Behind the Scenes

NARRATOR: IT WAS THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME-- FILMING LIFE IN AN OCEAN THAT COVERS A THIRD OF THE PLANET.

THE SCALE OF ALL OF THIS IS JUST INCREDIBLE.

GOOD TO GO.

NARRATOR: MORE COMPLEX... MORE EXTREME... MORE INCREDIBLE THAN WE IMAGINED.

THE BEST CREWS AND THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATION] NARRATOR: TWENTY COUNTRIES, 77 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.

MORE THAN FOUR YEARS FROM GO TO WHOA!

IT'S YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE.

NARRATOR: LOST IN THE JUNGLE... MAN: ERNIE!

NARRATOR: AND LOST FOR WORDS.

MAN: SOMEBODY LOBBED OVER DYNAMITE.

NARRATOR: EPIC DISCOVERIES AND SMALL WONDERS.

I'VE NEVER SEEN A THREE-INCH FISH BUILD A 70-INCH-BIG NEST.

NARRATOR: WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT DIVEMASTER KIMIAKI ITO.

OVER 20 YEARS AGO, HE DISCOVERED FANTASTIC PATTERNS THAT MYSTERIOUSLY APPEAR ON THE SEAFLOOR... AND JUST AS MYSTERIOUSLY VANISH.

HE WORKED WITH SCIENTISTS TO REVEAL WHAT THEY ARE... NESTS MADE BY A MALE PUFFERFISH TO ATTRACT A FEMALE...

BUT HE'S NEVER FILMED THEM BEING BUILT.

THAT'S OUR JOB.

THE EVENT WE'RE HERE TO CAPTURE SPANS MORE THAN A WEEK, SO WE'VE BROUGHT EVERY PIECE OF FILMING EQUIPMENT IMAGINABLE.

UNPACKING AND SETTING UP TAKES MANY HOURS.

MAN: WE BROUGHT SOME HIGH-RESOLUTION CAMERAS THAT RECORDS IN 4K IN SLOW-MOTION SO WE WERE ABLE TO SEE BEHAVIORS THAT WOULD BE HARD TO SEE IN REAL TIME.

NARRATOR: CAMERAMEN PETER KRAGH AND ERNIE KOVACS ARE SOME OF THE BEST UNDERWATER SHOOTERS IN THE BUSINESS.

AND THEY'LL BE USING EQUIPMENT TO MATCH.

PETER AND ERNIE HAVE THOUSANDS OF UNDERWATER HOURS, AND THEY KNOW GETTING THE JOB DONE AND STAYING SAFE BEGINS WITH SOLID PREPARATION.

SO THEY CAREFULLY SET UP THEIR GEAR.

FOR DIVERS NEW TO THESE WATERS, A PUFFERFISH NEST IS A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK, BUT ITO HAS ALREADY SEARCHED THE AREA FOR LIKELY LOCATIONS AND HAS MARKED THE SPOT WITH A BUOY.

OVER THERE.

OVER THERE?

PUFFERFISH.

NARRATOR: HE CUTS THROUGH THE LANGUAGE BARRIER IN A CLEVER WAY.

DEPTH MATTERS ON A SHOOT LIKE THIS.

THE DEEPER THE WATER, THE SHORTER THE DIVER'S STAY ON THE BOTTOM.

KOVACS: 50 METERS FROM THE BOAT... [INDISTINCT] MM-HMM.

AND 15 METERS DOWN.

PERFECT.

THAT'S-- IF WE CAN FIND THEM THAT SHALLOW, THEN WE CAN STAY ALL DAY.

THAT'D BE IDEAL.

YEAH.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

NARRATOR: IF THEY CAN BE FOUND IN SHALLOW WATER, IT WILL BE EASIER AND SAFER FOR THE DIVERS.

KOVACS: SO WE'RE OUT SWIMMING ACROSS THE SAND FLATS, LOOKING FOR THE PUFFERFISH NESTS, AND I DON'T THINK I EVER WOULD HAVE SEEN THEM.

THERE'S JUST THESE VERY SUBTLE LITTLE MARKS WHEN THEY'RE FIRST BUILDING.

I WOULD HAVE SWAM RIGHT OVER THEM, BUT ITO WROTE ON HIS LITTLE SLATE, IT'S LIKE, "THOSE ARE NEW PUFFERFISH NESTS."

WITH ITO, WE WERE ABLE TO FIND THEM.

WITHOUT HIM, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN TROUBLE.

NARRATOR: ITO SAYS, "THE MALE PUFFERFISH WORK HARD "AND THE NESTS QUICKLY TAKE SHAPE, SO WE BETTER GET BUSY, TOO."

HA HA!

MAYBE.

THANK YOU.

[DEVICE BEEPS] GOOD TO GO.

KOVACS: WE WENT BACK THE NEXT DAY, AND, SURE ENOUGH, ALREADY THERE WERE CIRCLES ON THE BOTTOM, AND THE PUFFERFISH WERE IN THERE AND FLICKING THEIR TAILS AROUND AND FLICKING THEIR WHOLE BODIES AND DIGGING UP SAND, AND HE WAS RIGHT.

THOSE WERE PUFFERFISH BUILDING THEIR NESTS.

NARRATOR: FILMING CONSTRUCTION FROM SCRATCH WILL REQUIRE DIVING FROM SUNRISE TO SUNSET FOR UP TO A WEEK.

IMMEDIATELY PETER AND ERNIE SEE A PROBLEM.

FILMING SO CLOSE TO THE DELICATE NEST, THE WAKE FROM THEIR FINS COULD DESTROY IT.

THEY BUILD AN A-FRAME RIG THEY CAN USE AS A STURDY AND SAFE CAMERA POSITION, WELL CLEAR OF THE PUFFERFISH AND HIS CREATION.

QUITE A CONTRAPTION.

BUT FIRST WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE PUT IT UP THERE.

WE NEEDED A WAY TO GET ABOVE THE NEST AND LOOKING STRAIGHT DOWN AND HAVE THE CAMERA ROCK SOLID, SO WE HAD TO BUILD THIS ELABORATE A-FRAME OF PIPES, AND IT ACTUALLY WORKED PRETTY WELL.

NARRATOR: BUILDING WHAT MIGHT BE THE WORLD'S LARGEST CAMERA TRIPOD CREATES ITS OWN CHALLENGE, HOW TO GET IT OUT TO SEA.

BASICALLY JUST THREW IT ON THE BOAT, TOOK IT OUT THERE, TIED IT TO A LINE AND KIND OF CHUCKED IT OVERBOARD.

WE DROPPED IT IN A PLACE WHERE WE WEREN'T GONNA LAND ON ANY NESTS, SO WE HAD TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THAT.

THEN WE HAD TO GET IT FROM THERE TO THE NESTS.

NARRATOR: WALKING UNDERWATER IS TRICKY.

