Do sea monsters have
really gone? Despite the increasing precision
of our knowledge, our imagination continues to give birth
aquatic monsters and wonders. Today, scientists
try to study rationally, the untamed and unpredictable giants, the origin of these myths. But how to interfere in the aquatic kingdom, without changing their behavior? They offer biologists
sailors around the world, an original method to approach
their subjects of study, apnea. Below the surface mirror, we can just have a little preview, but this little insight opens doors
and gigantic possibilities. This fishman travels below the surface, with only trapped air
in his lungs. The meeting is suggested. It is the animal that takes the initiative. He thus approaches the giants of the seas
to photograph them, identify them, mark them. When scientists ask me
to work with them, As part of assignments
they could not do otherwise, than employing a freediver. I think of the concrete example
shark markings. But how did it get there? Who is this elegant hyphen
between myths and knowledge? Can he reconcile man with
his ancestral fears of the unknown? My name is Fred Buyle, I am a freediver, since... I'm not going to say my birth, but since the age of four or five. I lived near the sea,
so at the Belgian coast, for the first years of my life. I am an only child. I tended to spend a lot
time with myself, go play outside. And then my first real memories, I really wanted to go under the sea. So until then,
I was only above the sea, and I looked under the water, just through the surface
hoping to see something. I always have a part of naivety
in my vision of the sea. We can always think that there is an animal, which has never been observed,
which will arise in front of us, that we will be the first to have
this or that behavior. So you have to be very open
and a little naive I think. My father gave me the desire, to go to the sea. He always had boats. When I was born he was building
boats in the garden. We always spent several months
per year on sailboats for cruising. I think he really got me
transmitted the sea virus, but he was not a diver. But he really left me, this desire to go on the water, that I have transformed
want to go underwater. I was very quickly sought
informations, in books, before knowing how to read, obviously but just
the images told me stories, and so I projected myself into these books. Among them, a very old book, bound in leather and written in Latin
in the 17th century, by one of the first Italian naturalists
with an unforgettable name, by Ulisse Aldrovandi. This book, I devoured it for years. It is an object that has survived the centuries. And then above all, it is the interpretation
that the ancients had of the underwater world. Some fish were known,
so we have fairly detailed descriptions. Drawings, engravings
are very close, from what can be observed.
If we take a fish like a saup, it is exactly described. On the other hand, there are many marine animals, from which naturalists did not recover
only small pieces, a jaw, a rostrum. And so from there,
they were trying to extrapolate, the animal to whom could
belong to these attributes. And there, of course, we arrive in a species
fantastic bestiary, with animals that don't look like
not at all to reality, but which populated the imagination
of these illustrators. I think these old books have also
generated vocations, allowed men to have
less afraid of the sea, and decide to unravel the mystery. Me first. In Belgium, imaginary monsters
have always been part of its landscape. Especially the gargoyles. The variety of their forms is prodigious. There are no two alike. The legend even says that the gargoyles
howled at the approach of evil. I understood that,
as in those of old books, these creatures were inspired
real animals. But since Belgium was not
wilder for a very long time, these animals could not come
than the ocean. For Belgians, the North Sea
is an extension of their flat country. A window to freedom. An infinite reservoir of surprises. No recent book explained
to whale strandings. However, his old bestiary, him,
had not forgotten it. We recognized a whale with a square forehead, with a side vent. As shown, she had no teeth
than on the lower jaw. And what teeth! Dozens of conical teeth,
big as his finger. His book called him,
the monstrous whale. Later I learned
that her name was Cachalot, and that she was diving very deep. Her skin was covered with mysterious
disc-shaped scars. It was like hieroglyphs
that he had to decipher. Beside this rotting carcass, he had caught a virus. The virus of the depths. Now I not only wanted to go under, but at the bottom of the sea, in the world of the sperm whale. Since then I have seen other strandings
of cetaceans in Belgium. Each time, I was sad but intrigued. Fred was like a budding scientist, thirsty for knowledge
but petrified with doubts. Doubts that made him mature, growing up. Over the years, his father's sailboat ventured
ever further out. To the land of the sperm whales. From the surface, he only saw a few breaths
and some backs, but they were alive. Curiously, we almost crossed them
always above 1000 meters depth, near the islands. Like for example in the Azores. When we were on big cruises, each stopover was an opportunity to understand
how man lived with his environment. How he exploited its riches. and riches,
the Azores has no shortage of them. Sperm whales are part of their culture. A very ancient culture. which has been preserved. The sperm whale, fishing and volcanoes, it is their identity. However, these islanders do not always have
been tender with the sperm whales. Until the 1980s, they hunted and butchered
the sperm whale for its fat. Since then, oil and public opinion, have transformed these butcher shops into a museum. Hunters have become
gamekeeper and naturalizes. They noticed that sperm whales
ate huge calamari. They found them sometimes
dying on the surface. The cupping marks on their skin,
would it be them? To be sure, you really had to
let me look below the surface. When I started to go in the water, with my mask and my flippers, to watch the fish. The first thing I did,
it was to recognize them. So I had them in the book. And I recognized them in the water. But what it brought me more, it is the behavior.
