:12:07,603
to get us in the right area.
198
00:12:11,273 --> 00:12:13,484
We’ve just been watching
the depth sounder,
199
00:12:13,817 --> 00:12:17,112
and as we go further and further offshore
the depth has just been
200
00:12:17,321 --> 00:12:19,406
creeping down slowly, slowly, slowly.
201
00:12:19,573 --> 00:12:21,658
And then all of a sudden
in the last few minutes
202
00:12:21,825 --> 00:12:23,744
it has just started nosediving,
203
00:12:24,661 --> 00:12:27,915
so we must have hit
a giant underwater cliff.
204
00:12:33,086 --> 00:12:34,880
BERTIE: It’s time to find out
if our theory about
205
00:12:35,130 --> 00:12:37,341
the location of the whales’ food
is any good.
206
00:12:38,008 --> 00:12:38,842
BEN: Right there.
207
00:12:41,678 --> 00:12:43,514
BERTIE: There’s definitely a lot
of action around,
208
00:12:43,680 --> 00:12:47,017
a lot of birds, a lot of albatross,
Cape Petrels zooming around.
209
00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:48,977
-Seeing lots of birds...
-LEIGH: Whales are out!
210
00:12:49,102 --> 00:12:50,270
Oh, there's a whale. (CHUCKLES)
211
00:12:54,942 --> 00:12:57,444
Ooh! Another blow over there, nice.
212
00:12:58,987 --> 00:13:01,740
We’re starting to see whales,
our first whales.
213
00:13:04,326 --> 00:13:05,285
Two.
214
00:13:09,331 --> 00:13:10,666
Oh, yeah, big lunge.
215
00:13:13,752 --> 00:13:15,254
Wow.
216
00:13:16,129 --> 00:13:18,131
(BIRDS SQUAWKING)
217
00:13:18,423 --> 00:13:20,717
We've been seeing lots
of little individual blows,
218
00:13:20,884 --> 00:13:22,511
then of all of the sudden up ahead,
219
00:13:23,095 --> 00:13:25,556
there’s, what, at least 10 whales,
220
00:13:25,681 --> 00:13:27,057
Leigh, what do you reckon?
221
00:13:29,351 --> 00:13:31,103
Whoa! Look at all the blows!
222
00:13:34,606 --> 00:13:36,859
Whoa! That is a relief to see that.
223
00:13:38,944 --> 00:13:41,488
Whoo! (CHUCKLES) Here we go!
224
00:13:42,573 --> 00:13:43,907
Whoa!
225
00:13:46,493 --> 00:13:50,789
BERTIE: We seem to be in the right place,
but to film this properly,
226
00:13:51,331 --> 00:13:53,584
I want to use all
our specialist cameras...
227
00:13:53,792 --> 00:13:56,378
and that’s clearly not happening
right now.
228
00:13:57,504 --> 00:13:58,714
It’s way too rough.
229
00:13:59,214 --> 00:14:02,759
So, I guess not going to be able
to get in the water,
230
00:14:02,843 --> 00:14:04,219
not going to be able to fly the drone.
231
00:14:04,970 --> 00:14:07,264
But we’ve definitely found the spot...
232
00:14:08,599 --> 00:14:10,642
now we just need
the weather to co-operate.
233
00:14:12,019 --> 00:14:14,229
(BIRDS SQUAWKING)
234
00:14:14,605 --> 00:14:16,773
BERTIE: But the weather
doesn’t co-operate.
235
00:14:17,649 --> 00:14:21,194
We’re hit by 40 mile per hour winds
and towering waves.
236
00:14:22,362 --> 00:14:24,114
(WIND WHISTLING)
237
00:14:24,531 --> 00:14:27,034
Conditions change completely
every few hours...
238
00:14:29,328 --> 00:14:31,163
and go bad in a matter of minutes.
239
00:14:32,623 --> 00:14:34,291
We're forced to run for shelter.
240
00:14:40,088 --> 00:14:44,927
I feel like I’m on an enormous comedown
after such a big adrenaline hit.
241
00:14:45,302 --> 00:14:47,346
You know, usually
when you’re filming wildlife,
242
00:14:47,971 --> 00:14:51,642
the big variable is whether or not
the animals are doing the thing,
243
00:14:52,434 --> 00:14:55,479
but here we saw that the animals
were definitely doing the thing!
244
00:14:55,687 --> 00:14:58,774
And, you know, today was meant
to be a weather window,
245
00:14:59,024 --> 00:15:03,195
but it turns bad so quick again
that now we’ve got to run away,
246
00:15:03,278 --> 00:15:04,821
and wait for another window.
247
00:15:06,323 --> 00:15:09,409
We’re going to need a lot of stars
to align in order
248
00:15:09,618 --> 00:15:11,536
to even get a chance at making this work.
249
00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:20,629
BERTIE: Another storm is forecast
to hit us overnight,
250
00:15:20,879 --> 00:15:24,049
so we run south to a small island
called Gibbs,
251
00:15:24,299 --> 00:15:26,677
where our skipper thinks
there is a safe anchorage.
252
00:15:29,221 --> 00:15:32,307
We need to hide out and wait
for the right conditions
253
00:15:32,391 --> 00:15:33,976
to go looking for the whales again.