ANKLE WEIGHTS HELP ERNIE TO KEEP FROM FLOATING AWAY.

WE FOUND THE NESTS PRETTY SHALLOW, SO WE WERE ONLY ABOUT 45 FEET DEEP, SO WHEN THE SUN'S OUT, THERE'S A LOT OF LIGHT COMING DOWN FROM ABOVE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL CONVOLUTED NEST AND ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL RIDGES, BUT YOU CAN'T SEE THAT IN NORMAL LIGHT SO WE BROUGHT DOWN SOME, YOU KNOW, HIGH-POWERED BATTERY LIGHTS, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WHAT JUST LOOKED LIKE THIS FLAT CIRCLE, LIKE, POPS AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL RIDGES, AND, YEAH, IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

NARRATOR: THE A-FRAME GIVES THE GUYS THE TOP SHOT OF THE NEST THEY NEED...

BUT THEY ALSO WANT TO FILM THE TINY FISH THAT MAKES IT.

THAT MEANS GETTING AS LOW AS POSSIBLE FOR CLOSE-UPS.

SO PETER PUTS ANOTHER CAMERA RIG TOGETHER.

TO MAKE THIS SEQUENCE WITH THE PUFFERFISH LOOK DIFFERENT, WE WANTED TO USE DIFFERENT AND NEW TOOLS.

THE SLIDER ALLOWED US TO TAKE THE CAMERA AND MOVE IT DOWN REALLY CLOSE TO THE GROUND SO THE RIDGES WOULD APPEAR IN THE FOREGROUND OF THE FRAME.

SO YOU HAVE AN OUT-OF-FOCUS FOREGROUND, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE PUFFERFISH DOING THEIR THING IN THE BACKGROUND.

NARRATOR: WORKING TIRELESSLY, THE PUFFERFISH USES DIFFERENT PARTS OF HIS BODY TO SCULPT THE SAND.

HIS ATTENTION TO DETAIL IS ASTONISHING.

KRAGH: I'VE FILMED UNDERWATER FOR OVER 15 YEARS, AND I'VE NEVER SEEN A THREE-INCH FISH BUILD A 70-INCH-BIG NEST.

PERFECTLY ROUND, PERFECTLY PATTERNED ALL THE WAY AROUND.

IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE HOW THIS LITTLE THING CAN UNDERTAKE SOMETHING OF THIS SIZE.

NARRATOR: AND HE'S AS BRAVE AS HE IS INDUSTRIOUS.

THEY CATCH HIM CHASING AWAY A VENOMOUS SEA SNAKE THAT GETS TOO CLOSE.

TOWARDS THE END, THE PUFFERFISH ADDS BITS OF SHELL, APPARENTLY TO FURTHER ENTICE A FEMALE.

KOVACS: LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE JUST ABOUT FINISHED WITH THE NEST, SO GETTING CLOSE TO SIX FEET ACROSS MAYBE.

NARRATOR: A MATE IS EXPECTED ANYTIME NOW.

SO IS A TYPHOON THAT COULD WRECK EVERYTHING.

[WIND GUSTING] MAYBE THE FEMALES WILL BE SHOWING UP SOON, OR MAYBE THE TYPHOON WILL GET HERE FIRST.

WE'LL SEE.

NARRATOR: IT'S NOT AS FIERCE AS SOME STORMS HERE, BUT IT'S SLOW-MOVING.

THEY JUST HAVE TO WAIT IT OUT.

SEE SOME OF THIS FOOTAGE WE'VE BEEN GETTING.

NARRATOR: THERE IS ONE BRIGHT SPOT, THOUGH.

ERNIE AND PETER SHOW DIVEMASTER ITO WHAT THEY'VE SHOT SO FAR.

YOU GET TO SEE IT IN A NEW WAY.

OH, LOOK.

YEAH, WORKS VERY HARD.

NARRATOR: IT'S THE BEST FOOTAGE OF THE FISH THAT ITO'S EVER SEEN.

THE CLOSE-UPS REVEAL A SECRET TO THE PUFFERFISH'S CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUE.

WITH OUR HIGH RESOLUTION CAMERAS THAT WE SHOT IN SLOW-MOTION, WE SAW A BEHAVIOR OF THE PUFFERFISH THAT ITO HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

BECAUSE IT HAPPENS A LITTLE TOO FAST IN REAL TIME.

WHEN THEY PUSH THE SAND UP THE RIDGES, THEY HAVE, LIKE, A TONGUE ALMOST THAT PUSHES OUT UNDERNEATH THEIR CHEEK.

IT PUSHES OUT LIKE THIS, AND THEN THEY USE IT FOR SHOVELING THE SAND UP ON THE TOP OF THE RIDGES.

ITO WAS PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT SEEING THAT.

KRAGH: THIS WHOLE THING IS THE JAW, THIS HERE IS THE CHIN.

SO IT SITS UNDERNEATH THE CHIN.

CHIN.

BUT IT'S KIND OF INSIDE.

[ITO SPEAKING JAPANESE] MM-HMM.

FIRST TIME.

FIRST TIME?

YEAH.

AH!

OK. NARRATOR: THE WAY THE PUFFERFISH USES ITS CHIN TO PLOW THE SAND HAS NEVER BEEN CAPTURED BEFORE.

AFTER THE TYPHOON PASSES, THE TEAM HEADS BACK ON THE WATER, HOPEFUL THE NESTS THEY'VE BEEN FILMING HAVE SURVIVED.

THE PUFFERFISH'S ART HAS STOOD UP TO THE STORMS, AND EVEN BETTER, IT'S TIME.

KOVACS: YOU KNOW, YOU GO DOWN THERE, YOU REALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO EXPECT.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, FEMALES START COMING IN.

SO THAT WAS PRETTY WILD AND PRETTY LUCKY THAT WE WERE EVEN DOWN THERE WHEN IT WAS HAPPENING.

NARRATOR: THE FEMALES INSPECT ALL THE NESTS IN THE AREA BEFORE MAKING THEIR CHOICE.

WELL, THAT WAS PRETTY COOL.

FIRST GOT DOWN THERE, AND FEMALES WERE COMING IN, AND THE MALES WOULD GO CRAZY IN THEIR NESTS, AND THEY WEREN'T MATING, BUT THE MALE WAS JUST LIKE PIN-BALLING OUT OF THERE, JUST GOING CRAZY.

AND THEN FINALLY A FEMALE SETTLED IN AND A MALE CAME UP BESIDE HER.

YOU KNOW, HE'D COME IN, A LITTLE BITE ON THE CHEEK, AND HE SORT OF PULLS HIMSELF-- PULLS THE FEMALE TOWARDS HIM.

AND, WHOOSH, THEY DO THEIR LITTLE WIGGLE AND THE SPAWNING, AND YEAH, WE FINALLY, FINALLY GOT IT.

NARRATOR: SHE DEPOSITS HER EGGS AND LEAVES.