Because obviously in the book, we are going to describe the fish, we see a beautiful board, with the fish that is described, but we don't know
what is this fish doing? And so for example, I could pass, very very long minutes, to observe a parrotfish. I knew it was a parrot fish,
I recognized him very well, compared to the book. But I had no idea what he was doing. So I watched him,
I watched how he moved. What he was trying to eat or catch, how he did it, if he had specific behaviors
and try to see what he was going to do next. So it kept me busy
hours and hours. These animals that were
all flat in a book, very well described, very nicely drawn, there they came to life. And it was very surprising, because he was doing things
which I did not expect. It was to add a dimension to the animal. Young Fred Buyle
still out of breath, but his choice is fixed. His life will be dedicated to the underwater world, and its creatures. Return to the country, to Belgium, for water dives
cold and cloudy. To realize his childhood dream, Fred decides to train in apnea. To become a dolphin man, in the lake. When we start apnea,
the most difficult, of course, is to try to acquire
technical skills. A good kick,
good relaxation. Once we have assimilated
technical background, it will take a little bit
train fitness. In apnea, there is a rather interesting relationship, between the technical capacities,
physical and mental. We're going down in the water,
therefore a hostile environment, a cold, dark environment. We are going a little against nature. You have to really try
to ignore that. With years of experience,
it comes by itself, but at first, maybe that's it
the greatest difficulty. Then, of course,
the mind will take over. And as in all activities,
at some level, each athlete will have a technical background
and equivalent physics. We will make a difference mentally. Freediving is obviously a sport
where the mental component, is really essential, since we still touch a little bit
to humanity's primary fears. So be mentally flexible, and being able to deal with those kinds of emotions, it will make a big difference, and that will allow progress. In a few years, Fred Buyle
will repeatedly become, world record holder for freediving in the lake. But no matter the records, basically, they are only pretexts, encounter with creatures
of this opaque world. catfish, up to 2m50 in length
and more than 100 kg. These cowardly giants had already been
listed by Aldrovandi. They will remain fleeting memories, dark ghosts. On the contrary, Fred's choice is crystal clear. With this rough training in troubled water, freediving in clear waters
from the ocean will be easy. He can now rub
to the best freedivers in the world. All sounders off. It's 7:40 a.m., first official topo
in 15 minutes for the first opener. It's a period of my life
where I could learn that human beings have no limits, or has only the limits
that he fixes himself. It is important to be able
stay within its limits. It is also a period
where you learn a lot about yourself, on what we are able to endure,
what we are able to do. And that, I think... It really is one of the most
important that competition has taught me. If we analyze an apnea dive, a
dive, let's say, quite deep. She's really gonna break down
in several phases. The first phase is a relaxation phase,
of introspection on the surface, to really leave
as relaxed as possible. The key in apnea is relaxation. So we're going to breathe very slowly,
slow down the body, try to go with
a very low heart rate. Then we'll do the duck
and sink below the surface. The first meters are... I won't say violent but still enough
in force since it is necessary to overcome the buoyancy. So we're still going to give a lot
rather energetic strokes of the palms, and then slow down the stroke gradually, as we descend. And there everything will slow down, there we really go
focus on diving, try to empty. and just focus on the sensations. Around 20, 25 meters, kicking slows down very sharply, to stop completely
around 30 or 35 meters. From there, we move on to the phase
the most pleasant of deep apnea, it's the slide to the bottom.
So we're gonna stop palming, just focus on clearing
ears, clear the air, and we'll slide further
one meter per second, down to the target depth. And these are really the feelings
the strongest. It's very nice. Pressure, you have to make it your ally. Every ten meters, we have a kilo, per square centimeter of additional pressure. So it's huge, on the surface of the body,
it is a colossal pressure. If we fight against this pressure, if we fight against her, we can never win. So the key to deep apnea,
is to accept the pressure. Above all, don't think
at the depth at which we are. We must not think that we have 60, 80
or 100 meters of water overhead. You really have to be mentally flexible. When we get to the bottom
and where we make the turn. There, on the other hand, we enter the phase
the hardest of apnea, since we will have to start from scratch, with very negative buoyancy. We are very heavy at the bottom,
you will have to paddle vigorously during, the first 15, 20 meters of the ascent. The closer we get to the light
and surface, the warmer the water will become. And that, that allows us, without looking at
deep 10 meters, to know more or less where we are. When we arrive in the 15,
last 20 meters of the lift, there, you have to relax again
the most possible, because there, we are really in debt of oxygen
so you have to slow down the movements, and make the best use of buoyancy, which will carry us to the surface. For a decade, Fred chained the apneas from
of these makeshift rafts, where freedivers watch each other
and get jealous. Freediving is still a young sport, so it has potential for
develop performance. I don't think we're at the limit yet. In constant weight, we can
go familiar with the 140 meters. For more power,
some competitors adopt the monofin. Every year, everyone gets together