254
00:15:37,020 --> 00:15:39,106
(PENGUINS SQUAWKING)
255
00:15:39,481 --> 00:15:42,734
Well, we’ve just come round this corner
and found an absolute monster
256
00:15:42,943 --> 00:15:46,905
of a Chinstrap Penguin colony
they're just all up this mountainside.
257
00:15:49,116 --> 00:15:52,369
And there's a lot of Giant Petrels,
which are a big predatory,
258
00:15:52,577 --> 00:15:55,747
scavenging bird, pulling apart
a couple penguins,
259
00:15:55,956 --> 00:15:58,375
so that means there's likely
other predators in here.
260
00:15:58,709 --> 00:16:03,088
So, this could be a... a really cool spot
for us to see what’s going on.
261
00:16:14,307 --> 00:16:17,686
BERTIE: I'm heading ashore to explore
this unexpected penguin colony.
262
00:16:18,186 --> 00:16:22,024
Their presence here could be a clue,
pointing us towards the whales.
263
00:16:30,490 --> 00:16:33,535
Chinstraps get their name
from that black marking
264
00:16:33,660 --> 00:16:36,663
that runs under their chin,
and they're also sometimes called
265
00:16:36,788 --> 00:16:41,043
Stonebreaker Penguins because
of that ear-piercing screech.
266
00:16:41,209 --> 00:16:43,295
(PENGUINS SCREECHING)
267
00:16:43,503 --> 00:16:46,757
BERTIE: I mean, they are sociable birds
that waddle ashore
268
00:16:46,882 --> 00:16:48,508
in these massive numbers to nest.
269
00:16:49,593 --> 00:16:52,054
Over a million breeding pairs
have been recorded
270
00:16:52,846 --> 00:16:53,847
in a single colony.
271
00:16:54,306 --> 00:16:57,893
They go to pretty extreme lengths
to climb up and make a nest with a view.
272
00:17:02,856 --> 00:17:04,941
There is a lot of penguins here!
273
00:17:05,442 --> 00:17:08,904
Every ridge we've gone over,
every little corner we've gone round,
274
00:17:09,279 --> 00:17:11,698
there’s just more and more
Chinstrap Penguins.
275
00:17:12,115 --> 00:17:15,160
I mean, there must be tens of thousands
of birds here.
276
00:17:16,411 --> 00:17:18,538
I mean, it just goes to show
how much food there must be
277
00:17:18,705 --> 00:17:21,249
in that ocean to support
all of these mouths.
278
00:17:25,253 --> 00:17:27,297
BERTIE: There's no food
for the penguins on land,
279
00:17:27,422 --> 00:17:29,758
so every morning they line up
280
00:17:29,841 --> 00:17:33,804
like thousands of commuters at rush hour
to hit the water.
281
00:17:36,515 --> 00:17:39,726
It's an amazing scene,
so I'm gonna set up down at the shoreline.
282
00:17:40,227 --> 00:17:43,105
But we do need to keep an eye out
for the other locals.
283
00:17:44,981 --> 00:17:46,233
(ROARS)
284
00:17:46,399 --> 00:17:48,360
BERTIE: They're with no natural predators
on land...
285
00:17:48,610 --> 00:17:51,196
-(ROARS)
-...and almost no human contact,
286
00:17:51,279 --> 00:17:55,117
these Antarctic Fur Seals
have never developed a fear of people.
287
00:17:55,784 --> 00:17:57,077
Oh, okay, okay, hey!
288
00:17:59,246 --> 00:18:02,082
That’s close enough.
Go on, no, keep going.
289
00:18:02,332 --> 00:18:03,208
Nuh-uh.
290
00:18:04,543 --> 00:18:07,420
So these are the naughty ones.
Oi, back up!
291
00:18:08,547 --> 00:18:12,926
You just got to, yeah,
remind that we're not a chew toy.
292
00:18:13,927 --> 00:18:14,970
Keep going.
293
00:18:15,679 --> 00:18:18,515
There we go.
And they're usually pretty obedient.
294
00:18:28,859 --> 00:18:31,736
BERTIE: When these little Chinstraps
get into deeper water,
295
00:18:31,987 --> 00:18:34,322
they hunt the same food as the whales.
296
00:18:36,158 --> 00:18:37,075
Krill,
297
00:18:37,534 --> 00:18:41,746
it's a tiny shrimp-like crustacean
that swarms in their millions.
298
00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:46,126
To catch the krill,
299
00:18:46,793 --> 00:18:51,256
penguins transform
from clumsy, waddling, flightless birds...
300
00:18:52,090 --> 00:18:55,468
into torpedo-like undersea ninjas.
301
00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:12,611
You know, I’ve said...
I've said we’re here to film
302
00:19:12,736 --> 00:19:13,862
a big whale gathering,
303
00:19:14,613 --> 00:19:16,031
but, you know, all these penguins
304
00:19:16,239 --> 00:19:17,991
and the Fur Seals,
they play just as big a role
305
00:19:18,074 --> 00:19:20,160
in... in the big feeding spectacle...
306
00:19:21,536 --> 00:19:23,747
and also I just really like penguins.
307
00:19:30,795 --> 00:19:32,005
BERTIE: Well, from the drone,
308
00:19:32,505 --> 00:19:35,675
the scale of this exodus is mind-blowing.
309
00:19:39,429 --> 00:19:42,140
It’s such a tough life being one
of these little penguins.
310
00:19:42,349 --> 00:19:45,602
Look at this little guy, here it goes.