THE MALE FERTILIZES THEM AND STAYS GUARD UNTIL THEY HATCH.

THEN HE, TOO, ABANDONS THE NEST HE SO ELABORATELY BUILT.

OCEAN CURRENTS DO THE REST UNTIL NOTHING IS LEFT, EXCEPT RARE FOOTAGE OF A PHENOMENAL SIGHT.

MAKING SURE THE "BIG PACIFIC" CREWS STAYED SAFE ON LOCATION WAS CRITICAL.

ON THE WATER, KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THE WEATHER IS IMPORTANT.

AND DIVING HAS ITS OWN STRINGENT SAFETY PROCEDURES.

IN REMOTE LOCATIONS, HELP IS A LONG WAY AWAY, AND EVEN A MINOR ACCIDENT OR ILLNESS COULD HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES.

[ALARM] NARRATOR: BUT WHILE DANGER OFTEN GOES WITH THE TERRITORY, EVEN OUR HARDENED PROFESSIONALS ARE PRETTY ANXIOUS HEADING OFF ON ONE ASSIGNMENT... TO A PLACE WHERE POTENTIAL DISASTER LURKS IN EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY.

SO WE'RE HERE IN LUSHUN, IN A PORT IN NORTHEASTERN CHINA.

AND WE ARE GETTING READY TO GO OVER TO SHEDAO, WHICH IS A SNAKE ISLAND.

IT'S THIS AWESOME LITTLE ISLAND COMPLETELY COVERED WITH SNAKES.

SO THIS REPRESENTS ONLY A FRACTION OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE'VE JUST BROUGHT ONTO THIS BOAT.

SO NOW WE'RE HEADING OUT TO THE ISLAND AS FAST AS POSSIBLE TO BE SURROUNDED BY A MILLION SNAKES.

[CONVERSATION IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: THE CREW HAS PACKED ENOUGH GEAR AND SUPPLIES TO LAST THE TEN DAYS THEY'RE SCHEDULED TO FILM ON THE LEGENDARY SNAKE ISLAND IN CHINA'S BOHAI SEA.

SHEDAO TRANSLATES AS "SNAKE ISLAND," HOME TO 20,000 PIT VIPERS, THE ISLAND'S MOST FAMOUS RESIDENTS.

SHEDAO, SNAKE ISLAND.

IT'S YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE.

NARRATOR: WITH LITTLE TO PREY ON, THE VIPERS SLEEP ALL WINTER AND SUMMER.

FOR A FEW WEEKS IN THE SPRING AND FALL, FOOD FINALLY ARRIVES.

MIGRATING BIRDS STOPPING OVER ON THEIR LONG FLIGHTS TO AND FROM SIBERIA.

OUR CHALLENGE, FILMING IN A SNAKE PIT.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] [DEVICE BEEPS] NARRATOR: WE PUT UP A DRONE TO CHECK THE LAY OF THE LAND AND MAYBE GET A GLIMPSE OF THE NOTORIOUS SNAKES.

BUT BOOTS ON THE GROUND ARE NECESSARY TO GET THIS SHOOT STARTED.

HEADS UP.

JOHN CULLUM: HAVE YOU-- HAS ANYONE BEEN COUNTING?

SNIDER: A THOUSAND.

GUIDE: CAREFUL HERE.

NARRATOR: OUR CHINESE GUIDES WANT TO SHOW US HOW NUMEROUS THE SNAKES ARE.

WE GET THE PICTURE.

MAN: OH, YEAH.

SNIDER: DO YOU SEE HIM?

HE'S RIGHT THERE.

CULLUM: OH, GOD.

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN.

WHERE ARE THEY?

GOLDBERG: I'D RATHER JUST KEEP THEM CLOSED.

THEN I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT.

CAMERAMAN: YOU KNOW, I MEAN, HE WASN'T FAR OUT... NARRATOR: LATER ON, THE CREW STUDIES THE DRONE FOOTAGE TO SELECT THEIR FILMING LOCATIONS FOR TOMORROW.

CLIFF EDGES WILL PROVIDE NICE LIGHT AT DAWN.

THE FIRST DAY'S SHOOT.

MIGRATORY BIRDS ARE FLYING IN, AND THE SNAKES HAVE NOTICED.

AFTER THEIR LONG WAIT, THE VIPERS ARE STARVING.

THEY SLITHER TO THE TIPS OF BRANCHES AND SETTLE IN.

REPTILIAN BOOBY-TRAPS.

SNIDER: THE FIRST MORNING ON SNAKE ISLAND, I'VE SHOT A LOT OF SNAKE STUFF.

NEVER SEEN A DENSITY LIKE THIS.

THEY ARE EVERYWHERE.

SO WE'VE GOT AT LEAST 3 IN THIS BUSH RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, AND ALMOST EVERY BUSH HAS ONE GOING UP JUST WAITING FOR THESE MIGRATORY BIRDS TO COME THROUGH.

BUT IT'S GREAT.

SO WE'RE GETTING SOME WITH THE SUNRISE SHOT RIGHT NOW.

VERY EASY TO FIND.

NARRATOR: IT'S ALL ON ALL MORNING.

SNIDER: GRAB THAT.

ALL RIGHT.

PUFFER, YEAH, YEAH.

NARRATOR: AS EACH SNAKE CATCHES ITS MORNING MEAL, THE CREW HAS TO BUMP AND MOVE TO FIND A NEW SUBJECT TO FILM.

EVEN JUVENILES GIVE A FEISTY RESPONSE WHEN THEY'RE DISTURBED.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] SCOTT STILL DOESN'T HAVE THE MOST IMPORTANT SHOT, THE MOMENT A SNAKE STRIKES A BIRD.

THE SNAKE IS POISED, THE BIRD IS CLOSE...

BUT NOT CLOSE ENOUGH.

A LOT OF TIMES WITH SNAKES, IT'S BEING IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME, WHICH IS STILL THE CASE HERE.

BUT THERE'S SO MANY SNAKES, IT'S WHICH ONE YOU SET UP.

OH, OH, OH!

THREE BIRDS JUST WENT IN THAT BUSH, AND I SAW ONE STRIKE.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S SET UP A TRIPOD HERE.

SNIDER, VOICE-OVER: ADDING FRUSTRATION TO ALL OF THIS, THE BIRDS WHEN THEY GET HIT, THERE'S THIS CALL, DISTRESS, YOU KNOW, ALARM CALL.

IT WAS HAPPENING ALL AROUND YOU... CAMERAMAN: THERE'S THE SNAKE.

GET IT.

SNIDER: BUT BEING ON THE RIGHT SNAKE AT THE RIGHT TIME IN THE RIGHT PLACE, WITH A BIRD THAT'S SWOOPING IN... SNIDER: OH!

ANOTHER BIRD.

UNBELIEVABLY CHALLENGING.