for an international race, to the great depths. It is a school of humility, it is a school of patience. We go through ups, downs. It is a kind of concentrate of life. It's a time when you learn a lot about yourself. on what we are able to endure,
what we are able to do. For me, it's a period
during which I met, key people in my life and with which I continue
to spend a lot of time. We have experienced exceptional sporting adventures
because we were competitors first, while we were training together. In fact, he's not a freediver,
he is an aerial man, one of those human beings
who at one time could have get a gill transplant here
and live underwater. Fred is a bit of a freediving sage. It's someone who had and who has, always a little back
compared to others, it's a bit closer
also from nature. What brought us to the competition
snorkeling with Fred, it's our unconditional love
of the sea and a quest, a spiritual quest, a sporting quest, a physical quest, a simple quest. We are people who have
desire to live from the sea, for the sea and with the sea and to the sea. One day it was during a dive, during a competition
for a world championship in 2000, in the middle of the dive, at 35 meters,
I turned around, so in the middle of the descent, because I said to myself:
"But what am I doing here?" I had lost this desire a little bit, because I felt like
to always repeat the same thing. And so from then on,
it was a break. I stopped out of weariness. Composition requires a lot of energy. There are workouts, there are all
the psychological part, the preparation. When we succeed once, twice,
three times, four times, five times... We'll move on. No, wait Fred, you can't
leave like that. Please. I knew I had other things
which were beginning to take shape, with a more natural apnea,
more in relation to the environment, we spent more time with the animals
and explore the ocean. Without preconceived ideas about its future, Fred Buyle has put his suitcases in the middle
from the Atlantic, to the Azores, for a return to basics. His thirst for knowledge could not be quenched
than in bestiaries. In all the books, his
and those of libraries. The books were a revelation. It accompanies me
it's like a kind of long journey, and they are still part of my universe. After several years of apnea, I was able to understand the genesis
sea monsters. Many are born from observations
browsers, who did not see the ocean
than from the surface. above the foam,
the sea was then only terror, and fascination. With giants of the seas
like the white shark, we built eternal myths for, for example, to evangelize. Obviously it is difficult
to believe in swallowed Jonas, and then spat out
by a so-called whale. The Invention of Monsters
always had a purpose. According to some shadows seen
beneath the surface, sailors could swallow the unbelievable. To promote their profession, they invented some sea serpents
and other sirens. False descriptions of an animal in
poor condition or floating in the open sea, resulted in extraordinary beings. Curiously, from one card to another, the same monsters reappeared. They were inspired by real animals. Their size surpassed ours, and they haunted the edges of the Known World. Wacky descriptions have given way
to specific descriptions. When naturalists were able
observe in detail the giants of the seas, at the edge of our world. Like those dead or dying whales, that Fred saw in his childhood,
in Belgium. Even today, scientists
are often unable to bail them out. But by systematically studying
the creatures, sin or fail, they progressively described, classified, and compared the anatomy of animals, who inspired these legendary creatures. The humpback whale, for example. Thanks to them, we know that it is a marine mammal,
a baleen whale. Thus, the first naturalists, gradually killed, fanciful myths. But they didn't know anything about biology
sea giants, because they did not venture
only very rarely offshore. Since then they try to find out more, to observe them alive, to worry about their fate. It would be time. In less than a century, fishing has developed, industrialized, and those who were called monsters are massacred, before even being really known. The shark problem
it's that we overfish them, we kill about 75 million every year, and all this before even studying them,
before knowing their behavior. I think we're doing things backwards. There, we left to have a
extinction of certain species, before I could even understand
how they lived. So that is intolerable. The problem is the greed of men,
for sure. For me, right now, the only thing, who will be able to stop overfishing, is that fishing will no longer be
commercially viable. I think it's utopian
to believe in some regulation, and enforcement of regulations. Faced with these industrial giants
with international ramifications, can a fishman
raise awareness, on the state of the dumb people
who lives below the surface? I never know what tomorrow is made of, and it is both thrilling and frightening. Luckily, Fred discovers
a recent report of ****, an animal welfare organization. She still judges that 40% of sharks
are considered data deficient, which means that we do not know enough
data on their biology, to decide on the protective measures to be taken. Why not exploit his freediving skills, to bring back proof by image
and information on these sharks? Something in him grows. Fred draws his life project. Heading for South Africa. These wild coasts brewed by
a cold current and turbid waters, harbor the largest concentrations
of coastal sharks. Fred joins a freediver named Steve Benjamin there. He discovered some unknown sharks,
rightly designated as deficient data, by IUCN. He calls them Cow Sharks. Understand, cow shark. Fred, we're going to cross the other side of the forest
of Kelp by swimming through the pass. We might find the cow sharks there, they may not be there,
there may be many. It really depends on the day. They can be quite large, between 1 meter and 2m50. There may be big sharks there, but let's swim to the other side of the forest