(CHUCKLES)
311
00:19:46,937 --> 00:19:50,065
He's got to face a series
of obstacles every morning
312
00:19:50,357 --> 00:19:51,733
just to get in the water.
313
00:19:58,740 --> 00:20:00,533
And that’s only the start of it.
314
00:20:01,284 --> 00:20:04,537
(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)
315
00:20:11,711 --> 00:20:15,590
They seem pretty nervous to get in,
I guess predators could be hanging around
316
00:20:15,674 --> 00:20:16,633
in the shallows around the rocks.
317
00:20:19,886 --> 00:20:22,555
Nobody wants to make the first move.
318
00:20:36,194 --> 00:20:39,447
Oh, classic prey behavior.
There’s safety in numbers.
319
00:20:42,284 --> 00:20:46,288
Looks like... they’re gonna go for it!
Here they go.
320
00:21:04,931 --> 00:21:07,183
We were just, uh, watching
these penguins pour into the water
321
00:21:07,434 --> 00:21:09,394
and they were looking super nervous,
322
00:21:10,353 --> 00:21:12,022
and we figured out why,
323
00:21:12,272 --> 00:21:14,107
we just saw a huge Leopard Seal head
pop up.
324
00:21:15,191 --> 00:21:16,776
Yeah, it was just in there.
325
00:21:16,985 --> 00:21:19,279
It is just skulking round the rocks
waiting for the penguins
326
00:21:19,446 --> 00:21:21,823
to... to pour into the water
and then snatch one.
327
00:21:22,032 --> 00:21:24,242
(PENGUINS SQUAWKING)
328
00:21:25,035 --> 00:21:27,078
LEIGH: The Leopard Seal is gonna
take advantage of the fact
329
00:21:27,162 --> 00:21:29,122
that the penguins are just jumping in.
330
00:21:29,414 --> 00:21:31,541
There’s lots of swell,
there’s lots of wash.
331
00:21:32,459 --> 00:21:35,378
For such a large animal,
they are incredibly agile in the water.
332
00:21:37,005 --> 00:21:39,924
Huge head, big eyes,
and really big, powerful jaws and teeth.
333
00:21:45,597 --> 00:21:48,892
BERTIE: This adult female gives us
a gruesome display of the skills
334
00:21:49,142 --> 00:21:51,311
that make her such a deadly hunter.
335
00:21:53,021 --> 00:21:55,732
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
336
00:22:32,394 --> 00:22:34,270
BERTIE: Thrashing her prey about
might look cruel,
337
00:22:34,354 --> 00:22:37,690
but they don't have the serrated teeth
of a shark,
338
00:22:38,274 --> 00:22:41,945
this is the only way
that they can break down their food
339
00:22:42,112 --> 00:22:44,072
into small enough chunks to swallow.
340
00:22:48,535 --> 00:22:50,829
The weather takes a turn for the worse,
341
00:22:53,081 --> 00:22:57,127
but a hunting Leopard Seal
is too good an opportunity to miss.
342
00:22:58,586 --> 00:23:02,841
So, it’s time to suit up and brave
the icy waters for the first time.
343
00:23:04,968 --> 00:23:09,722
Well, filming underwater here...
isn’t a lot of fun in the preparation,
344
00:23:10,306 --> 00:23:14,227
it’s a lot of getting very cold.
But, I think it'll be worth it.
345
00:23:15,854 --> 00:23:17,397
Now for the really cold bit.
346
00:23:19,315 --> 00:23:20,442
Do it quick, do it quick.
347
00:23:26,406 --> 00:23:27,824
BERTIE: I’m using a wetsuit...
348
00:23:28,116 --> 00:23:30,368
so I can be more nimble
than in a dry suit.
349
00:23:31,369 --> 00:23:33,872
But even the thickest wetsuit
will let in water.
350
00:23:35,457 --> 00:23:36,833
Freezing water.
351
00:23:37,500 --> 00:23:39,210
I’ve never dived in Antarctica before,
352
00:23:39,294 --> 00:23:43,673
so I’m pretty apprehensive
as to what that first hit is like.
353
00:23:46,050 --> 00:23:47,177
Have it?
354
00:23:48,803 --> 00:23:52,974
BERTIE: This is a little daunting.
The water is minus one Celsius,
355
00:23:53,558 --> 00:23:55,226
that's about 30 Fahrenheit.
356
00:23:56,394 --> 00:23:57,854
I’m trying to comfort myself
357
00:23:58,021 --> 00:24:01,524
with the knowledge that humans
are not a Leopard Seal’s natural prey.
358
00:24:03,067 --> 00:24:06,279
I’m also aware that this female
could kill us very easily
359
00:24:06,362 --> 00:24:07,405
if she wanted to.
360
00:24:07,947 --> 00:24:11,743
In 2003, a scientist
was dragged underwater, bitten,
361
00:24:11,910 --> 00:24:14,412
and drowned by a Leopard Seal
in Antarctic waters.
362
00:24:21,878 --> 00:24:25,882
In this cold, I've got about 20 minutes
of dive time before my core temperature
363
00:24:26,049 --> 00:24:27,675
starts to drop dangerously low.
364
00:24:28,343 --> 00:24:29,844
I’m going to have to work fast.
365
00:24:41,648 --> 00:24:43,900
Well, this is the penguin danger zone.
