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(wind whistling)

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(majestic orchestral music)

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The polar regions at Earth's extremes

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may seem immune to the impact of human activity.

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In this hostile terrain life exists

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the way it did at the dawn of our planet.

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But today the unique fauna here

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is threatened by climate change.

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Even so, many species here are known to thrive

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in richness and diversity,

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while others have yet to be discovered.

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Documenting this world above and below the ice

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is the goal of this expedition to Antarctica.

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(waves crashing)

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The Astrolabe heads for the white continent.

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On board are scientists from France's Polar Institute,

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and this year they're joined by two wildlife photographers.

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Their sole mission, to showcase the marvels of Antarctica,

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to walk and even dive in the realm of the emperor penguin.

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(wind whistling)

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(ice crunching)

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(gentle music)

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Laurent Ballesta is an oceanographer.

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For the first time, this biologist will explore

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the mysterious seas beneath this desert of ice.

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But revealing this hidden side of Antarctica

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is a challenge no one has yet mastered.

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Vincent Munier is at home on icy terrain.

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He's a passionate outdoorsman and an expert

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at flushing the most ferocious creatures from their lairs.

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Ready for this world of extremes,

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he sets off in search of the lord of these lands,

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the emperor penguin.

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No country may lay claim to any of this land.

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In 1959, 12 nations created a reserve

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dedicated to peace and scientific study.

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Since then, 53 countries have ratified the Antarctic Treaty.

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Look at that.

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It's amazing.

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But we're coming in a bit too fast.

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Watch out.

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We're going to hit!

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(ice crunches)

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Just did.

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Wow.

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I've never felt this far away from home.

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You're in your element here, right?

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No, not at all.

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Frankly, it's the first time I've been to Antarctica.

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Yeah, yeah.

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Two months are going to fly by, no?

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I can tell you, it feels like the countdown begins today.

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(exciting music)

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For 45 days, the photographers will track

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young penguin chicks as they develop,

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from feedings, to their first swim in the frigid seas.

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Too ambitious a goal?

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It all depends on the state of the pack ice

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and when it will break up.

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The Astrolabe is stuck in the ice.

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Laurent and Vincent will have to travel

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the final 10 kilometers by air.

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They head for the French Dumont d'Urville Station

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located on the archipelago of Point Geology in Adelie Land.

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(helicopter whirring)

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This is it.

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Did you see that?

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Amazing!

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(penguins vocalizing)

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The photographers share the rock

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with a colony of Adelie penguins,

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a smaller more common species than the emperor penguin.

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They're not quarreling here.

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This is Antarctic courtship.

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The divers unpack their three tons of equipment

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while Vincent Munier

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stuffs everything he needs into his sled.

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Yes, I'm leaving camp.

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Heading for nunatak.

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Copy that.

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(slow piano music)

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The adventure begins above the ice,

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but will soon head below it.

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After 11 days at sea, Vincent longs for solitude,

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a little space to clear his head,

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look around, and get to know the place.

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(wind blustering)

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(camera clicking)

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In this vast pristine land,

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the photographer sets out to explore virgin territory.

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Nothing will stop him,

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especially once he's had his first encounter

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with Antarctica's most celebrated species,

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the emperor penguin.

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(penguins chirping)

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The colony's 7,000 members are spread out

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over several kilometers of pack ice.

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These penguins are icons of the Antarctic

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and the only birds to reproduce

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midwinter in the Southern Hemisphere.

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The tallest adults can grow to a height of one-meter-20.

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(penguins chirping)

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We're clearly in another world.

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It's just incredible to get so close to these animals.

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I usually spend most of my time trying to hide,

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to be well camouflaged and lie in wait.

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But here all you need is a little time

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and you can get very close to them.

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Sometimes they even come to us.

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The adult can locate

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its three-month-old offspring

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thanks to the chick's unique voiceprint.

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The youngsters haven't yet shed their gray down

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for waterproof plumage.

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(chick chirping)

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As soon as they connect, the adult feeds the hungry chick

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with fish regurgitated from its stomach.

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It's hard to imagine that the ocean lies

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directly beneath their feet.

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(gentle music)

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The pack ice is unpredictable, in perpetual motion,

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and subject to changing weather patterns.

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And in several days or weeks,

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this sea of ice will have broken up.

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Laurent Ballesta can't dive alone here.

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He needs heavy logistical backup,

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and open water is several kilometers from base camp.

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The closer they get, the greater the risk

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they won't make it through with their vehicle.

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And even though this team is highly experienced

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in extreme expeditions, the slightest error

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could compromise their first dive,

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especially one this dangerous.

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(speaking foreign language)

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(radio beeping)

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Take a good look around you for cracks,

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because you're getting close to some.

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Okay, thanks.

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Copy that, we'll check it out.

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We should be in the water within half an hour.

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The wind should die down.

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We'll keep an eye out and act quickly

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if we see that it's starting to move.

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The greatest danger is getting separated

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from the main pack ice,

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set adrift on a floating ice block,

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and there are fractures everywhere.

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(speaking foreign language)

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To succeed in a mission this complex,

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Laurent is supported by a team of seasoned divers.

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There's Tibo and Cedric on lighting,

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the cameraman Jeannick,

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and Emmanuel, the expedition doctor

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who monitors their health throughout.

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I'm too scared it'll unplug.

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The heating better work well.