and let's see what we find. There may be a few, especially in summer, when the water gets warm enough,
up to 30 or 50 at a time. At the same time ? Yes, in the same corner. But you will see as many as possible
only ten at a time. With the first scientific expeditions, I really realized that apnea
is a constant questioning. You always have to readjust we come across surprises
and you always have to renew yourself. The little bath before the giant seaweed forest, has a surprise in store for them, pajama sharks. Under this nickname, hide from endemic sharks
of South African coastal waters. Frequent victims of fishermen, enigmatic animals. Again, the IUCN considers them threatened but, does not have data to confirm
protective measures to be taken. Can Fred start a census program, with these stealthy sharks? Despite his talents, it cannot be combed through
the maze of rocks and crevices, which serve as pantry
to his little ogres. These studies should focus
on large animals. animals potentially
dangerous for humans. Like cow sharks. Still need to find them deeper. When I dive I think there's always
this search for inner peace, especially in apnea, we are obliged
to really be in the moment. I will open my eyes
to see if there are animals, and it is, generally,
a very comfortable phase. After a moment, a few tens of seconds, we will begin to feel the first
signs of the need to breathe. If there are animals,
if there is something going on, either we have the choice to prolong the apnea, and pull a little on it, or if there is still nothing, maybe we'll go up
and do another apnea. But if the freediver is dependent
air trapped in his lungs, to explore the seabed, what is its advantage over
to a scuba diver? The freediver is very discreet, so it will be much easier
to approach an animal. And better yet,
the animal will be able to approach us. He will come to us. And that, for a photographer or a cameraman,
it is obviously the Holy Grail. With sharks in general,
we must try to put in place, a relationship with them. It's not a balance of power,
because then we would lose. I would say it's a bit like
the game of cat and mouse. If we adopt prey behavior,
we are getting smaller, it will tend to get closer, if
on the contrary, we take up space in the water, and we go to him,
it will tend to back off. So we will always try
to play with this relationship. The appearance of these sharks, is primitive. For good reason. They have remained unchanged since
the time of the first dinosaurs. Paradoxically, with our hooks and nets, we may be in the process of
to destroy them in a few years. To know the status
of certain animal populations, scientists often use
to photo ID catalogs. Luckily, the skin of his sharks is studded
distinctive white and black spots. Each shark has its starry dress. Fred Buyle undertakes to manufacture
a veritable trombinoscope, of this population
sedentary sharks. To properly identify,
no one should be forgotten. here, multiply the dives
and photos in different seasons. Fred thus brings his first
contribution to the study of sharks. A science in motion. In the absence of an irrevocable demonstration, science considers
that nothing is ever acquired. By photographing the tasks
characteristics of sharks, Fred Buyle has speculated. Will it stand the test of a review
by a specialist, in this case, that of the shark specialist
from South Africa, Meaghen McCord? You think we can do something
from these shots? On the fact,
That's a great idea Fred. But preliminary research
were conducted in South Africa, and it turns out that we can't use
photo identification for this species. Oh good ? Why ? It would seem that the spots are scalable, and they change as
as the animal grows. If you want to use photo identification, focus your efforts on groups
same age or size. So we can't do anything with these photos? Unfortunately, I think not. And can we use
photo identification, for other shark species? Yes, there has been research
on other species, and it seems to be possible
for whale sharks. There is software that allows
researchers to identify brands, and stains on an animal's body. The information is entered into a database, which makes it possible to evaluate the populations
and their migration patterns. So you think we can do a job
about whale sharks, but not on cow sharks? Absolutely. Let me grab this book,
I will show you. Here is Fred Buyle launched towards a profession
which does not yet exist. The scientific freediver. Towards the eastern Indian Ocean, a region that has long remained unknown
by early explorers. Here is freediver Fred Buyle
at the end of the world. Isolated east of Indonesia, the wild bay of Cenderawasih, remains difficult to access. A local legend speaks
large spotted sharks, under the protection of benevolent spirits. For Fred, marine legends
always harbor a grain of truth, like a secret to unearth under the surface. An animal to meet, to protect. whale shark,
it is the largest fish in the world. In the Pacific and the Indian Ocean,
they are often harpooned. Unlike other shark species,
their flesh is nevertheless quite appreciated. And also for the famous fins
which sell for gold on the market in Asia. So it's a gigantic but fragile animal. In Cenderawasih Bay, the beneficent spirit would protect
whale sharks from fishermen's harpoons. But no one knows how much
whale sharks live here. Fred tries to apply
advice from Meaghen McCord, to contribute to a vast
international investigation. The idea is to take a picture
always the same place of the shark. i.e. the left side, at the level of the pectoral fin
and gill slits. And thanks to the characteristic tasks
of every whale shark, we will be able to identify
precisely the individual. And the most fun,
is that to do this, scientists use
a computer program, which is derived from a program
that NASA uses, to map the constellations. But to document
its underwater constellations, you have to be able to swim at the speed of the giant. An almost impossible operation in the open sea. Sharks are too fast. You have to find an area where the sharks