366
00:24:44,526 --> 00:24:45,777
This is the spot where they go
367
00:24:45,902 --> 00:24:48,863
to jump off the rocks
and head out to sea.
368
00:24:51,950 --> 00:24:55,370
So they come flying off those rocks
at high speed
369
00:24:55,912 --> 00:24:58,957
to make sure they clear this zone
as quick as possible.
370
00:25:11,386 --> 00:25:13,763
Leopard seal, Leopard seal.
371
00:25:23,314 --> 00:25:24,482
That right there...
372
00:25:26,818 --> 00:25:29,070
is a penguin’s worst nightmare.
373
00:25:30,405 --> 00:25:31,864
Oh, wow.
374
00:25:37,287 --> 00:25:41,207
These Leopard Seals
can be twice as heavy as a male lion...
375
00:25:44,794 --> 00:25:47,088
but that looks more like a dragon.
376
00:26:08,109 --> 00:26:10,570
She is huge.
377
00:26:21,372 --> 00:26:22,332
Stop it!
378
00:26:32,467 --> 00:26:34,344
She’s a little feisty.
379
00:26:38,890 --> 00:26:39,932
Whoa.
380
00:26:41,267 --> 00:26:43,394
Now we’ve just got to watch it here.
381
00:26:45,188 --> 00:26:46,689
We’re fine, but...
382
00:26:47,815 --> 00:26:51,653
we've just got
to make sure we don’t let it be naughty.
383
00:26:56,282 --> 00:26:58,117
Coming back. Uh-oh.
384
00:26:59,911 --> 00:27:03,456
No, oi! No, no. No biting.
385
00:27:08,753 --> 00:27:10,380
Please don’t scratch
386
00:27:11,172 --> 00:27:12,924
my nice glass dome.
387
00:27:18,846 --> 00:27:22,308
All this gaping and biting,
she’s not trying to eat us,
388
00:27:22,475 --> 00:27:24,602
she’s just trying to figure out
what we are
389
00:27:24,852 --> 00:27:26,813
because we’re complete aliens to her.
390
00:27:26,938 --> 00:27:29,273
She’s probably never seen
a human in her life.
391
00:27:39,117 --> 00:27:40,702
She’s so sneaky.
392
00:27:42,078 --> 00:27:44,288
She knows exactly which way
we’re looking
393
00:27:44,414 --> 00:27:47,083
and she always comes up behind us.
394
00:27:56,384 --> 00:28:00,263
You see how she just appears
and disappears into the swell,
395
00:28:00,430 --> 00:28:02,765
using the waves and the rocks as cover.
396
00:28:13,568 --> 00:28:14,610
(BLEEP)
397
00:28:16,821 --> 00:28:19,198
Okay, that was one lunge too far.
398
00:28:21,033 --> 00:28:24,662
Now she’s ignoring the penguins
and paying way too much attention in us.
399
00:28:27,790 --> 00:28:29,167
Dan, it's time to get out.
400
00:28:34,881 --> 00:28:35,840
Thanks, dude.
401
00:28:38,676 --> 00:28:39,552
That was wild!
402
00:28:41,721 --> 00:28:44,140
She’s using her natural coloration
against the rocks
403
00:28:44,265 --> 00:28:48,019
and against the aerated water,
and the penguins will have no idea
404
00:28:48,186 --> 00:28:49,520
she’s there until it’s too late.
405
00:28:49,896 --> 00:28:53,274
So, she's... she’s in the right spot,
she's... and that’s why she probably
406
00:28:53,399 --> 00:28:56,861
got funny with us because she knows
she’s got a prime hunting spot there,
407
00:28:57,111 --> 00:28:59,322
she probably defends it
from other Leopard Seals.
408
00:28:59,530 --> 00:29:02,158
So, she got to the point
where she wanted to keep hunting
409
00:29:02,325 --> 00:29:03,618
and it was time for us to go.
410
00:29:03,868 --> 00:29:05,453
I think we got out at the right moment.
411
00:29:05,745 --> 00:29:08,372
-Yeah. Good call.
-It was getting a little "Ooh, okay."
412
00:29:10,041 --> 00:29:13,002
BERTIE: For those penguins
that do make it through the kill-zone,
413
00:29:13,127 --> 00:29:15,630
their odds improve dramatically.
414
00:29:17,298 --> 00:29:21,302
Their speed and their agility
gives them the edge in open water...
415
00:29:26,641 --> 00:29:30,186
And then they’re free to head offshore
and hunt the krill swarms
416
00:29:30,311 --> 00:29:32,438
that will feed them
and their chicks.
417
00:29:36,275 --> 00:29:39,612
And we need to get back to our hunt
for those same krill swarms.
418
00:29:41,781 --> 00:29:45,785
But back out on the northwest corner,
the weather is still not playing ball.
419
00:29:47,912 --> 00:29:52,625
The wind keeps changing direction,
that means we need to keep hunting
420
00:29:52,792 --> 00:29:55,837
for new anchorages if we want
to sleep safely at night.
421
00:30:02,426 --> 00:30:03,678
Wow!
422
00:30:04,971 --> 00:30:06,305
Look at all these whale bones.
423
00:30:07,890 --> 00:30:11,185
I often forget that Antarctica
424
00:30:11,269 --> 00:30:14,689
was the scene of one
of the biggest wildlife massacres,
425
00:30:14,856 --> 00:30:16,440
if not the biggest in history.