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With wetsuits 12 millimeters thick

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to keep them dry, the length of a reasonable dive

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in minus 1.8 degree water

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is 45 minutes before hypothermia sets in.

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Thanks to the wetsuits' built-in heating units,

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they hope to spend more than three hours below exploring.

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A long slow ascent for decompression stops

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is key to restoring safe oxygen levels in the blood

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and preventing diving sickness.

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(gentle music)

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We're protected from the cold,

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but sacrifice a lot of mobility.

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We're so shielded from the elements

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that it's almost impossible to move.

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I feel like a novice diver.

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And I'm having a hard time just staying balanced.

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You have to understand that the first meters over ice

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are difficult for marine life.

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It's low-key there,

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sparsely populated without much variety.

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Because there are changes in salinity

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when the ice forms and melts,

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it's like poison for marine animals.

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Then there's the friction of the ice,

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which can really destroy everything.

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Only the hardiest and the most mobile

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can escape its deadly vice and survive here.

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(graceful piano music)

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And already the first surprises,

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and the first questions as well.

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This tiny crustacean,

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is it a parasite on the jellyfish or its passenger?

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I think this jellyfish is a symbol

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of what awaits us further below,

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worlds of totally different scales all closely intertwined.

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I never imagined I'd get to see them.

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Their existence is so ephemeral.

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But here they are, the famous ice fingers.

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These stalactites of ice, or brinicles,

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are upside down chimneys.

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They eject very cold salty water

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trapped when the pack ice was formed.

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When this cold water is expelled,

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it freezes everything around it instantly.

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That's how the stalactites grow

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several meters long in just a few hours

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only to disappear the next day.

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Push over there.

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We found the ice fingers!

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Oh, Amazing!

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We found the ice fingers!

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It's amazing.

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You see how it smoked?

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Yeah.

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Yeah, yeah.

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For half an hour I didn't even feel cold.

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But this first dive does reveal

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some serious issues with their gear.

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The cold is a major obstacle

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for the men and their equipment.

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It's also key to getting them further and deeper.

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(penguin squawks)

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If the pack ice remains stable,

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the team will return to explore this open water

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created by a very strange phenomenon.

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It's called a polynya, a stretch of water

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that never freezes, even in winter.

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Somewhat like a small inland sea,

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the polynya forms when powerful winds

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sweep across the Antarctic continent.

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The ice steadily breaks up before thick pack ice

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has time to solidify, so it's driven into the open sea.

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(wind blustering)

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A permanent underwater corridor

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connects this water to the ocean depths.

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For the region's nesting birds,

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it's a vital source of nourishment.

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(birds chirping)

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The existence of this Antarctica oasis

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is no secret to the emperor penguins.

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(camera clicks)

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These giant birds depend on access

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to this polynya for their survival.

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Without it, they couldn't feed themselves or their chicks,

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but that's exactly the challenge these penguins face now.

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Climate change linked to global warming

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could cut them off from this small inland sea.

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It's a matter of life or death for the youngsters.

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They'll be weaned before the coming breakup of the ice,

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any day now.

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(graceful piano music)

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I admire their grace,

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and I'm probably a little jealous,

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since I'm so uncomfortable in this bulky wetsuit

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and this heavy gear.

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Below the ice, they're incredibly elegant.

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It's wonderful.

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When I think that they can free-dive to 500 meters

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and stay there for 30 minutes in this icy water.

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I'd love to do that.

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They're fully streamlined for swimming,

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their wings that become fins,

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their perfect torpedo-shaped profile,

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and their feet and tail that act as rudders.

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The trails of bubbles in their wake

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as they fly through the water,

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that's air caught in their tiny feathers.

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And that thin film of air creates both insulation

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and a layer of lubrication that allows penguins

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to accelerate at lightning speed.

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It's also very practical to escape from predators.

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(penguin vocalizes)

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(bubbling)

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(Laurent breathing heavily)

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Laurent and his team continue their dives.

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Even so, they're still not ready

273
00:16:45,270 --> 00:16:47,033
to try their luck in the deep.

274
00:16:52,157 --> 00:16:55,085
(speaking foreign language)

275
00:16:55,085 --> 00:16:57,170
(sighing)

276
00:16:57,170 --> 00:16:59,813
I feel like we spent the day in the water.

277
00:17:00,830 --> 00:17:03,080
I can see it's difficult,

278
00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:04,180
but I'm still envious,

279
00:17:05,310 --> 00:17:07,920
until I see the state you're in after the dive,

280
00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:09,573
then, a bit less so.

281
00:17:13,665 --> 00:17:17,248
(playful orchestral music)

282
00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:28,330
This is a strategic spot

283
00:17:28,330 --> 00:17:30,170
for the two photographers.

284
00:17:30,170 --> 00:17:33,720
The emperor penguins long marches start and finish here

285
00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:37,203
in a perpetual parade back and forth to the colony.

286
00:17:38,700 --> 00:17:40,110
These adults are returning

287
00:17:40,110 --> 00:17:43,270
from a long fishing trip in open water.

288
00:17:43,270 --> 00:17:47,700
They may have swum anywhere from 200 to 1,000 kilometers,

289
00:17:47,700 --> 00:17:50,490
gathering fish that they store in their stomachs

290
00:17:50,490 --> 00:17:52,193
without ever digesting them.

291
00:17:53,750 --> 00:17:56,110
But their efforts don't stop there.