I MEAN, THAT ENTIRE BUSH, THERE'S 7 SNAKES IN THAT BUSH, AND IT'S A SMALL BUSH.

I MEAN, THERE'S DECENT ODDS.

LIKE, THAT BIRD IS IN THERE ON THE FAR SIDE RIGHT NOW.

I CAN'T SEE IF IT TOOK OFF ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIDGE.

OH, NO.

I JUST SAW HIM HOP DOWN RIGHT THERE.

LET ME GET UP HERE.

[BIRDS CHIRPING] NARRATOR: SCOTT GETS SOME GREAT SHOTS.

LURKING.

LUNGING.

EATING.

NICE BUT NOT THE SHOT.

SNIDER: A SNAKE STRIKE IS JUST LIGHTING QUICK.

THERE'S NO WARNING FOR IT.

THERE'S NO "THIS IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN."

YOU HAVE TO BE ON IT, FINGER ON THE BUTTON.

THERE'S NO BREAK IN INTENSITY.

YOU JUST HAVE TO STAY REALLY FOCUSED ON WHERE THE BIRDS ARE THAT ARE MOVING IN YOUR AREA AND STAY ON THE SNAKE THAT YOU'VE TARGETED.

NARRATOR: SCOTT'S GETTING WORRIED HE'S NOT EVEN IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

SNIDER: THE MOTHER LODE OF BIRDS SOUND LIKE THEY'RE DEFINITELY RUNNING AROUND OVER THERE.

GUIDE: THEY'RE FLYING.

SNIDER: YEAH, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S BETTER OR WORSE.

WE'VE GOT ISOLATED CLUMPS THAT THE BIRDS ALL LAND ON... YEAH.

AS OPPOSED TO ENTIRE FORESTS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE AROUND IN.

AS FAR AS HEDGING YOUR BETS, I'M NOT REALLY-- I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S BETTER.

[BIRDS CHIRPING] NARRATOR: THE SHOT OF THE ATTACK IS THE CREW'S TICKET OFF THE ISLAND, AND THEY'RE ALL PRETTY KEEN TO BE ON SAFER GROUND.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SHEDAO, JON BETZ TRIES A DIFFERENT APPROACH.

WE'RE FILMING BIRDS, AND BIRDS ARE SKITTISH.

AND IF THEY SEE ME, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO COME CLOSE TO THIS SNAKE, AND I WANT THEM TO COME CLOSE TO THE SNAKE SO THE SNAKE CAN EAT THEM.

NARRATOR: BUT ALL HE CAN DO IS SIT AND SWEAT.

BETZ: IT'S JUST--LIKE IT'S PRETTY HOT OUTSIDE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT NICE BURN.

SO IT'S JUST NICE TO BE IN THIS HOT BLACK TENT IN THE SUN.

IT JUST ELEVATES YOUR BODY TEMPERATURE JUST TO THAT NICE BROILING LEVEL, YOU KNOW?

NARRATOR: DAY THREE, AND STILL NO WINNING SHOT.

SNIDER: THERE'S TWO OR THREE SPECIES THAT WILL JUMP OUT, EAT SOMETHING, COME BACK, AND THEY LAND RIGHT IN THESE LITTLE DEAD STICKS, SOME OF THESE SORT OF SUN-FRIED BUSHES IN THE BACKGROUND.

SO I TARGETED SNAKES THAT WERE SITTING, YOU KNOW, IN THAT TYPE OF SITUATION.

WHEN A BIRD COMES FLYING UP, IT'S THE ONE THING TO LAND ON.

FINALLY ONE OF THEM PAID OFF AFTER PUTTING A WEEK OF ALL DAY [CHUCKLES] INTO TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.

SO IT'S A GOOD--GREAT MORNING.

REALLY GREAT MORNING.

NARRATOR: MEANWHILE BACK IN THE SWEAT BOX, JON HAS CAPTURED A RARE MOMENT BUT NOT ONE HE WAS EXPECTING.

BETZ: SO I'M SITTING HERE IN THE MORNING AROUND 7:30, WAITING TO TRY TO GET THAT SNATCH MOMENT, AND I'M LOOKING IN MY VIEWFINDER, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HAD THIS SNAKE FRAMED UP, AND JUST A HUGE BIRD OF PREY FLIES RIGHT IN.

LOOKS LIKE IT'S ABOUT TO NAB THIS SNAKE.

THE SNAKE LOOKS CONFUSED; THE BIRD LOOKS CONFUSED.

I'M NOT SURE WHETHER THIS BIRD KNEW THE SNAKE WAS THERE OR WHETHER IT WAS TRYING TO GRAB IT.

I COULDN'T REALLY TELL.

IMMEDIATELY AS THE BIRD WAS FLYING UP, IT SPUN AROUND AND TRIED TO BITE THE BIRD.

WHETHER OR NOT THEY GET EATEN, IT'S STILL A DANGEROUS PLACE TO BE A BIRD.

NARRATOR: THE FILMING WENT OFF WITHOUT SERIOUS INCIDENT, AND THE CREW HAS THE STORY IN THE CAN.

IT WAS NOT THEIR CLOSEST BRUSH WITH DISASTER.

UNTIL A FEW YEARS AGO, AERIAL FILMING IN A REMOTE LOCALE COULD BE UNAFFORDABLE, DANGEROUS, OR DOWNRIGHT IMPOSSIBLE.

THANK HEAVEN FOR DRONES.

HIGH TECH AND INEXPENSIVE, THEY'VE TAKEN OUR WORK TO A NEW LEVEL.

WE CAME TO MILNE BAY IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA TO FILM A FORBIDDING CAVE OF HUMAN SKULLS, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER AERIAL FOOTAGE OF THE RAINFOREST CANOPY... [DRONE BUZZING] BUT IT WAS LIFE ON THE GROUND THAT CAPTURED OUR ATTENTION.

THE MOMENT PETER KRAGH PUT UP HIS DRONE, WE DISCOVERED WE HAD AN AUDIENCE.

NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE, BUT IT'S VERY INTERESTING.

NARRATOR: AND THERE'S AN UPSIDE TO MAKING NEW FRIENDS.

WE GOT A TREAT FROM LOCAL RESIDENTS WHO ARE ACROBATICALLY SKILLED AND CAN QUICKLY CLIMB UP SURROUNDING FRUIT TREES.

SO WHILE WE KEEP THE DRONE FLYING THROUGH THE THICK BUSH, THEY KINDLY TOSS US A LOCAL DELICACY, STRAIGHT INTO OUR LOCATION.

[CONVERSATION IN NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: PEELED AND SLICED WHILE WE WAIT.

YOU WANT TO TRY?

CAMERAMAN: YEAH.

CAMERAMAN DAVE ABBOTT IS MOST APPRECIATIVE.

ABBOTT: PERFECT WHEN YOU'VE JUST BEEN UP AND DOWN A HOT, SWEATY MOUNTAIN.