arise to feed. Go back to the origin of the legend. In Cenderawasih Bay, fishermen set up boats
makeshift for a fishing campaign. Indonesians stay several months
in a row on these platforms, which they call Bagan. He fishes at night using powerful
lights and nets. Attracted by the lamparos, the ****, a variety of anchovies, are held in place by fine mesh. Life on board is spartan and depends
courtesy of the electricity fairy. Day and night they circulate in lines
wet, rusty and bare, to power dozens of lamps. Intermittently,
it feeds a freezer, where the fishing trophies hide. Faced with this mistreatment,
the electricity fairy is inevitably capricious. Also, fishermen have become accustomed
to keep their anchovies alive, in nets. While waiting for a collector ship to pass, they bathe in hot water
and oxygenated bay. Such a windfall of fresh protein, inexorably attracts the greatest
bay residents. A boon for Fred looking
sedentary whale sharks. But why don't fishermen hunt
not these sharks who steal their livelihood? It's a good thing these whale sharks
around your bagans? When we fish at night, the sharks,
they turn around the bathed one, and collect the anchovies in our nets. They are our allies. It is thanks to them that we fish so well. What is your relationship with these sharks? They are attracted to light they follow the bagans when they are moved. We attract them with landing nets of anchovies
and them, they find us by smell. When they arrive, we catch lots of anchovies. That's why we never hunted them. Never ? No never. Fred thus obtains a precious sesame, to dive with the sharks who answer
at the call of a landing net filled with anchovies. How will they react to the presence
of an underwater intruder? These shy giants are used to men, but only on their skiff. Fred retains the teaching of the dives
with cow sharks. Let the shark come. Under the Bagan he will use
his extraordinary freediving abilities, to arouse the curiosity of sharks, and photograph them. From one bagan to another, Fred Buyle enriches the database
scientists from hundreds of cliches. Better, alongside these placid giants,
he is in a good school. Learn where to stand how to use shark strength, how to anticipate his movements, and what are the differences
from one individual to another. These are things that normally, when you come across a whale shark,
we never have the opportunity to observe, because they are just passing through. Here we can really
work with them for a long time, so we learn a lot of little things. It is the animal, obviously, par excellence, who can inspire a legend
or a myth about sea monsters. The whale shark can reach 18 to 20 meters. I imagine that in the 15th, 16th century,
there must have been individuals sticking out, 22, maybe even 25 meters long. So even an animal of 15 or 18 meters,
if we don't know, that we have no idea what it is,
It's a monster. In addition, at the time
between a white shark and a whale shark, we weren't really doing
the difference when you saw it at sea. That is really the animal, which typically,
may inspired a sea monster. In addition with her gray dress with spots, and the dots,
it's still quite mysterious. Plus it slides on the surface
and you can see the fins sticking out. It's really something
who can inspire people. It shows, it flows naturally. Here's how to cook sea monsters
inspired by the largest fish in the world. We reserve the gigantism of the whale shark, and their jaws are lined with sharp teeth, inspired by small carnivorous sharks. It is precisely these little devils who
are waiting for Fred, for a much more difficult mission. Back off South Africa, where his freediving skills
will be put to the test, during a great brew of
currents and life, christened the Sardine Run. The Sardine Run is a
manifestations of nature, which is really very impressive. It is a displacement of populations
absolutely gigantic sardines. So it's miles and miles
squares of sardines in compact schools. It's a kind of merry mess, where sardines are chased, by all oceanic predators. From dolphin to fin whale, passing through all the species of sharks, and seabirds. Among these predators, only sharks interest scientists. But to be able to meet
the schools of sardines and these sharks, you have to deploy an inflatable boat
guided by an airplane pilot. Expensive logistics. With a limited budget, Fred and his crew only have two days, to run a program
ambitious scientist. On the sardine run,
we worked with a scientist, who works on the dynamics
of blacktip shark populations. It's a fairly common shark
from the coasts of East Africa. She tries to highlight
the different families, and family lines of these sharks. To try to see if there is
common parents, and how intertwined the species is
between different population groups, which are stretched out on this East African coast. The difficulty is that there are many
cash at the same time, there are many sharks but very
little tipped sharks, it is not the most represented species
during the sardine run, there are many more dark sharks,
copper sharks. That will be our difficulty,
to focus on this specific species. Fortunately, the airplane pilot
spots a cloud of northern gannets, which betrays the presence
and the place of sardines. By a text message, he indicates
heading to the pilot of the boat. Let's see what Mark says. Apparently it takes
let's go to Hamburg, to the south. Come on gentlemen, hang on,
it's far and it's going to shake! On this project, Fred joined
the services of William Winram, an all-terrain teammate. At 50 years old, he continues to align
scientific expeditions, but also competitions
and apnea world record. between the two men,
it is perfect and lasting osmosis. I work in pair with William Winram. He is a Canadian freediver. I met him in 2005, and I practically do
all my activities with him. We really are a species
inseparable pair. You can smell the sardine oil. Yes. - You know what scares me?