292
00:17:56,110 --> 00:17:58,270
This year they'll walk 10 kilometers

293
00:17:58,270 --> 00:18:00,850
over the ice to join their chicks.

294
00:18:00,850 --> 00:18:02,090
In recent years,

295
00:18:02,090 --> 00:18:04,853
they have had to travel more than 80 kilometers.

296
00:18:13,570 --> 00:18:15,690
(penguin vocalizes)

297
00:18:15,690 --> 00:18:19,530
During those seasons, the polynya didn't form.

298
00:18:19,530 --> 00:18:21,510
It's a sad paradox.

299
00:18:21,510 --> 00:18:24,120
The Earth is warming but a surplus of ice

300
00:18:24,120 --> 00:18:26,433
is what killed off the emperor penguins.

301
00:18:27,300 --> 00:18:32,300
The mortality rate, typically around 50%, jumped to 95%.

302
00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:43,220
To understand why, just follow the scientists

303
00:18:43,220 --> 00:18:45,240
on this enormous glacier that extends

304
00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:48,283
from the Antarctic continent to the penguin colony.

305
00:18:51,450 --> 00:18:52,843
It's magical.

306
00:18:57,940 --> 00:19:00,840
This icy behemoth is under high surveillance.

307
00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:02,730
Thanks to a series of sensors,

308
00:19:02,730 --> 00:19:05,080
researchers can measure its thickness

309
00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:08,083
as well as the speed that it is melting into the sea.

310
00:19:09,826 --> 00:19:10,920
Will that let you see

311
00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:12,920
the drift of the glacier?

312
00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:14,950
We measure it from day to day

313
00:19:14,950 --> 00:19:17,730
so we can determine if the movement's regular

314
00:19:17,730 --> 00:19:18,963
or only sporadic.

315
00:19:20,450 --> 00:19:22,310
That way we can track the annual speed.

316
00:19:22,310 --> 00:19:24,850
Now it's about 400 meters a year.

317
00:19:24,850 --> 00:19:28,767
But over the past 10 years or so, the speeds have doubled.

318
00:19:32,460 --> 00:19:35,200
Here, like everywhere across Antarctica,

319
00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:39,610
glaciers hold the planet's greatest reserves of fresh water.

320
00:19:39,610 --> 00:19:42,250
They drift in the form of gigantic rivers of ice

321
00:19:42,250 --> 00:19:44,460
invisible to the naked eye.

322
00:19:44,460 --> 00:19:47,820
(graceful music)

323
00:19:47,820 --> 00:19:50,600
Like faucets, these rivers propel the ice

324
00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:53,723
toward the sea in the form of icebergs.

325
00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:56,550
But as the planet warms,

326
00:19:56,550 --> 00:19:59,990
these glaciers are now speeding their way to the ocean.

327
00:19:59,990 --> 00:20:02,990
Each year they release millions of cubic meters

328
00:20:02,990 --> 00:20:05,160
of additional fresh water,

329
00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:08,870
but this fresh water freezes more easily than salt water.

330
00:20:08,870 --> 00:20:12,490
As a result, the pack ice thickens in great sheets,

331
00:20:12,490 --> 00:20:15,453
which spells disaster for the emperor penguins.

332
00:20:17,496 --> 00:20:20,246
(motor whirring)

333
00:20:22,900 --> 00:20:25,330
Today, Laurent's team bores through

334
00:20:25,330 --> 00:20:29,240
the thick sections of pack ice that trap icebergs.

335
00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:32,823
They'll look for biodiversity in the underwater ecosystem.

336
00:20:37,350 --> 00:20:39,430
The ice is too thick,

337
00:20:39,430 --> 00:20:40,880
much thicker than we thought.

338
00:20:42,120 --> 00:20:42,953
Yeah, I can't believe

339
00:20:42,953 --> 00:20:45,000
it's more than two-meters deep here,

340
00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:47,630
and there's maybe another meter-80?

341
00:20:47,630 --> 00:20:48,513
I'm heading back.

342
00:20:50,300 --> 00:20:52,853
Two-meters deep and still no ocean.

343
00:20:53,820 --> 00:20:57,030
The ice is probably four-meters thick.

344
00:20:57,030 --> 00:20:58,530
In conditions like this,

345
00:20:58,530 --> 00:21:00,493
launching a dive is impossible.

346
00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:04,990
(majestic music)

347
00:21:09,520 --> 00:21:13,453
Laurent has to find an iceberg trapped in the pack ice.

348
00:21:14,420 --> 00:21:16,200
It would be a little thinner there

349
00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:18,350
thanks to the massive mechanical force

350
00:21:18,350 --> 00:21:20,893
exerted by the iceberg in its clutches.

351
00:21:26,510 --> 00:21:29,740
Nine-10ths of the iceberg is hidden there,

352
00:21:29,740 --> 00:21:31,483
invisible from the surface.

353
00:21:48,860 --> 00:21:50,660
Icebergs are so huge.

354
00:21:51,500 --> 00:21:53,850
I wonder what we can do to see the whole thing.

355
00:21:55,567 --> 00:21:58,150
(lively music)

356
00:22:01,340 --> 00:22:02,770
Given the visibility,

357
00:22:02,770 --> 00:22:04,480
Laurent knows he can't shoot

358
00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:07,563
the entire iceberg as one single image.