NARRATOR: MEANWHILE, FOR THE KIDS, DRONES TAKE A SIMPLE GAME OF TAG TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

[KIDS LAUGHING] JONES: WELL, THE KIDS ARE HAVING A LOT OF FUN WITH PETER'S DRONE THERE, GETTING CHASED AROUND AND CHASING IT BACK.

I'M NOT SURE WHO'S HAVING THE MOST FUN, PETER OR THE KIDS.

NARRATOR: "BIG PACIFIC" WAS THE FIRST TV PRODUCTION ALLOWED TO FILM FROM A DRONE OVER THE MAZE OF MANMADE ISLANDS AND WATERWAYS IN THE ANCIENT CITY OF NAN MADOL.

DAY ONE.

CAMERAMAN ERNIE KOVACS HAS JUST STARTED FILMING WHEN HE HAS TO STOP.

A TROPICAL STORM IS BREWING, HIGH WINDS THAT COULD BRING THE DRONE DOWN.

EVENING BRINGS CALM SKIES AND A STUNNING SUNSET THAT ERNIE CAN'T RESIST.

I WAS KIND OF TIRED AT THE END OF THE DAY, NOT REALLY THINKING ABOUT WHERE I WAS GOING.

I WAS LOOKING AT THE SUNSET, AND FLYING THE DRONE BACKWARDS WAS WHAT HAPPENED, AND I KNEW IT WAS A STUPID MANEUVER.

I TOOK THE DRONE OUT FOR A FLIGHT, AND THEN IT DISAPPEARED.

BUT IT'S KIND OF SAYING IT CAME BACK, BUT IT DIDN'T.

YEAH.

LOOK, HERE'S THE PATH.

IT WENT OUT THERE.

MAN: OH, IT COULD BE UP THERE, IN THAT MOUNTAIN HERE.

THIS IS-- SO IT'S IN THE BACK HERE.

HERE.

YEAH.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, OK. KOVACS: WELL, SOME GUYS HAVE TO JUMP IN THE BACK.

THE SUN'S SET.

QUINN BERENTSON: OPERATION RETRIEVE DRONE FROM TREE OR HOUSE.

NARRATOR: THEY CAN TRACK THE DRONE THROUGH ITS BUILT-IN GPS UNTIL ITS BATTERY DIES.

IT HAS JUST TWO HOURS' RUN-TIME.

JONES: YEAH, RIGHT.

NARRATOR: IF THEY CAN'T FIND IT, GETTING A REPLACEMENT DRONE TO REMOTE MICRONESIA WILL COST PRECIOUS DAYS OF FILMING.

THIS SHOOT COULD BE OVER BEFORE IT'S EVEN BEGUN.

WE'RE ZEROING IN ON THE DRONE.

THERE'S SOME PRETTY BIG TREES.

I'M NOT QUITE SURE.

WE'VE GOT A GPS, KIND OF, LOCK ON IT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW HOW HIGH OFF THE GROUND IT IS.

KOVACS: ALL RIGHT.

NARRATOR: IT SEEMS TO HAVE LANDED ON A SMALL FARM.

JONES: DO YOU HAVE ANY SNAKES HERE?

UH-OH.

JONES: NO, I'M TEASING.

HA HA HA!

WE'RE GETTING CLOSER.

BERENTSON: ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE DIALING IN ON IT.

BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE WAYS TO GO.

WHAT'S THAT SAY?

200 FEET.

LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ABOUT 150 METERS MAYBE TILL WE GET THERE.

DID ANYBODY BRING A FLASHLIGHT?

HA HA!

KOVACS: HELLO?

ANYBODY HOME.

NARRATOR: THE DRONE HAS ONLY HALF ITS BATTERY LEFT.

LESS THAN TWO HOURS UNTIL THE GPS SIGNAL SHUTS DOWN AND THE DRONE IS LOST FOR GOOD.

JONES: I DON'T THINK ANYONE LIVES HERE.

KOVACS: ANYBODY HOME?

[PIGS GRUNTING] JONES: AWW, THEY GOT LITTLE BABY PIGS IN THERE.

BERENTSON: WATCH THAT CONCRETE.

IT'S REALLY SLIPPERY.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATION] IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ABOUT 150 METERS UP, SO LIKE 400 FEET.

SO HE'S MANAGED TO CRASH IT OUT THE BACK OF A PIG FARM UP THIS STEEP HILL COVERED IN JAGGED VOLCANIC BOULDERS AND IMPENETRABLE FOREST.

[LAUGHS] HE'S JUST TAKEN OFF.

NARRATOR: IT'S ERNIE'S MISTAKE AND ERNIE'S MISSION, WITH ONLY HIS CELL PHONE TO LIGHT THE WAY.

I'M WEARING FLIP FLOPS, SO I GOT A BIT OF THE WAY UP AND, NAH, IT AIN'T HAPPENING.

SO WE'LL HAVE TO HOPE WE GET BOTH OF THEM BACK.

NARRATOR: 30 MINUTES PASS, NO SIGN OF ERNIE.

BACK TO THE HOTEL FOR REAL SHOES AND FLASHLIGHTS, THEN QUINN AND ADAM HEAD INTO THE JUNGLE TO FIND THEIR COLLEAGUE.

BERENTSON: WISH ME LUCK.

JONES: WELL, GOOD LUCK.

JONES: THE TERRAIN WAS LIKE A GREEN VERTICAL TREADMILL.

YOU'D THINK YOU WERE GOING SOMEWHERE, BUT YOU WERE ACTUALLY JUST SLIDING BACK DOWN THROUGH VINES.

THEN YOU'D PUT YOUR FOOT THROUGH A HOLE, AND YOU'D SLIDE DOWN TO YOUR ELBOWS.

AND I JUST KEPT LAUGHING BECAUSE QUINN WAS FALLING INTO ALL THESE HOLES.

YOU KNOW, HE'D FIND HIS WAY ACROSS SOME VINES AND THEN HE'D REACH SOME DRY VINES AND JUST CRASH STRAIGHT DOWN.

JONES: THESE ROCKS ARE SUPER SHARP.

THEY'VE GOT THE VINES-- ARE EVERYWHERE.

YOU CAN'T TELL WHERE THE HOLES ARE.

TO GET INTO THAT SWEATY JUNGLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT IS JUST WRONG.

ERNIE!

BERENTSON, VOICE-OVER: I YELLED OUT AND YELLED OUT AND COULDN'T HEAR HIM ANYMORE.

AND, YOU KNOW, I SUDDENLY THOUGHT WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ERNIE, YOU KNOW?

I MEAN, THE DRONE'S ONE THING.

BUT DRONES.

YOU CAN GET ANOTHER DRONE, BUT YOU CAN'T GET ANOTHER ERNIE.

ERNIE!

NOTHING'S RIGHT UP HERE.