426
00:30:16,941 --> 00:30:19,235
Millions of whales were slaughtered
427
00:30:19,402 --> 00:30:22,363
for their blubber,
to make margarine and soap.
428
00:30:24,907 --> 00:30:27,827
This must be the... the jawbone.
429
00:30:29,203 --> 00:30:30,621
Huge!
430
00:30:33,708 --> 00:30:37,920
I often get pretty down
about how badly we humans
431
00:30:38,045 --> 00:30:41,048
have behaved as a species,
but since the ban on commercial whaling
432
00:30:41,257 --> 00:30:44,594
in the '80s, the whales here
have started to make
433
00:30:45,011 --> 00:30:47,388
a remarkable comeback
and there have been reports
434
00:30:47,722 --> 00:30:52,977
of more whales off this coast
than there have been for decades,
435
00:30:53,519 --> 00:30:55,855
and that’s why we’re here,
that’s what we’re looking for
436
00:30:58,274 --> 00:31:01,027
BERTIE: Seeing these bones
makes me even more determined
437
00:31:01,110 --> 00:31:02,528
to track down the aggregation,
438
00:31:03,237 --> 00:31:07,116
to discover whether the Fin Whales really
are making a comeback.
439
00:31:10,578 --> 00:31:12,246
Well, time is running out.
440
00:31:12,538 --> 00:31:16,334
But the sea is flatter,
the skies are clear... ish,
441
00:31:16,459 --> 00:31:18,169
and we have Fin Whales.
442
00:31:18,252 --> 00:31:22,506
Not the aggregation we want,
but enough for whale biologist Leigh
443
00:31:22,798 --> 00:31:24,383
to deploy some satellite tags.
444
00:31:24,884 --> 00:31:27,845
These tags are gonna help him
understand their behavior,
445
00:31:30,181 --> 00:31:33,100
and I'm hoping they're gonna lead us
to the big feed.
446
00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:46,656
LEIGH: The science we want to collect
is completely new.
447
00:31:46,781 --> 00:31:48,741
We... We really want to know
where these animals go
448
00:31:48,950 --> 00:31:50,117
when they leave here.
449
00:31:50,576 --> 00:31:53,412
What are their migration routes?
Where do they go to give birth?
450
00:31:57,166 --> 00:32:01,754
My job here is going to be photo ID,
see if it has any unique
451
00:32:01,879 --> 00:32:05,591
identifiable markings on its back
or its dorsal fin.
452
00:32:08,344 --> 00:32:09,804
Okay, Dave, are you ready?
453
00:32:10,137 --> 00:32:13,099
BERTIE: This tagging process is covered
by really strict permitting rules
454
00:32:13,265 --> 00:32:15,226
to make sure we avoid stressing
the whales.
455
00:32:15,309 --> 00:32:16,435
Gently.
456
00:32:16,519 --> 00:32:18,854
BERTIE: He’s going in nice and slow,
nice and gently
457
00:32:19,605 --> 00:32:22,316
to make sure
the animal is calm and relaxed,
458
00:32:23,067 --> 00:32:24,819
so he can make a... a clean shot.
459
00:32:26,278 --> 00:32:29,156
BERTIE: The tags are harmless
to these massive animals,
460
00:32:29,407 --> 00:32:32,535
but I’m still amazed
by Leigh’s self-control.
461
00:32:32,743 --> 00:32:35,663
He won’t fire the dart
until he has the perfect shot.
462
00:32:35,746 --> 00:32:36,622
Ea... Easy.
463
00:32:36,998 --> 00:32:38,833
We needed a little more fin there.
464
00:32:39,208 --> 00:32:40,710
BERTIE: Oh, that was really close.
465
00:32:41,460 --> 00:32:44,380
-That was very close.
-I thought you were going to fire then.
466
00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:46,090
That's... That's it.
467
00:32:51,053 --> 00:32:53,681
This is a lot more challenging
than I thought it would be.
468
00:32:56,559 --> 00:32:57,768
That's it, close the gap.
469
00:32:57,852 --> 00:33:01,272
BERTIE: The titanium dart carrying
the satellite tag has to stick
470
00:33:01,397 --> 00:33:03,816
in the base of the fin,
and not the whale’s body,
471
00:33:04,275 --> 00:33:06,610
to have any chance of staying attached
when it dives.
472
00:33:07,445 --> 00:33:08,612
That's it, close the gap.
473
00:33:11,907 --> 00:33:16,287
Yes! Tag on.
Brilliant, thank you all so much.
474
00:33:17,997 --> 00:33:20,958
BERTIE: That tag should start sending
regular transmissions
475
00:33:21,167 --> 00:33:23,711
about the whale’s movement
to Leigh’s colleague in Germany.
476
00:33:24,170 --> 00:33:25,796
When we get hold of that data,
477
00:33:26,422 --> 00:33:28,382
I hope it'll lead us to our goal.
478
00:33:30,593 --> 00:33:31,552
Tag on.
479
00:33:36,807 --> 00:33:38,267
BERTIE: But over the next few days...
480
00:33:38,851 --> 00:33:41,103
the conditions continue to worsen.
481
00:33:44,482 --> 00:33:46,609
(WIND WHISTLING)
482
00:33:48,110 --> 00:33:51,947
As the days tick by,
serious doubts are creeping in.