359
00:22:09,700 --> 00:22:13,290
First he'll construct a giant grid using ropes

360
00:22:13,290 --> 00:22:15,860
so that he can get the true sense of scale.

361
00:22:15,860 --> 00:22:18,170
That way he can position himself in space

362
00:22:18,170 --> 00:22:20,283
using fixed reference points.

363
00:22:30,810 --> 00:22:32,840
Then he'll take several hundred shots

364
00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:35,270
that he'll assemble digitally.

365
00:22:35,270 --> 00:22:37,850
Finally, he'll adjust them to present

366
00:22:37,850 --> 00:22:40,693
a complete portrait of this ice giant.

367
00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:50,190
The result is striking, despite the icebergs modest size.

368
00:22:50,190 --> 00:22:54,010
It's only 60-meters wide and 30-meters tall.

369
00:22:54,010 --> 00:22:56,370
This is the first full photo ever made

370
00:22:56,370 --> 00:22:58,463
of an iceberg's hidden face.

371
00:23:09,510 --> 00:23:12,030
The calm of the deep contrasts sharpy

372
00:23:12,030 --> 00:23:15,000
with the frenzy of activity on the surface.

373
00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,180
Penguins trek freely between the colony

374
00:23:17,180 --> 00:23:20,270
and the open water with few casualties.

375
00:23:20,270 --> 00:23:21,680
This year the cycle of ice

376
00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:24,233
is less dramatic than in previous times.

377
00:23:26,650 --> 00:23:30,640
Meanwhile, the planet warms, the glaciers melt,

378
00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,603
and the pack ice continues to thicken and spread.

379
00:23:34,580 --> 00:23:36,460
It's a problem for the penguins,

380
00:23:36,460 --> 00:23:38,120
and even more troubling,

381
00:23:38,120 --> 00:23:39,970
global warming will soon change

382
00:23:39,970 --> 00:23:41,693
the way world climate functions.

383
00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:51,043
Everything depends on the summer ice-melt here.

384
00:23:51,043 --> 00:23:53,420
(ambient music)

385
00:23:53,420 --> 00:23:55,340
Without vast enough pack ice,

386
00:23:55,340 --> 00:23:57,080
there won't be enough energy to keep

387
00:23:57,080 --> 00:23:59,290
the giant water pump circulating

388
00:23:59,290 --> 00:24:01,373
in the depths of the planet's oceans.

389
00:24:02,660 --> 00:24:05,600
This marine current serves as the air conditioner

390
00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:07,933
and regulator of our atmosphere.

391
00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:16,980
In recent years, the atmosphere of Earth's urban areas

392
00:24:16,980 --> 00:24:21,280
has gotten progressively worse due to industrial activity.

393
00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:24,800
And as the air quality declines a little more each year,

394
00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:26,520
so does public health.

395
00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:28,300
It's a vicious cycle with humankind

396
00:24:28,300 --> 00:24:30,803
both as victim and perpetrator.

397
00:24:34,415 --> 00:24:37,582
(footsteps crunching)

398
00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:48,840
Meanwhile, Antarctica's isolation allows us

399
00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:51,130
to believe that the continent has been spared

400
00:24:51,130 --> 00:24:52,723
from atmospheric pollution,

401
00:24:53,630 --> 00:24:55,963
and that its wildlife remains unharmed.

402
00:24:58,730 --> 00:25:01,250
When you see how pristine this world is,

403
00:25:01,250 --> 00:25:05,170
how removed from human reach, you tell yourself,

404
00:25:05,170 --> 00:25:08,700
finally, a place where man hasn't sunk his claws

405
00:25:08,700 --> 00:25:10,363
or exploited it in any way.

406
00:25:12,900 --> 00:25:13,733
But no.

407
00:25:14,670 --> 00:25:17,330
The scientists are telling us they've found pesticides

408
00:25:17,330 --> 00:25:19,460
and pollutants from human activity

409
00:25:19,460 --> 00:25:22,773
in the stomachs of birds, penguins, and seals here.

410
00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:27,150
And that bubble we imagine we're in here

411
00:25:27,150 --> 00:25:28,563
doesn't really exist.

412
00:25:39,020 --> 00:25:42,103
(solemn piano music)

413
00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:01,300
The divers continue to explore

414
00:26:01,300 --> 00:26:02,980
sections of the pack ice,

415
00:26:02,980 --> 00:26:05,563
wondering if they'll ever make it into the water.

416
00:26:06,530 --> 00:26:08,150
After a chat with Vincent Munier,

417
00:26:08,150 --> 00:26:10,000
who's been observing seals,

418
00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:13,410
Laurent is inspired to try out the natural openings

419
00:26:13,410 --> 00:26:15,313
the marine mammals have been using.

420
00:26:16,327 --> 00:26:17,890
(speaking foreign language)

421
00:26:17,890 --> 00:26:21,520
He'll use a gap between a flow and the ice shelf

422
00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:23,323
to slip his way under water.

423
00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:37,490
Preparing for this endeavor is a lot like cave diving.

424
00:26:37,490 --> 00:26:38,960
Rule number one,

425
00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:41,250
they must absolutely not get lost

426
00:26:41,250 --> 00:26:43,790
under this thick ceiling of ice.

427
00:26:43,790 --> 00:26:45,580
The divers unravel a lifeline

428
00:26:45,580 --> 00:26:47,590
that connects them to the surface

429
00:26:47,590 --> 00:26:50,323
and allows them to thread their way back to the exit.