- Nope. Get me dabbed
by a gannet. They can kill themselves on the way down
and break their necks. Yes, they would break yours too! For me, the most dangerous,
these are the sea birds, like gannets. They hit the surface
by diving 25 meters high. They will reach the surface
at more than 100 km/h, and will be able to descend to ten meters,
just on their inertia. And there, you don't have to take one
because with a 6 or 7 cm beak, it can hurt badly. We get in the water. A day on the sardine run, it's 9, 10 hours at sea on a semi-rigid, with 15, 20, 30, 50
launches during the day. Because the schools of sardines
move quite quickly. Predation phases during
which all the activity is concentrated, lasts a very short time. Sometimes it's seconds
a few minutes at most, so it's pretty tiring. With a classic scuba or a rebreather, get in the water, get out of the water, it's really tedious.
In apnea, we jump from the boat, you get in, it's very easy. Will immerses himself with a crossbow to take
shark meat samples, in other words, to perform biopsies. Essential for understanding genetics, and therefore the lineages of these sharks. The guns we use to do the biopsies, are standard commercial shotguns, of which only the arrow has been modified, We modified the tips, to really do a little
cookie cutter that will recover, some animal tissue. We're going to take him back to the boat right away,
let it be stored. As for Fred,
he uses his favorite tool, the camera. With each shark edged,
a photo, a biopsy. You still have to see them. During the Sardine Run,
here in South Africa, the big difficulty comes from the fact
that the visibility is not very good, and also the fact that the water is
much colder than usual. Dark sharks and edged nooks, that can be encountered during the Sardine Run, can get confused in the water
in poor visibility. The only way to tell them apart
perfectly is to see their nose. And some times,
we only see part of the animal. Not easy in these conditions
to identify a shark. It's great working with Will and Fred. They have a lot of experience with animals. They can anticipate and measure the danger. The dangers on the sardine run
are still quite present, since we will meet in the middle
of a shoal of hunted sardines, by the greatest
predators of the planet. You have to bite it, very few sardines, and invisible sharks. The task seems impossible. Unbelievable ! We hear the explosions of the birds
when they hit the surface. Dolphins are truly amazing. But didn't see any sharks. In fact, they are deeper. They don't come to the surface
like dolphins. They wait for the food to come down
to feed closer to the bottom. Meaning to go down deeper
in cold, turbid waters. A complicated job for freedivers
voluntarily on an empty stomach, in order to increase their performance. The empty stomach does not burn
not the precious oxygen. In the moments preceding the apnea, you will have to be careful. Not eat before going to the water, try to stay hydrated. In fact, it's common sense. To the rhythm of texts,
the quest for the invisible sharks, strains the body. We spend 10, 12 hours at sea
with very cold conditions, I knew it wasn't going to be easy. I have to say it was
even worse than we thought. To spot sharks,
nothing like teamwork. This time, Jessica joins Fred and Will. But she doesn't have their talent
to go down under the sardines. And to communicate with
the monsters of the depths. A way to provoke the meeting
and try to lure the sharks to yourself. So in general,
just our presence attracts them, but in the bad visibility, I often use throat noises. We make this type of noise that tends
to vibrate, which imitates a little
injured fish. And there the shark usually comes
directly to us. Always the same principle,
pique the curiosity of the shark. This time in the water. He could shoot and take
a skin sample, but it's the wrong species of shark. The arrow remains in its scabbard. Blacktip sharks do not show themselves. Jessica observed his hesitations
from the surface. But what did she really see from above? Visibility is really bad. Yes, but I saw two blacktip sharks
only four meters deep. No, they were small obscurus. No, it's another species of shark. I saw the shape of the body, the muzzle, which is quite different from that
Weavers and Obscuri. For me, for sure, it was Obscurus. They looked like broadsides,
but it was not. A quarrel of exacerbated experts
by the absence of biopsies, and the strong characters of freedivers. We like to make up our own minds. We're pretty hard on ourselves only we are listened to and only we are believed. Well, we forget the sardines. If the sardines go north,
we will have no more sharks edged, and if they are to the south,
we'll have more dark sharks. Here, we are really in the south, so the trick might be to leave
north and bait. Ok, we can try, it won't be easy. Edges will be there
where the others will not be. Ok, so tomorrow if the weather permits, we head north rather than hunt sardines
and we're going to see edges. We'll think about it tonight
and prepare for tomorrow. There is only one day left for the team
to perform the biopsies. A daring bet. It's very random
we work with many factors. On the one hand we have the wild coast
here in South Africa, which is difficult to work
because there is wind. There is a lot of sea. We work with a huge school of sardines
which depends on currents and winds. You never know where he's going to be.