483
00:33:58,120 --> 00:34:00,706
Well, we’re not having a lot of luck here,
we’re just getting hammered
484
00:34:00,790 --> 00:34:05,419
day after day by just mad wind,
rain, snow.
485
00:34:05,711 --> 00:34:08,923
It's hard to believe it's ever going
to be calm enough here for us to film
486
00:34:11,926 --> 00:34:13,260
The pressure is on.
487
00:34:14,637 --> 00:34:17,139
BERTIE:
But there’s one small scrap of hope.
488
00:34:17,473 --> 00:34:21,393
One of Leigh’s satellite tags
is reporting lots of whale activity
489
00:34:21,519 --> 00:34:22,895
close to our anchorage.
490
00:34:31,028 --> 00:34:35,116
Well, we’ve just pulled up the anchor
and for the first time in days,
491
00:34:35,741 --> 00:34:38,702
it’s clear, there’s no fog,
there’s not too much wind,
492
00:34:38,828 --> 00:34:40,037
we’ve got the conditions.
493
00:34:40,162 --> 00:34:43,666
And straight away, on the horizon,
494
00:34:43,791 --> 00:34:47,169
I can see little party poppers.
(IMITATES EXPLOSIONS)
495
00:34:47,336 --> 00:34:50,131
They look like little cannons going off,
496
00:34:50,756 --> 00:34:52,550
but we know they're not little cannons.
497
00:34:54,593 --> 00:34:59,140
So, we are going to motor full steam
in that direction.
498
00:35:06,897 --> 00:35:09,900
BERTIE: This is it,
this is the best chance we have.
499
00:35:10,067 --> 00:35:11,944
All the preparation, all the searching,
500
00:35:12,403 --> 00:35:14,029
it all comes down to this.
501
00:35:16,240 --> 00:35:17,825
It’s always the most nerve-racking time.
502
00:35:18,409 --> 00:35:20,661
I don’t know how many months,
even years,
503
00:35:21,453 --> 00:35:23,080
I’ve been thinking about this moment.
504
00:35:25,791 --> 00:35:27,501
The pressure’s on, come on!
505
00:35:28,127 --> 00:35:32,047
(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)
506
00:35:43,601 --> 00:35:44,643
BERTIE: This is unbelievable.
507
00:35:45,144 --> 00:35:48,314
I mean, it looked like a lot of whales
from... from the surface,
508
00:35:48,439 --> 00:35:51,025
but now I’m up in the sky.
The scale of it is...
509
00:35:52,109 --> 00:35:55,571
mind-boggling,
there are just whales everywhere.
510
00:35:58,115 --> 00:36:00,159
And all their blows are lit up by the sun,
511
00:36:00,993 --> 00:36:02,912
and Elephant Island in the background.
512
00:36:05,748 --> 00:36:09,293
We need to keep the boat
a safe distance from the aggregation,
513
00:36:09,460 --> 00:36:12,922
but using the drone I can get
right to the heart of the action...
514
00:36:13,088 --> 00:36:14,173
(CHUCKLES)
515
00:36:14,381 --> 00:36:17,676
...and reveal that extraordinary
feeding technique.
516
00:36:18,594 --> 00:36:20,304
They’re side by side,
they’re going to lunge,
517
00:36:20,387 --> 00:36:22,431
they're accelerating, big tail pump.
518
00:36:24,767 --> 00:36:26,060
That is wild!
519
00:36:27,478 --> 00:36:30,481
Right now they’re sieving
so on the top side of their jaw,
520
00:36:31,232 --> 00:36:34,235
they’ve got big baleen plates,
they’re big hair-like plates,
521
00:36:34,443 --> 00:36:37,112
they’re made of keratin
just like our fingernails or our hair.
522
00:36:39,448 --> 00:36:41,992
So, they use the elasticity
of that massive mouth
523
00:36:42,201 --> 00:36:46,080
and their huge tongue to push
the water back out
524
00:36:46,247 --> 00:36:48,791
through those baleen plates
so they act as a sieve
525
00:36:48,916 --> 00:36:50,376
that catch all the krill.
526
00:36:55,047 --> 00:36:59,218
That’s got to be one
of the most extraordinary adaptations,
527
00:37:00,135 --> 00:37:01,220
to go from a...
528
00:37:02,012 --> 00:37:04,306
slim, streamlined
missile shape
529
00:37:04,890 --> 00:37:08,811
into a giant balloon in seconds.
530
00:37:16,151 --> 00:37:17,236
Oh, no way!
531
00:37:17,403 --> 00:37:18,988
So that’s a Humpback Whale
in the middle there.
532
00:37:21,031 --> 00:37:24,159
You can tell because its got
these huge pectoral fins here,
533
00:37:24,368 --> 00:37:26,745
and the... the Fin Whales’ pec fins
are much smaller.
534
00:37:27,663 --> 00:37:31,125
And I thought this Humpback Whale
must be a little baby, but its not.
535
00:37:31,292 --> 00:37:33,377
It... It's fully grown,
its just that the Fin Whales
536
00:37:33,502 --> 00:37:35,087
are so much bigger.
537
00:37:37,881 --> 00:37:41,635
You can see the albatross, and the whales,
and the penguins, and the Fur Seals,
538
00:37:41,719 --> 00:37:44,888
all having one ginormous party.