430
00:26:51,988 --> 00:26:54,571
(ice creaking)

431
00:26:58,796 --> 00:27:01,660
(ice groans)

432
00:27:01,660 --> 00:27:02,700
It sounds to me like

433
00:27:02,700 --> 00:27:04,513
the rhythmic moaning of an animal,

434
00:27:05,980 --> 00:27:07,710
but it's actually the pack ice

435
00:27:07,710 --> 00:27:10,063
cracking to the rhythm of the swells.

436
00:27:14,660 --> 00:27:15,668
It's unreal.

437
00:27:15,668 --> 00:27:18,251
(gentle music)

438
00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:22,653
Today is the 10th dive,

439
00:27:23,670 --> 00:27:26,173
but the first minutes are always the hardest.

440
00:27:28,690 --> 00:27:32,463
Sometimes I think we'll never really get used to it.

441
00:27:36,260 --> 00:27:38,490
Luckily each dive is like stumbling

442
00:27:38,490 --> 00:27:40,373
onto a brand-new gold mine.

443
00:27:41,490 --> 00:27:45,543
Honestly I've never experienced anything like it elsewhere.

444
00:27:46,700 --> 00:27:49,610
It's a lot richer than I ever thought.

445
00:27:49,610 --> 00:27:51,943
I can't imagine what awaits us further below.

446
00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:56,099
It's going to be exceptional.

447
00:27:56,099 --> 00:27:59,266
(low-pitched humming)

448
00:28:07,188 --> 00:28:10,123
(low-pitched humming)

449
00:28:10,123 --> 00:28:12,790
And all of a sudden I hear a new echo

450
00:28:12,790 --> 00:28:15,133
bursting through the wailing of the ice.

451
00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:20,443
It's the song of a Weddell seal.

452
00:28:21,794 --> 00:28:24,627
(seal vocalizing)

453
00:28:36,024 --> 00:28:38,691
(playful music)

454
00:28:47,015 --> 00:28:49,848
(seal vocalizing)

455
00:28:52,790 --> 00:28:56,033
Somewhere nearby there's got to be a big male hiding,

456
00:28:58,370 --> 00:29:01,013
and I'm wondering why he's singing like that.

457
00:29:02,050 --> 00:29:04,350
Maybe to announce to his presence to a female,

458
00:29:05,230 --> 00:29:06,670
or maybe just to let us know

459
00:29:06,670 --> 00:29:08,653
that we've encroached on his territory.

460
00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:14,450
Between the time the first divers exit

461
00:29:14,450 --> 00:29:16,540
followed immediately by Laurent,

462
00:29:16,540 --> 00:29:19,623
the hole has begun to fill with shards of ice.

463
00:29:21,550 --> 00:29:24,760
A few minutes more and the gap would've closed.

464
00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:26,040
That's because the pack ice

465
00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:29,310
is always moving with tremendous force.

466
00:29:29,310 --> 00:29:32,400
The situation reminds the team how dangerous it is

467
00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:34,963
to navigate this universe of extremes.

468
00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:39,473
In Antarctica the slightest error can be fatal.

469
00:29:43,276 --> 00:29:46,179
I saw the most beautiful light ever,

470
00:29:46,179 --> 00:29:50,250
yellow, green, orange, it's kind of crazy, right?

471
00:29:50,250 --> 00:29:53,010
I mean, I'm shooting all these amazing panoramas

472
00:29:53,010 --> 00:29:54,810
and you forget about the cold.

473
00:29:54,810 --> 00:29:56,710
Even when you can no longer move your fingers,

474
00:29:56,710 --> 00:29:57,973
you just keep working.

475
00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:00,750
When I'm shooting, nothing distracts me,

476
00:30:00,750 --> 00:30:03,150
but there've been times I've dropped the camera.

477
00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:08,280
The light is just so magical,

478
00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:12,932
with a mother and a calf in fairytale setting.

479
00:30:12,932 --> 00:30:14,560
(sighing)

480
00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:15,660
I'm gonna get changed.

481
00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:22,570
The groaning of fracturing ice

482
00:30:22,570 --> 00:30:24,280
that Laurent had heard under water

483
00:30:24,280 --> 00:30:27,050
intensifies under the summer sun.

484
00:30:27,050 --> 00:30:29,920
It's been three weeks since the two photographers

485
00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:32,283
began documenting this annual drama.

486
00:30:33,490 --> 00:30:36,480
The pack ice is increasingly unstable,

487
00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:39,910
and water is closing in on the emperor penguin colony

488
00:30:39,910 --> 00:30:42,173
where the young chicks continue to mature.

489
00:30:44,154 --> 00:30:47,237
(soft ambient music)

490
00:30:52,340 --> 00:30:54,900
They're now four-months old,

491
00:30:54,900 --> 00:30:57,893
barely four more weeks until they become waterproof.

492
00:30:59,041 --> 00:31:02,541
(penguin chicks chirping)

493
00:31:07,205 --> 00:31:10,372
(penguins vocalizing)

494
00:31:15,821 --> 00:31:18,583
Every time there's a gust of wind,

495
00:31:19,563 --> 00:31:21,730
you feel like you're in a blizzard.

496
00:31:21,730 --> 00:31:23,780
There's so much down floating everywhere.

497
00:31:25,940 --> 00:31:27,570
Some of them look absolutely mad

498
00:31:27,570 --> 00:31:29,370
running around with feathers flying.