So that's a lot of ifs. The next day, at dawn, heading north
where the water should be clearer. Always fasting. Marcus, it's okay, go ahead. To put all the chances on his side, the team deploys a drilled tube, which contains hundreds of frozen sardines. Their smell should attract sharks. This time no sign
announcer on the surface. You have to jump into the water. The first to answer the call
is an unwanted guest, a tiger shark. Will this giant deter
little sharks? Clear water brings its answers by tens. Edged sharks, finally. The smell of sardines and the menace of the tiger, make these torpedoes of flesh
nervous and frantic. However, it is necessary to adjust the shot. These are times when you have to
playing on instinct, not thinking, don't think about what's going on, let instinct take over
and do what feels right. To get a representative overview
of this population, samples should be taken
on as many sharks as possible. Thanks to these biopsies, Jessica Escobar was able to
prove that Edged sharks, lived in sedentary populations,
near the coasts of the Indian Ocean. Thus, the actors of the Sardine Run do not wear
not the same genes as those of Mozambique. These valuable data allow
the establishment of fishing quotas. Thousands of miles away a scientist from the New World
got wind of the exploits of Fred and William. With their help, they wish to prove
the existence of a large genetic mix, in sharks of the Pacific Ocean. Sailing to Guadalupe Island
off Mexico. Near that old volcano
ravaged by hurricanes, the biggest sharks prowl
world predators. The great white sharks. Every fall they meet
around this basalt fortress. These warm, clear waters bring them
room and board, especially young elephant seals. The isolation of Guadalupe Island
protected them from clubs in the 19th century. Since then, it has become their last refuge, a boon for predators. Fred knows the reputation
of these legendary sharks. The great white shark is clearly
the archetypal human monster. It is a huge animal, very powerful,
quite mysterious. Here too, in the ocean, we face the
primary fears of humanity. The unknown ocean, the cold, the dark night. Animals we don't know.
Like the wolf. Faced with myths, science stammers. We still do not know where are born
and where these giants of the sea wander. Only a few rare survivors testify
of their underwater feasts. White sharks patrol
in this deep water zone. Sometimes they appear on the surface,
in front of the elephant seal colony. White sharks are waiting
that the elephant seals return from Alaska, to give birth and nurse. These sharks know perfectly well
the comings and goings of the seals. sharks like it
especially these animals, and their thick layer of fat to feed
their energy-intensive metabolism. Such a pantry concentrates
around Guadalupe Island, the white sharks of the Pacific Ocean. A unique chance for Mauricio to pursue
an exhaustive census work, capitalizing on the talents of Fred and William. It's an animal that needs a lot of
food, which moves around a lot, which makes transoceanic migrations. Also, he has been fishing a lot as
than a trophy since it is a mythical animal. It is still very much in danger. For Maricio he waits
specific things from us. First of all photo identification. Taking one photo at a time is crucial
of the right flank and the left flank of the sharks. Because their pigmentation
is often different from side to side. The second thing he expects from us,
is to mark the sharks, therefore to place beacons on the shark. Either acoustic beacons, to be able to get an idea
the local behavior of the shark, or either satellite beacons, to be able to trace
shark movements. Tell me when you're ready.
I will show them to you. Hesitation, is it possible to snorkel here, unprotected and risk knowing
the same fate as the pinnipeds, these marine mammals with webbed feet. Will white sharks make a difference
between freedivers and pinnipeds, like elephant seals and sea lions? Fred calls on his experiences
to find the answers. I have often had the opportunity
to dive with sea lions. They combine natural grace with
extraordinary freediving abilities. They can descend to nearly 400 meters
deep for six minutes. Once the sea lion has spotted the shark, she will feel in control. She is completely comfortable. Often,
we even see one or more sea lions, spin around the shark, and really get closer to him, She doesn't feel in danger at all. For us it is very similar. From the moment we saw
the shark(s), we will be able to work in confidence, since we know where it is
and we will be able to observe his reactions. We're going to get in the water first
with cameras, to do the job
photos and identification. Thanks to this, we will be able
to take the temperature, see how sharks behave, and what individuals we have to deal with. The first time we meet in the water
with a cageless white shark. First thing that comes to mind,
you say to yourself: "But what am I doing here?" And after ten seconds,
it all evaporates. And we realize
that we are facing an animal, who is probably even more afraid than you. He doesn't know what you are. Curious, too. And who is very careful. An opportunity to seize quickly
to be able to photograph, each side of the animal. In silence, work resumed. From now on, it's up to William to photograph
the left side of the shark. Curiously, the shark seems to fear
the presence of freedivers. Is it really shyness, or a sneaky hunter's trick
who feigns weakness? You have to be vigilant, at all times,
we need to pay attention. We have to look in all directions.