NARRATOR: ALMOST TWO HOURS GONE, STILL NO ERNIE.

BERENTSON, VOICE-OVER: BY THEN IT WAS KIND OF TO THE POINT WHERE IT WASN'T THAT FUNNY ANYMORE, AND I WAS STARTING TO THINK THAT IF ANY OF US GET INJURED, THIS IS BAD.

WE WERE EXHAUSTED.

I WAS CRAMPING UP.

MY HANDS WERE CRAMPING UP.

I FELT LIKE I WAS GONNA FAINT.

ADAM'S AHEAD OF ME, AND WE GOT TO THIS CLIFF.

JONES: OOH, JEEZ!

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ROCK CRUMBLES, AND HE'S SLIDING DOWN THE CLIFF.

YEAH, I'M ALL RIGHT.

JUST BANGED MY LEG A BIT.

IT'S ALL RIGHT.

IT'S FINE.

[INDISTINCT] JONES: I CAN HEAR HIM.

BERENTSON: WHAT?!

KOVACS: I GOT IT.

HE GOT IT.

ALL RIGHT!

YOU'RE JUST OVER THE BACK, ARE YOU?

YES.

YOU'RE THAT WAY, OK. [INDISTINCT CONVERSATION] KOVACS: I FOUND IT.

IT'S ABOUT 30 FEET UP IN A TREE, BUT, LUCKILY, IT WAS A THIN TREE, AND I SHOOK IT REALLY HARD, AND IT FELL DOWN, AND I ACTUALLY CAUGHT IT BEFORE IT HIT THE GROUND.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S NOT DAMAGED.

I THINK WE'RE GOOD TO FLY.

WE'LL GET THOSE AERIALS OF NAN MADOL YET.

IF IT WASN'T FOR NAN MADOL, I WOULD HAVE JUST LEFT IT UP THERE.

[LAUGHTER] THAT WAS STUPID TO GO UP THERE.

[CHUCKLES] ALL RIGHT.

A LITTLE 360.

NARRATOR: TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, THIS IS THE FIRST DRONE FOOTAGE OF NAN MADOL, AN ANCIENT COMPLEX THE SIZE OF 90 CITY BLOCKS, ALL BUILT BY HAND.

KOVACS: THIS STUFF WAS WORTH THE CRAZY ADVENTURE TO GET THAT DRONE BECAUSE THIS LOOKS AWESOME.

I'M GLAD WE DIDN'T GIVE UP.

NARRATOR: AFTER AN EXHAUSTING NIGHT, ERNIE WORKS QUICKLY.

THE WEATHER'S THREATENING AGAIN.

BY THE TIME THE NEXT TROPICAL DOWNPOUR ARRIVES, ERNIE'S GOT EVERYTHING HE NEEDS AND THE JOB IS DONE.

ALL RIGHT!

SUCCESS!

[THUNDER] NARRATOR: IN OUR TRAVELS, WE MET THE BIG PACIFIC'S BEST PREDATORS.

THE BIGGEST.

THE BADDEST.

THE SNEAKIEST... AND THE PREDATOR AT THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN.

RELENTLESS AND SOMETIMES THOUGHTLESS.

WE'VE COME TO PALAWAN IN THE WESTERN PHILIPPINES, A RICH AND DIVERSE MARINE ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE HOPE TO FILM ONE OF THE SHYEST ANIMALS IN THE PACIFIC.

DUGONGS, SOMETIMES CALLED SEA COWS.

THEY'RE THREATENED WITH EXTINCTION IN SOME PARTS OF THE WORLD AND ENDANGERED EVEN IN REMOTE AREAS LIKE THIS.

CAMERAMAN SCOTT SNIDER AND GUIDE OMAR LINSANGAN WAIT FOR THEM TO DO WHAT ALL MARINE MAMMALS MUST DO, COME UP FOR AIR.

A MOTHER AND A CUB.

THERE WAS--THIS ONE?

YEAH.

OK.

I THOUGHT I MIGHT HAVE SEEN SOMETHING OFF THE PORT SIDE.

IT'S STILL THERE.

[MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY] CULLUM: YOU SEE THEM OUT THERE?

SNIDER: YEAH.

YEAH.

NARRATOR: TWO DUGONGS, ACTUALLY.

A MOTHER AND CALF.

THEY TOLERATE SCOTT'S PRESENCE FOR A WHILE.

THEN ONE DEEP DIVE, AND THEY'RE GONE.

NERVOUS DUGONGS MAKE ELUSIVE SUBJECTS.

CULLUM: WERE THEY REALLY AWARE OF YOU?

VERY AWARE.

YOU KNOW, CONSTANTLY LOOKING OVER THEIR SHOULDER.

SHE WAS WATCHING, AND THEY WERE CONSTANTLY IN A-- SORT OF IN ONE OF THESE PATTERNS.

AND I JUST--I HELD BACK, JUST SEEING IF THEY'D CALM DOWN AND SORT OF APPROACH ME, BUT THEY JUST DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THEY FELT LIKE IT.

GOOD, GOOD FIRST SIGHTING, THOUGH.

MOTHER AND CALF.

NARRATOR: A SURPRISE.

THEY'RE BACK.

[LOUD BOOM] SNIDER: AS WE'RE MAKING OUR APPROACH, WE'RE SLOWLY SLIDING IN, AND A DEAFENING BOOM UNDERWATER TRAVELED RIGHT THROUGH YOU.

SOMEBODY LOBBED OVER DYNAMITE.

YEAH, I MEAN, IT WAS, OBVIOUSLY, REALLY, REALLY STARTLING TO HEAR AND FEEL THAT UNDERWATER.

NARRATOR: IT LOOKS LIKE A CASE OF DYNAMITE FISHING, STRICTLY ILLEGAL AND A MISSION FOR OUR GUIDE OMAR, WHO HAS A SIDE JOB.

SNIDER: LOBBING A PIECE OF DYNAMITE IN TO GET, YOU KNOW, WHAT?

IT'S GOTTA JUST BE A COUPLE OF--YOU KNOW, A DOZEN FISH!

AND THEY'RE BLOWING HUGE CHUNKS OF THIS REEF APART JUST FOR THAT.

IT'S STARTLING.

IT'S REALLY DISTURBING.

NARRATOR: AND WHAT ABOUT THE DUGONGS?

THAT DEAFENING SOUND COMING THROUGH, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WENT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THIS BAY.

UM, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW-- WHO KNOWS WHERE THEY ARE NOW?

THE ODDS OF THEM STILL BEING IN THE SHALLOWS ARE ALMOST ZERO.

NARRATOR: OMAR'S BACK.

SNIDER: IT LOOKS LIKE THEY DIDN'T GET THE GUY, BUT THEY GOT THE BOAT, AND THEY'RE DRAGGING HIS OUTRIGGER BACK OVER HERE WHICH IS ACTUALLY--THAT'S A BIG LOSS.