499
00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:32,190
They're trying to shake the down off their beaks

500
00:31:32,190 --> 00:31:34,823
but can't manage, it's pretty entertaining.

501
00:31:40,314 --> 00:31:42,410
In any case, this is it.

502
00:31:42,410 --> 00:31:45,280
In two or three weeks, they'll be waterproof.

503
00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:48,580
And I really hope we'll still be here when they leave.

504
00:31:48,580 --> 00:31:49,480
That will be epic.

505
00:31:54,908 --> 00:31:58,158
(graceful piano music)

506
00:32:04,980 --> 00:32:07,860
This great departure won't be airborne.

507
00:32:07,860 --> 00:32:09,490
It's time for these water birds

508
00:32:09,490 --> 00:32:12,090
to get their first taste of the ocean

509
00:32:12,090 --> 00:32:14,313
where they'll be swimming all their lives.

510
00:32:15,330 --> 00:32:18,160
The ice will soon shrink beneath their feet.

511
00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:21,413
With any luck, not too early or too late.

512
00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:28,770
The storm keeps everyone indoors.

513
00:32:28,770 --> 00:32:30,890
They use the time to begin prepping

514
00:32:30,890 --> 00:32:32,870
for what will undoubtedly be the mission's

515
00:32:32,870 --> 00:32:35,103
most ambitious deep-water dives.

516
00:32:37,331 --> 00:32:39,820
(speaking foreign language)

517
00:32:39,820 --> 00:32:41,500
Should anyone get the bends,

518
00:32:41,500 --> 00:32:44,720
first aid is thousands of kilometers away,

519
00:32:44,720 --> 00:32:46,690
so the team has brought the very first

520
00:32:46,690 --> 00:32:49,110
portable hyperbaric chamber.

521
00:32:49,110 --> 00:32:50,990
It would be used to treat any diver

522
00:32:50,990 --> 00:32:53,670
who fails to make adequate decompression stops,

523
00:32:53,670 --> 00:32:56,460
and could potentially suffer a fatal stroke.

524
00:32:56,460 --> 00:32:58,770
The victim, usually unconscious,

525
00:32:58,770 --> 00:33:01,980
lies in this chamber where pressure is increased

526
00:33:01,980 --> 00:33:04,163
to levels corresponding with his dive.

527
00:33:05,870 --> 00:33:09,500
When testing the limits of human physiological response,

528
00:33:09,500 --> 00:33:11,693
you have to prepare for the worst case.

529
00:33:14,950 --> 00:33:17,900
Outside the storm rages on,

530
00:33:17,900 --> 00:33:21,563
while the men stay warm, all but one of them.

531
00:33:22,590 --> 00:33:24,980
(wind blustering)

532
00:33:24,980 --> 00:33:28,170
The emperor penguins felt this storm coming.

533
00:33:28,170 --> 00:33:31,013
They begin to huddle together, just in case.

534
00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:49,500
Even at 100 kilometers per hour,

535
00:33:49,500 --> 00:33:52,353
the wind doesn't seem to ruffle these birds' feathers.

536
00:34:07,020 --> 00:34:08,690
It's always moments like these

537
00:34:08,690 --> 00:34:10,950
when nature unleashes its fury

538
00:34:10,950 --> 00:34:13,890
that Vincent finds most satisfying.

539
00:34:13,890 --> 00:34:16,930
He's fascinated by the strength and courage of these animals

540
00:34:16,930 --> 00:34:19,163
in the face of these punishing winds.

541
00:34:23,962 --> 00:34:26,629
(wind whipping)

542
00:34:31,250 --> 00:34:34,950
When the wind speed reaches 150 kilometers per hour,

543
00:34:34,950 --> 00:34:37,220
the stoic birds gather a little closer

544
00:34:37,220 --> 00:34:39,233
to conserve precious body heat.

545
00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:52,630
It takes patience to wait out a major storm like this

546
00:34:52,630 --> 00:34:54,673
that can last for several days.

547
00:34:59,340 --> 00:35:01,580
At 170 kilometers per hour,

548
00:35:01,580 --> 00:35:04,830
the penguins again tighten their formation.

549
00:35:04,830 --> 00:35:07,390
As many as 14 have been counted

550
00:35:07,390 --> 00:35:10,080
squeezed into a square meter.

551
00:35:10,080 --> 00:35:12,240
Helping each other stay warm to survive

552
00:35:12,240 --> 00:35:15,116
is a behavior unique to these birds.

553
00:35:15,116 --> 00:35:18,033
(foreboding music)

554
00:35:26,130 --> 00:35:28,780
This storm lasts 36 hours,

555
00:35:28,780 --> 00:35:31,950
but every member of the colony makes it through.

556
00:35:31,950 --> 00:35:34,610
The violent winds have weakened the pack ice

557
00:35:34,610 --> 00:35:38,380
and water now flows a lot closer to the base camp.

558
00:35:38,380 --> 00:35:40,133
But the chicks still aren't ready,

559
00:35:41,030 --> 00:35:44,073
though most of the remaining ice has become very thin.

560
00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:48,790
The good news,

561
00:35:48,790 --> 00:35:52,113
Laurent doesn't have to go far to attempt his deep dive.

562
00:35:53,110 --> 00:35:57,300
A 70-meter dive in Antarctica would be a first.