They always come from the side where you don't look. As soon as we stop looking at them,
they notice it and they suddenly appear. For instance,
when I do freediving in competition, I'm totally relaxed
and I don't care if I have syncope. Here I also work on letting go, but i'm 100% careful
to everything around me. I monitor 360 degrees
to see where Fred is, and he does the same. If the white shark was
such a dangerous animal, what the legends say
or shows it in sensational films, Obviously we couldn't
never dive with. So I think we really need
demystify this animal, even if it is a great predator,
it can be a dangerous animal, it is quite possible to get into the water
and to dive with it under certain conditions. The pose test
of beacons will be decisive. How will the white shark react
to the presence of divers with rifles, to the aggression of an arrow fitted with a dart? A world first. No one before Fred ever dared
thus provoke the super predator, without any protection. Everyone, at some point, will be afraid, or apprehension about
something. But what is important,
is to recognize it, and be honest with your feelings. But during apnea,
there is never any feeling of fear. There is more distinction between
body, mind, physical sensations. Awareness of his body
and natural environments, are one. We will soon miss him
beacons and darts. In two weeks with
William's complicity, Fred was able to tag 8 white sharks. A long-term job to return
in privacy, and to gain trust
of these super predators. I believe that what we do not see,
what we don't understand frightens us. But attitudes are changing. In the 70s, we saw white sharks
like stupid animals. Like monsters. But now we are rediscovering them. They are not monsters
but actors of nature. We must continue to harvest
information about them. It is still time
to avoid their disappearance. Scientists estimate 3500
the number of white sharks in the oceans. This is an estimate that may seem
very low but several scientists, have come to this conclusion. Their protection is essential, especially in territorial waters
North Americans. Fortunately, the beacons
asked by Fred Buyle, helped solve the mystery
white shark migrations. Guadalupe Island is a tryst. But while the males
come back every year females only visit the island
only every other year to mate. They then stay off
for 18 months for their gestation. These studies now allow to the Mexican and American government, to define sanctuaries to protect
these charismatic and endangered sharks. Beacons have indeed revealed that
when they approach, from the coasts of North America to give birth, the females exposed themselves
to industrial fisheries. The task is vast, the stakes colossal. Every year, Fred returns to score
sharks at Guadalupe or elsewhere. His reputation is well established, but he sees further, deeper. Back to the cradle of these dives,
the Azores. Beyond their green pastures, the Volcanic Islands of the Azores
are mountains in the sea. These fertile lands sink their foundation
several kilometers below the surface. And offers near the coasts, a new window on the world
great depths. To realize a childhood dream, to finally meet
of the supreme freediver, the big sperm whale. The sperm whale, for me, is really
the animal of all superlatives. Me, as a freediver, this is obviously my role model. He is the greatest diver in the ocean. That means more than 3000 meters
deep in apnea, that means apneas up to 2 hours. Sperm whales live in all seas
of the world up to more than 70 years. But to check the status
of their decimated populations, for more than three centuries
intensive hunting, scientists are trying to identify them. Their method is original. They seek to collect
organic materials, giving information about
the DNA signature specific to each animal. Like for example the shreds of skin that
these animals sometimes sow seeds in their wake. Hides of equal density
to that of water, which stagnates between two waters
and that you have to go fishing. A tailor-made mission for Fred Buyle. Here we are trying
to be able to launch, with sperm whales, here in the Azores. And work with animals,
it's quite complicated. Ideally, we wait for them to stop, and that they come together so that we can have, a kind of more social behavior. Because at that time,
they will accept us, and we will therefore be able to get in the water. and work with them
much more easily. Yes not bad ! Thanks Fred! Fred, what animal does this sample come from? There were 3. 1 grand mal motionless and two others. I think the sample came from a
smaller whale, probably a juvenile. Male or female, in any case a juvenile. When in doubt, Fred will try to identify
These animals, before they plunge into the abyss. Luckily,
they congregate near the surface. A unique opportunity for
photograph the whole group. A group of talkative sperm whales who communicate
by a strange rattling language. They have families, clans. A very advanced language. It is believed that their language
is more advanced than ours. They have abilities
exceptional cognitions. I feel like them
communicate with us, but we are not yet able
to communicate with them. It's a pretty strong feeling. Besides, he's an animal.
very gentle with the diver. He approaches very slowly. You can see he's paying attention. We have the impression that he
almost trusting. This kind of paradox between
the strength of this sea monster, and what he testifies to us
when we have a meeting with him, is really very confusing. Intimate exchanges. Sperm whales talk to Fred
of an unknown language. He responds with postures, that intrigue the youngest. Such proximity confirms
the presence of circular marks, on the skin of live sperm whales. Here in the Azores, sperm whales would hunt
So the giant squids? A question left unanswered
for so many years. The ultimate encounter for me, it would be the giant squid. It is a mythical animal. Since I was little,
we hear all these stories, on these gigantic squids. We think they can do
up to 25 or 30 meters long. It's terrifying, it's fascinating. But I think it's really
the meeting that I would like to do. So the idea, it's going to be, to position themselves in this area. We have the current going up. It creates a kind of underwater oasis, and there, we have a chance to see pass, a big squid. Me, I would position myself at the bottom,
in terms of lighting, with the camera
about fifty meters away. You make me a classic security, you wait for me at the lift, and you watch that the cable does not get tangled. Scuba diving, you can also
to feel in the great depths, nitrogen narcosis than divers, call the famous drunkenness of the depths. And it's really a way to refocus myself, to be even more attentive
of all the sensations of my body. Fred Buyle is the man facing the unknown. Whoever makes these monsters, when he realizes that nothing of this nature
is not definitively acquired. The monsters that survive today
are only these chimeras, than our chimeras. Graffiti from our imagination, ephemeral visions that replace us
in front of the emptiness that one carries within oneself. Paradoxically, this insufficiency may
to be our safest engine.