[OMAR SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY] NARRATOR: HE CALLS FOR BACKUP.

I FOUND ONE OF THESE GUYS USING DYNAMITE, WHICH IS VERY ILLEGAL.

IT'S ALSO UNFAIR FOR EVERYBODY.

SNIDER: DID THEY JUST LOOK IN IT?

WAS ANYTHING IN THE BOAT?

NOT YET.

I DON'T LIKE TO TOUCH ANYTHING IN IT.

OH, WAIT TILL SOMEBODY GETS HERE.

WAIT FOR SOMEBODY OFFICIAL, YEAH... NARRATOR: THE BOAT IS NOW A CRIME SCENE.

AND SCOTT ALSO WANTS TO INVESTIGATE THE BLAST SITE FOR DAMAGE.

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY] ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'RE GONNA GO SEE IF WE CAN FIND WHERE HE THREW THE DYNAMITE, WHICH WE THINK WE KNOW THE AREA, AND GET SOME SHOTS OF THAT UNDERWATER.

ALL RIGHT.

NARRATOR: IT MAY NOT BE PLEASANT, BUT IT'S A RARE OPPORTUNITY.

SNIDER: YOU KNOW, WE DROP OVER THE SIDE AND GO DOWN.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE.

A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS, AND IT WAS TERRIBLE.

WE SWAM IN A CIRCLE ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF AN ACRE.

TOWARDS THE CENTER, THERE WAS NOTHING ALIVE.

YOU KNOW, NO FISH, NO ANYTHING.

JUST HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF FISH JUST LITTERING THE BOTTOM AND IN BETWEEN ALL THE DIFFERENT LITTLE FINGERS OF CORAL AND NOOKS AND CRANNIES, ALL OF IT DEAD.

YOU HAD SOME SURVIVORS THAT WERE SORT OF HALF-SHELTERED FROM THE BLAST.

YOU COULD SEE HOW DISORIENTED THEY WERE-- EH, SORT OF JUST SPINNING IN CIRCLES.

CULLUM: FIND ANYTHING?

YEAH, DEFINITELY.

IT WAS, PROBABLY THE MOST DISTURBING DIVE OF MY LIFE.

REALLY?

[EXHALES SHARPLY] [CONVERSATION IN NATIVE LANGUAGE] NARRATOR: THE COAST GUARD SENDS ANOTHER BOAT TO COLLECT THE EVIDENCE.

A DAY LATER, DEEPER WATER, AND THEY'RE SAFE.

SNIDER: AS FAR AS THE DUGONG THAT WE FILMED, THEY'RE VERY SKITTISH, WHICH IS GOOD.

THEY TRY TO AVOID PEOPLE, WHICH MAKES ME THINK THAT THE CAUTION COULD PLAY IN THEIR FAVOR AND THEY COULD LIVE SOME GOOD LIVES, BUT THEY HAVE A ROUGH TIME IN THE PHILIPPINES.

AND WITHOUT SOME GOOD ENFORCEMENT AND SOME STRONG LAWS IN PLACE, I WORRY ABOUT THEM.

NARRATOR: ACROSS THE BIG PACIFIC RISES THE ISLAND OF MALPELO.

300 MILES OFF THE COLOMBIAN COAST AND ONE OF THE WORLD'S PREMIERE DIVE SITES.

WE CAME FOR THE SHARKS, AND WE GOT AN EYEFUL.

THEN WE HEARD OF A GIANT THAT SHOULDN'T BE HERE.

THE RAGGED-TOOTHED SAND TIGER SHARK IS COMMON IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC, BUT NEVER SEEN THIS FAR NORTH, EXCEPT ONCE.

AND I START TO... NARRATOR: COLOMBIAN MARINE BIOLOGIST SANDRA BESSUDO STUDIES THE SHARKS AT MALPELO.

SHE TAGS THEM AND TRACKS THEM WITH UNDERWATER RECEIVERS...

WORKING WITH COLLEAGUE ERIKA LOPEZ.

[BESSUDO IMITATES RECEIVER BEEPING] NARRATOR: NOW SHE WANTS TO TAG HER ELUSIVE GIANT.

THE RAGGED-TOOTH SAND TIGER SHARK LIVES SO DEEP, SHE'LL HAVE TO USE A TAG THAT TRANSMITS TO SATELLITES.

SANDRA SAYS THE SHARK LIVES NEARER THE SURFACE THIS TIME OF YEAR, BUT FINDING IT AGAIN IS STILL A LONG SHOT.

MALPELO IS A BLOCK OF LAVA ATOP A SUBTERRANEAN MOUNTAIN, PLUNGING MORE THAN TWO MILES TO THE SEAFLOOR.

THE WATERS ARE DANGEROUS.

STRONG CURRENTS, A RELENTLESS SURGE, AND DROP-OFFS INTO INFINITY.

NARRATOR: FOR THREE DAYS IT'S THE SAME STORY: DARK WATER, NO SHARK.

OUR TIME HAS ALMOST RUN OUT.

ONLY ONE MORE CHANCE TO FIND THE ELUSIVE MONSTER.

ON THE LAST DAY, CLEAR WATER.

MALPELO REVEALS WHY IT'S ONE OF THE BIG PACIFIC'S RICHEST MARINE RESERVES.

[CONVERSATION IN SPANISH] NARRATOR: BUT WHERE IS THE MYSTERY SHARK?

NARRATOR: ON OUR LAST NIGHT IN MALPELO, SANDRA STILL SEARCHES FOR HER TIGER.

SHE FINDS SOMETHING ELSE, A YOUNG BOOBY STILL LEARNING TO FLY.

IT'S BEEN IN THE SEA TOO LONG AND IS TOO SOAKED TO TAKE OFF AGAIN.

NARRATOR: IT WAS MINUTES FROM BECOMING SHARK CHUM.

[CONVERSATION IN SPANISH] NARRATOR: WHEN IT DRIES OUT, SANDRA PLANS TO DROP THE YOUNG BIRD ASHORE.

WHEN THE SUN COMES UP TOMORROW, WE'LL ALL BE OFF ON A NEW ADVENTURE, LEAVING BEHIND THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY.

NARRATOR: THEY SAY TIME AND TIDE WAIT FOR NO ONE.

WE FOUND OUT THE HARD WAY.

EVERY SEPTEMBER, A NATURAL PHENOMENON CALLED THE SILVER DRAGON STIRS AT THE MOUTH OF HANGZHOU BAY.

IT STARTS AS A RIPPLE BUT DOESN'T STAY THAT WAY FOR LONG.

AN INCOMING SPRING TIDE MEETS THE QIANTANG RIVER'S POWERFUL CURRENT, FORMING A STANDING WAVE.

IT'S CALLED A TIDAL BORE, A TRUE TIDAL WAVE.

WE'RE FILMING ON THE WALLS OF HANGZHOU, CENTURIES-OLD AND STILL STANDING, PROTECTING THE CITY FROM FLOODING.