563
00:35:57,300 --> 00:36:01,250
This one is scheduled to last more than three hours.

564
00:36:01,250 --> 00:36:03,910
Spending even a few minutes at that depth

565
00:36:03,910 --> 00:36:08,190
will require more than 2 1/2 hours of decompression stops,

566
00:36:08,190 --> 00:36:09,710
no matter how badly the diver

567
00:36:09,710 --> 00:36:11,333
may be suffering from the cold.

568
00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:34,890
For Manu, the team doctor,

569
00:36:34,890 --> 00:36:38,103
long anxiety-filled hours are just beginning.

570
00:36:39,162 --> 00:36:42,079
(soft piano music)

571
00:36:43,210 --> 00:36:46,650
He'll have no idea what's really happening below.

572
00:36:46,650 --> 00:36:48,150
His worst fear?

573
00:36:48,150 --> 00:36:52,460
An emergency buoy rising from the deep with an SOS.

574
00:36:52,460 --> 00:36:56,580
In reply, he would send two large canisters of oxygen

575
00:36:56,580 --> 00:36:58,640
in the hopes it would buy the men enough time

576
00:36:58,640 --> 00:36:59,913
to surface safely.

577
00:37:21,830 --> 00:37:24,910
It's such a different world down here.

578
00:37:24,910 --> 00:37:27,130
The surface is a desert of ice,

579
00:37:27,130 --> 00:37:30,630
harsh, inhospitable, monochromatic,

580
00:37:30,630 --> 00:37:33,200
and here, there are gardens of delicate

581
00:37:33,200 --> 00:37:35,333
luxuriant color, life.

582
00:37:40,100 --> 00:37:42,410
It's as if these gardens have been waiting forever

583
00:37:42,410 --> 00:37:43,913
for someone to explore them.

584
00:37:46,440 --> 00:37:47,943
They seem timeless.

585
00:37:52,050 --> 00:37:54,740
Unlike the first few meters below the surface,

586
00:37:54,740 --> 00:37:57,760
where icebergs and pack ice destroy everything,

587
00:37:57,760 --> 00:38:00,433
down here the conditions are more stable.

588
00:38:01,620 --> 00:38:04,397
Here the rumblings of storms and creaking ice

589
00:38:04,397 --> 00:38:05,793
are like far-off whispers,

590
00:38:07,481 --> 00:38:11,510
so these gardens can blossom and flourish

591
00:38:11,510 --> 00:38:12,893
to their heart's content.

592
00:38:25,170 --> 00:38:28,610
And all of these organisms are animals,

593
00:38:28,610 --> 00:38:32,080
whether they're branchy, tree-shaped, or bushy,

594
00:38:32,080 --> 00:38:34,453
they're animals that look like plants.

595
00:38:36,570 --> 00:38:39,193
They get their nourishment by filtering seawater.

596
00:38:43,110 --> 00:38:45,670
The majority of the species that live here

597
00:38:45,670 --> 00:38:48,633
are found in no other ocean but this one.

598
00:38:50,220 --> 00:38:52,150
The reason for these endemic species

599
00:38:52,150 --> 00:38:56,060
is primarily the immense Antarctic circumpolar current

600
00:38:56,060 --> 00:38:58,193
moving clockwise around the continent.

601
00:38:59,170 --> 00:39:01,730
With a flow rate 150 times greater

602
00:39:01,730 --> 00:39:04,500
than all the rivers in the world combined,

603
00:39:04,500 --> 00:39:07,310
it's the strongest current in the world.

604
00:39:07,310 --> 00:39:09,980
These icy waters block heat from the north

605
00:39:09,980 --> 00:39:11,950
and prevent any aquatic larvae

606
00:39:11,950 --> 00:39:14,870
from entering or leaving that ring.

607
00:39:14,870 --> 00:39:16,950
The flora and fauna of the Antarctic

608
00:39:16,950 --> 00:39:19,460
have thus been isolated from the rest of the world

609
00:39:19,460 --> 00:39:21,143
for millions of years.

610
00:39:28,410 --> 00:39:31,930
Two hours and 45 minutes after making their descent,

611
00:39:31,930 --> 00:39:33,413
the divers resurface.

612
00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:35,583
It's quite an achievement.

613
00:39:40,419 --> 00:39:43,020
(gentle piano music)

614
00:39:43,020 --> 00:39:46,880
This 70-meter dive bodes well for the ones to follow.

615
00:39:46,880 --> 00:39:50,180
They'll want to take advantage while conditions are good.

616
00:39:50,180 --> 00:39:52,250
The ice seems stable for now,

617
00:39:52,250 --> 00:39:54,023
and the weather is fairly mild.

618
00:39:57,689 --> 00:40:00,772
(animals vocalizing)

619
00:40:14,430 --> 00:40:17,180
(birds chirping)

620
00:40:18,470 --> 00:40:20,190
Vincent has taken up residence

621
00:40:20,190 --> 00:40:22,163
with the emperor penguin colony.

622
00:40:26,640 --> 00:40:29,410
Someone signals that it's time to depart.

623
00:40:29,410 --> 00:40:32,110
The adults begin to file out of the colony,

624
00:40:32,110 --> 00:40:34,763
leaving the chicks to their own destinies.

625
00:40:40,020 --> 00:40:42,550
Soon the young penguins will be so hungry

626
00:40:42,550 --> 00:40:44,650
that they'll be forced to follow suit

627
00:40:44,650 --> 00:40:46,103
and head for open water.