539
00:37:47,308 --> 00:37:48,892
(MUSIC FADES)
540
00:37:50,644 --> 00:37:53,897
Well, seeing this whale spectacle
on the drone is one thing.
541
00:37:53,981 --> 00:37:55,983
It's spectacular, you really get
a sense of scale,
542
00:37:56,817 --> 00:37:58,652
but you are detached from it,
it’s not very intimate.
543
00:37:58,861 --> 00:38:01,447
So to really see what’s going on,
544
00:38:02,781 --> 00:38:04,116
gonna have to get wet.
545
00:38:05,284 --> 00:38:07,244
Yeah, the weather at the surface
has improved,
546
00:38:07,494 --> 00:38:11,790
but the sea is practically freezing
and the swell is getting worse.
547
00:38:12,333 --> 00:38:13,334
Mind.
548
00:38:15,169 --> 00:38:18,005
BERTIE: Once underwater, we'll be smashed
by powerful currents
549
00:38:18,255 --> 00:38:19,465
surging up from the deep.
550
00:38:20,132 --> 00:38:22,634
This is the most dangerous point
of the whole mission.
551
00:38:23,344 --> 00:38:24,928
Well, this is serious proper diving now.
552
00:38:25,220 --> 00:38:26,930
We’re out in the open ocean,
we’re in the swell
553
00:38:27,056 --> 00:38:28,474
so we’ve got to be super on it. Um...
554
00:38:29,058 --> 00:38:33,354
A big danger here is getting lost,
so Calum here is, uh... is going
555
00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:35,522
to be marking me and Dan’s position
under the water.
556
00:38:35,689 --> 00:38:37,483
That’s why he’s got
the stupid orange hat on,
557
00:38:37,691 --> 00:38:38,859
so he’s easy to spot.
558
00:38:38,984 --> 00:38:41,236
And... it is a bit harsh, but it's true.
559
00:38:41,653 --> 00:38:44,114
Um, these whales are big,
intelligent animals,
560
00:38:44,239 --> 00:38:46,450
but they are going
to be preoccupied feeding
561
00:38:46,533 --> 00:38:47,993
so we do have to have our wits about us.
562
00:38:49,453 --> 00:38:52,790
BERTIE: Fin Whales are protected by law
and there are very strict rules
563
00:38:52,873 --> 00:38:53,916
on approaching them.
564
00:38:54,124 --> 00:38:57,878
So we need to get in the right position
and let them come to us.
565
00:38:58,337 --> 00:39:02,549
But that’s not easy when they move
so fast, and dive so deep.
566
00:39:13,560 --> 00:39:15,646
DAVE: Divers in the water,
divers in the water.
567
00:39:24,196 --> 00:39:28,325
BERTIE: Under water, the ocean seems
even more vast and empty.
568
00:39:29,243 --> 00:39:33,038
You have to read the clues to have
a chance of being in the right place.
569
00:39:34,873 --> 00:39:37,793
And guess who’s here to point us
in the right direction?
570
00:39:39,545 --> 00:39:43,632
Our Chinstrap Penguin friends
are experts at tracking the krill.
571
00:39:47,094 --> 00:39:51,557
Below us, a huge shoal
of rarely-seen Marbled Rock Cod
572
00:39:51,807 --> 00:39:54,476
loom out of the depths to join the party.
573
00:39:54,893 --> 00:40:00,274
(ETHEREAL MUSIC PLAYING)
574
00:40:05,195 --> 00:40:07,364
And then the krill start to swarm again.
575
00:40:09,158 --> 00:40:11,827
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
576
00:40:12,661 --> 00:40:15,873
(BIRDS SQUAWKING)
577
00:40:35,976 --> 00:40:40,606
BERTIE: They look big enough from above,
but underwater the Fin Whales
578
00:40:40,772 --> 00:40:42,024
are simply immense.
579
00:40:45,611 --> 00:40:47,154
After so long searching,
580
00:40:47,821 --> 00:40:50,866
I can’t quite believe
I'm right next to one.
581
00:40:53,744 --> 00:40:57,289
It’s humbling to think that
they can live for 90 years,
582
00:40:57,706 --> 00:41:02,169
and this very whale could have been
alive during the whale hunting days,
583
00:41:02,461 --> 00:41:05,172
when it's species was being massacred
by humans....
584
00:41:09,384 --> 00:41:11,303
But I sense no hostility...
585
00:41:13,263 --> 00:41:14,932
only curiosity.
586
00:41:15,807 --> 00:41:18,227
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
587
00:41:40,832 --> 00:41:44,962
BERTIE: With every lunge, each whale
seizes a volume of water and krill
588
00:41:45,045 --> 00:41:47,130
the size of a school bus.
589
00:41:49,258 --> 00:41:52,135
For a short time, it doubles in size.
590
00:41:55,264 --> 00:41:59,935
The Fin Whale can trap 10,000 krill
in a single mouthful,
591
00:42:00,060 --> 00:42:02,729
and swallow up to two tons in a day.
592
00:42:08,068 --> 00:42:12,906
They need a massive amount of energy
to power such a huge body.
593
00:42:13,365 --> 00:42:17,411
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
594
00:42:34,886 --> 00:42:37,431
-(BIRDS SQUAWKING)
-(MUSIC FADES)
595
00:42:41,518 --> 00:42:46,064
That was epic. Out of nowhere,
huge Fin Whale... (IMITATES EXPLOSION)
596
00:42:46,273 --> 00:42:49,151
...it obviously just fed,
blasted straight past
597
00:42:49,276 --> 00:42:50,819
with its mouth fully inflated.