HERE THE DRAGON IS EXPECTED TO BE AT ITS FIERCEST, BUT EXACTLY WHERE, NO ONE KNOWS.

CAMERAMAN SCOTT SNIDER HAS TO TRUST HIS GUT.

SNIDER: YEAH, GO, GO, GO.

WE KNEW WE WANTED TO FIND THE AREAS THAT WERE GONNA YOU KNOW, LOOK THE MOST IMPRESSIVE.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE THERE, RIGHT?

TO SHOW THIS TIDAL BORE IN ALL OF ITS GLORY, SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THE BEST PLACES AND THE BEST ANGLES TO GET THESE SHOTS, ALL THE WHILE STAYING SAFE.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THIS THING IS SO BIG, IT BURSTS OVER THE WALLS AND KILLS PEOPLE.

[WOMAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY] NARRATOR: HE PLANS TO RACE THE WAVE, LEAPFROGGING AHEAD TO CAPTURE IT FROM AS MANY PERSPECTIVES AS POSSIBLE.

SNIDER: ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'LL FOLLOW THAT.

WE'LL TAKE THE LEAD.

WE GOTTA BE READY TO BOLT.

IT'S GONNA BE A JUMP OUT, GRAB A SHOT.

I WANT TO HIT THIS AS MANY TIMES AS WE CAN.

CULLUM: YEAH, WE BEAT IT.

SNIDER: AH WE GOT A LINE OF PIERS COMING UP, TOO.

SO, DAISY, LET'S GET DOWN HERE WELL PAST THE PIERS, AND WE'RE GONNA GET THEM CRASHING INTO IT.

NARRATOR: MORE THAN 7 MILLION PEOPLE LIVE IN ITS PATH.

BOATS WERE WARNED TO CLEAR THE HARBOR, BUT CROWDS OF ONLOOKERS STAY TO SEE THE DRAGON ROAR.

AND THEN IT ARRIVES.

SNIDER: WHEN YOU WATCH THE WAVE ROLLING IN FROM A DISTANCE, IT DIDN'T LOOK HUGE.

THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN A WAVE AT THE BEACH.

IT'S A FULL TIDE COMING IN ALL AT ONE TIME, SO IT'S INCREDIBLY POWERFUL.

NARRATOR: AT FIRST, IT LOOKS LIKE A 3-FOOT WAVE WITH NO TROUGH BEHIND IT.

BUT AS THE BAY BECOMES SHALLOWER, THE WAVE WILL GROW EVER LARGER.

SNIDER: AND THEN IT'S OVER, AND THEN IT'S MOVING UPRIVER.

WE WERE SORT OF LIKE, "LET'S GET AHEAD OF THIS THING AND GET ANOTHER ANGLE AND GET ANOTHER SHOT."

CULLUM: WOW!

LOOK AT THOSE WAVES!

DAISY: SHOULD WE STOP?

SNIDER: NO, JUST GO-- OH, GO AROUND THEM.

[HORN HONKING] YEAH, WE GOT TO GET IT.

GO, GO, GO.

GO, GO, GO, GO.

[DAISY CHUCKLING] CULLUM: KIND OF.

HERE.

I DON'T WANT--I WANT YOU TO-- HERE.

HOLD ON... SNIDER: BUSY UP HERE.

OH, THERE'S A GATE.

NARRATOR: A DEAD END, AND THE TIDE IS CATCHING UP.

SNIDER: DOES THE CAMERAMAN BLOCK US?

DAISY: RUN.

MAN: LET'S GO... NARRATOR: THE CREW HAS TO ABANDON THE VAN.

WE HAVE SECONDS TO SHOOT THE DRAGON BEFORE THE SHOW ENDS FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] SNIDER: ONE OF THE MOST DRAMATIC PLACES THAT WE FILMED, WE DISCOVERED WHAT A BACK-WAVE WAS.

THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A BIG SORT OF 90-DEGREE TURN IN THE RIVER, BASICALLY CREATING THIS GIANT OBSTACLE FOR THIS TIDAL BORE.

WOMAN: WHOO!

HA HA!

SNIDER: SO IT MAKES THIS GIANT CRASH AND THEN STARTS ROARING BACK UPRIVER.

IT'S DEFINITELY CRASHING OVER THE SIDES OF THE RAILS.

AND THAT WAS A REAL DRAMATIC KIND OF THING TO SEE.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS] WOMAN: OH, WOW.

WOMAN: WHOO!

OH!

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS CONTINUE] SNIDER: GIVE IT A MINUTE.

IT'S GOING TO BE BIG.

CULLUM: OH, MAN.

WAY BIG.

HEADS UP WITH THE GEAR, HEADS UP WITH THE GEAR.

NARRATOR: WE WONDER IF A CAMERA LASHED TO THE SEA WALL CAN WITHSTAND THE DRAGON.

NARRATOR: SUCCESS.

THE DRAGON RACES ON TO LOSE STEAM UPRIVER AND DIE.

[CONVERSATIONS IN CHINESE IN DISTANCE] NARRATOR: TIME FOR THE CREW TO CHECK THEIR SHOTS.

BETZ: OH, YEAH!

SNIDER: SEE THE GUY IN THE CORNER?

WATCH THIS.

HERE.

WATCH THIS.

BETZ: THAT WAS AWESOME.

ALL RIGHT.

GOOD.

CULLUM: SWEET.

I WAS WORRIED THAT THAT DIDN'T EVEN ROLL AT THAT POINT.

I KEPT TELLING MYSELF LIKE, "OH, WELL..." YOU WERE RIGHT HERE.

"IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A LITTLE SPLASH," BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO, LIKE, GET DISAPPOINTED, AND THEN THIS THING WAS LIKE THIS INCREDIBLE RAGING TIDE.

THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING THINGS...

I'VE EVER SEEN.

YEAH.

YEAH, THAT WAS FUN.

NARRATOR: IT'S NOT EVERY DAY YOU GET TO TANGLE WITH A CHINESE LEGEND.

OUR CREW ADDS DRAGON CHASING TO ITS LONG LIST OF ACHIEVEMENTS.

BUT SOMETIMES IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT WE REMEMBER THE MOST.

FILMING WILDLIFE AND NATURAL HISTORY IS A JOB LIKE NO OTHER.

IT GETS IN YOUR BLOOD.

IT'S HARD, DIRTY, DANGEROUS... AND INSPIRING.

AND FEW PLACES INSPIRE LIKE THIS ALMOST ENDLESS OCEAN.

BIG RESPECT.

BIG PACIFIC.

ANNOUNCER: "BIG PACIFIC" IS AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY AND DVD.

THE COMPANION BOOK IS ALSO AVAILABLE.

TO ORDER, VISIT SHOPPBS.ORG OR CALL 1-800-PLAY-PBS.

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