Mysteries of the Deep

Believe it or not, recreational shark encounters are now one of the most popular attractions in scuba diving. High adrenaline shark feedings attract not only hungry sharks, but also fascinated divers. This episode will feature several shark species and shark encounters from around the world. Expedition divers will test new technology to closely study and photograph the animals.

In the 1990's, three large naval vessels were intentionally sunk as part of the world's most ambitious artificial reef project. Instead of being sold as scrap metal, the ships were purchased by the Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia. This program will follow the preparation and sinking of these ships and document their progress underwater as man made reefs.

This program will feature several colourful treasure hunters including Mel Fisher, Teddy Tucker, and Henry Cox. The program will follow the men as they search for lost ships and artefacts. Expedition divers will travel to Bermuda, an island early Spanish sailors deemed, "Isle of Devils" because of its treacherous reefs and work with Tucker and Cox on their latest finds. Preservation techniques for artefacts and different types of treasure coins will also be examined.

One of the world's richest and most diverse ecosystems is under attack from human settlement and over fishing. This program will explore the magnificent underwater world of the Galapagos Islands including remarkable encounters with hammerhead and whale sharks. The program will also examine the threats to the islands from foreign fishing interests.

250 miles south of the Baja Peninsula of Mexico lie the remote Socorro Islands. These islands are home to an astonishing array of marine life including humpback whales, dolphins and giant manta rays. Expedition divers will study & interact with mantas and will also examine the intelligence of fish and how they "think".

Expedition divers will travel to the Cayman Islands to explore the Cayman Trench aboard a deep sea submersible. Divers will also examine the shallow coral reef and its nocturnal residents. In addition, this program will document the progress of a former Soviet warship sunk as an artificial reef off the coast of Cayman Brac. The rays of "Stingray City" will also be featured.

On February 17th and 18th, 1944, U.S. forces launched one of the largest military operations of WWII. When Operation Hailstone was complete, over 50 Japanese warships lay at the bottom of Truk Lagoon. This program will follow the search for the last undiscovered ship of Truk, the Katsuragisan Maru.

No other creature are more greatly admired by humans than dolphins. This program will examine man's relationship with dolphins and document interactions with the animals both in the wild and in captivity. Expedition divers will travel to the Bahamas for encounters with wild dolphins and bottlenose dolphins in captivity.

Below the surface of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula lie the world's most extensive collection of underground, water filled caves. These unique formations are almost entirely filled with clear, fresh water. The expedition team will explore some of the region's more notable cave systems and work with expert cave divers to train for the hazardous dives.

In the cold depths of the Great Lakes lie the remains of thousands of shipwrecks. With the advent of modern scanning technologies, many of these ships are just being discovered after hundreds of years underwater. Expedition divers will join an archaeological team to survey and identify an important new find.

Three hundred miles due west of Costa Rica lies mysterious Cocos Island. This remote speck of land is a magnet for massive schools of sharks, giant manta rays, and other unique marine life. The camera team will document the remarkable undersea world of Cocos, an island that once was a hiding place for pirates and buccaneers. The show will also examine the destructive practice of shark fishing on the marine ecosystem.

Along North America's Pacific coast from Alaska to Mexico, thick forests of kelp are home to an amazing array of marine animals. Providing habitat, protection and food, the kelp forest is like a busy coral reef or tropical rainforest. The camera team will travel to California's Channel Islands and northern British Columbia to film the exciting world of the kelp forest.

In central Florida, a large marine mammal is faced with extinction. Manatees are threatened with pollution, boat traffic and disease. Only a few thousand of these animals still exist. This program will feature these remarkable animals and highlight efforts to save them from extinction.

The Hawaiian Islands are a unique archipelago formed by volcanic activity. Lava spewed forth from the sea, creating a magical underwater world filled with lava caves, stunning coral reefs, and incredible marine life. The camera team will document the evolutionary process of lava as it surfaces underwater and film encounters with Hawaii's undersea residents including whales and dolphins.

Off the coast of the Dominican Republic, the world's largest group of humpback whales congregate in the winter months to rear their young. Two thousand whales travel here from the north Atlantic each winter. The camera team will film the adult whales as they teach their new offspring how to survive. Team members will also film killer whales in the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Northwest.

This program will deal with endangered sea turtles. Team divers will travel to Malaysia to film the turtles and their remarkable life cycle. "Turtle Cavern Tomb", a graveyard of turtle skeletons, and efforts to protect the animals from poachers will also be featured. The camera team will also visit the Galapagos and Hawaiian islands.

On tiny Walker's Cay in the northern Bahamas, a unique shark feeding attracts almost two hundred aggressive sharks. A large block of frozen fish is released from the surface and hungry sharks immediately begin an exciting feeding frenzy. The program will feature efforts to tag and study Caribbean reef sharks and other species with researcher Dr. Eric Ritter.

A tiny group of remote islands in Micronesia is considered one of the world's most fascinating undersea environments. Lakes filled with harmless jellyfish, schools of large sharks, and several unique marine animal encounters will be featured in the program. Team divers will also explore shipwrecks of the famous WWII battle for Peleliu.

Papua New Guinea is one of the world's last remote outposts in a sea of civilization. The undersea world surrounding the islands is one of the richest marine environments in the world. The camera team will travel to New Guinea to document the astonishing variety of fish, mammals and invertebrates of the Bismark Sea. Team divers will also explore relics of WWII battles including tanks, planes and shipwrecks.