598
00:42:51,194 --> 00:42:52,613
Just see how big its mouth is.
599
00:42:52,988 --> 00:42:55,282
And then it just cruised right past
and I was thinking,
600
00:42:55,657 --> 00:42:59,202
"Oh, the tail’s got to be coming,
the tail’s got to be coming,"
601
00:42:59,703 --> 00:43:01,788
and it just took forever to pass.
602
00:43:02,372 --> 00:43:04,374
I mean, those whales,
they look big from the boat,
603
00:43:04,541 --> 00:43:07,252
they look big from the drone,
but it's on a whole other level
604
00:43:07,336 --> 00:43:10,797
when they’re a few feet away...
(PANTING) ...fully inflated....
605
00:43:11,048 --> 00:43:13,842
(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)
606
00:43:14,468 --> 00:43:19,181
The funniest thing is when you look up
to see where Calum is
607
00:43:19,306 --> 00:43:23,226
and you see Calum is surrounded
by Giant Petrels and albatross,
608
00:43:23,352 --> 00:43:27,189
all assuming that he’s something dead
that they can eat on the surface.
609
00:43:28,190 --> 00:43:29,566
It's not a fun place to be.
610
00:43:29,691 --> 00:43:30,817
(MEN CHUCKLE)
611
00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:34,029
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
612
00:43:34,321 --> 00:43:37,240
(BIRDS SQUAWKING)
613
00:43:42,496 --> 00:43:45,248
BERTIE: As the afternoon goes on,
to our amazement,
614
00:43:45,499 --> 00:43:47,125
the numbers continue to build
615
00:43:47,209 --> 00:43:48,085
Cheers, man.
616
00:43:48,585 --> 00:43:52,130
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
617
00:44:04,142 --> 00:44:09,648
I’ve never seen anything this spectacular
on a monitor screen before.
618
00:44:15,612 --> 00:44:17,906
For every whale we can see on the surface,
619
00:44:18,073 --> 00:44:21,243
there must be three more
at least underneath.
620
00:44:30,168 --> 00:44:35,298
BERTIE: It’s hard to comprehend
that we slaughtered 750,000 Fin Whales,
621
00:44:37,718 --> 00:44:40,137
taking the species to the brink
of extinction.
622
00:44:41,430 --> 00:44:45,350
Knowing that makes this spectacle
even more powerful.
623
00:44:49,688 --> 00:44:52,524
And more importantly,
new research has shown
624
00:44:52,649 --> 00:44:57,112
the vital role these giants play
in capturing and recycling carbon.
625
00:44:58,905 --> 00:45:02,117
A thriving whale population
brings huge benefits
626
00:45:02,284 --> 00:45:04,202
not just to these remote waters,
627
00:45:05,245 --> 00:45:06,872
but to the planet as a whole.
628
00:45:13,044 --> 00:45:18,091
From this footage, scientists estimate
that more than 300 whales
629
00:45:18,216 --> 00:45:19,968
were feeding in this aggregation.
630
00:45:21,595 --> 00:45:25,599
It's the largest known gathering
of Fin Whales ever filmed.
631
00:45:25,849 --> 00:45:29,186
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
632
00:45:37,527 --> 00:45:38,528
Whoa!
633
00:45:41,072 --> 00:45:45,368
This is all pretty moving
because I know that I'm very lucky
634
00:45:45,452 --> 00:45:48,747
and I get to go all over the world
and film incredible wildlife spectacles,
635
00:45:48,955 --> 00:45:51,082
but wherever I seem to go
at the moment,
636
00:45:51,374 --> 00:45:53,293
it seems like wildlife
is on the back foot,
637
00:45:53,418 --> 00:45:56,671
but here this place is different.
I mean, look at it.
638
00:45:57,506 --> 00:46:00,342
And this is what happens
when you look after wildlife,
639
00:46:00,592 --> 00:46:04,179
when you give it the chance.
It'll come back on an unbelievable scale.
640
00:46:04,971 --> 00:46:09,309
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
641
00:46:13,146 --> 00:46:16,441
This is a day I’m not going
to forget in a hurry.
642
00:46:16,817 --> 00:46:20,070
(MUSIC CONTINUES)
643
00:46:30,580 --> 00:46:32,666
(MUSIC FADES)
644
00:46:32,916 --> 00:46:34,000
(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)
645
00:46:34,209 --> 00:46:37,128
BERTIE: Until our expedition,
no one knew exactly where
646
00:46:37,295 --> 00:46:40,841
the Fin Whales went once they'd finished
feeding in Antarctic waters.
647
00:46:41,341 --> 00:46:44,845
But the whales tagged in this film
have been recorded migrating up
648
00:46:44,928 --> 00:46:48,181
the west coast of South America
for the first time.
649
00:46:48,765 --> 00:46:50,767
Could that be where they go to breed?
650
00:46:51,560 --> 00:46:54,354
Unfortunately the tags
stopped transmitting,
651
00:46:55,188 --> 00:46:59,025
and this still remains a mystery
until more research is done.
652
00:47:00,235 --> 00:47:01,736
(THEME MUSIC ENDS)