628
00:40:51,327 --> 00:40:53,230
Vincent will stay close.

629
00:40:53,230 --> 00:40:55,050
He's managed to blend in so well

630
00:40:55,050 --> 00:40:57,053
that he's become part of the landscape.

631
00:41:11,801 --> 00:41:15,000
The summer sun has been heating the pack ice

632
00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:16,803
which continues to break apart.

633
00:41:17,730 --> 00:41:21,040
It's good timing, now that the Adelie penguin eggs

634
00:41:21,040 --> 00:41:23,760
are showing signs of life.

635
00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:27,730
Very soon, the parents will need fish for their hatchlings.

636
00:41:27,730 --> 00:41:30,683
The proximity to open water will make life easier.

637
00:41:35,300 --> 00:41:38,740
Departure is in the air for the men as well.

638
00:41:38,740 --> 00:41:40,290
Two months after their arrival,

639
00:41:40,290 --> 00:41:44,730
Laurent and Vincent will soon exit this world of ice.

640
00:41:44,730 --> 00:41:47,220
And it's time for the young emperor penguins

641
00:41:47,220 --> 00:41:48,854
to take their big leap.

642
00:41:48,854 --> 00:41:51,860
(exciting music)

643
00:41:51,860 --> 00:41:55,500
Only four days left until the team leaves Antarctica,

644
00:41:55,500 --> 00:41:58,393
and they have yet to attempt their main deep dive.

645
00:42:01,070 --> 00:42:03,180
The rock they'll explore is now about

646
00:42:03,180 --> 00:42:07,340
10 kilometers from base camp surrounded by open water.

647
00:42:07,340 --> 00:42:09,370
With the pack ice now gone,

648
00:42:09,370 --> 00:42:12,123
the only way to get there is by helicopter.

649
00:42:26,610 --> 00:42:28,610
It will take several trips to transport

650
00:42:28,610 --> 00:42:30,540
the hundreds of kilos of equipment

651
00:42:30,540 --> 00:42:32,193
critical for this deep dive.

652
00:42:34,410 --> 00:42:37,750
Those logistics alone will take six hours.

653
00:42:37,750 --> 00:42:40,250
(saw buzzing)

654
00:42:52,139 --> 00:42:54,260
We're really well set up

655
00:42:54,260 --> 00:42:56,053
on this little patch of ice,

656
00:42:56,920 --> 00:42:59,270
which itself is balanced on a rocky peak

657
00:42:59,270 --> 00:43:01,623
that descends 200 meters below.

658
00:43:02,658 --> 00:43:04,763
But, we're right at home here.

659
00:43:08,050 --> 00:43:09,620
All of the real pioneering

660
00:43:09,620 --> 00:43:11,500
underwater polar exploration

661
00:43:11,500 --> 00:43:14,093
will take place on this one dive.

662
00:43:15,170 --> 00:43:16,880
Descending to such great depths

663
00:43:16,880 --> 00:43:19,620
requires superhuman energy.

664
00:43:19,620 --> 00:43:22,870
Even for divers in excellent physical condition,

665
00:43:22,870 --> 00:43:24,463
it's all about mindset.

666
00:43:33,488 --> 00:43:37,155
(graceful orchestral music)

667
00:43:51,240 --> 00:43:54,380
We're gliding the length of this rock.

668
00:43:54,380 --> 00:43:57,050
It starts out smooth but is quickly covered

669
00:43:57,050 --> 00:44:00,763
in a thick forest of brown kelp beds called Laminaria.

670
00:44:06,640 --> 00:44:08,620
50 meters further below,

671
00:44:08,620 --> 00:44:11,300
where the light begins to fade a bit,

672
00:44:11,300 --> 00:44:13,543
we come to a valley of sea feathers.

673
00:44:15,250 --> 00:44:17,483
They stretch as far as the eye can see.

674
00:44:30,380 --> 00:44:32,710
And in the midst of these feathered creatures

675
00:44:32,710 --> 00:44:34,823
are tens of thousands of scallops.

676
00:44:36,390 --> 00:44:39,920
These filterer shellfish are barely 10 centimeters long,

677
00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:43,663
but here in Antarctica, they're nearly 90 years old.

678
00:44:50,320 --> 00:44:54,123
Several times we encounter pure-white giant sea slugs.

679
00:44:57,930 --> 00:45:02,143
Then unexpectedly we cross paths with a truly rare creature,

680
00:45:03,530 --> 00:45:06,340
the tiny Antarctic octopus,

681
00:45:06,340 --> 00:45:08,913
which has never been photographed alive until now.

682
00:45:19,970 --> 00:45:22,070
But it's when we hit 70 meters

683
00:45:22,070 --> 00:45:23,963
that things really get wild.

684
00:45:28,780 --> 00:45:31,853
Invertebrates clearly begin to thrive in this zone.

685
00:45:33,320 --> 00:45:36,180
Suddenly the diversity is spectacular,

686
00:45:36,180 --> 00:45:38,473
each animal stranger than the next.

687
00:45:40,200 --> 00:45:44,373
Coral, anemones, sponges of all sizes and shapes.

688
00:45:45,810 --> 00:45:49,663
But also starfish, crustaceans, and even some fish.

689
00:45:53,010 --> 00:45:55,990
I never found this in any other ocean.

690
00:45:55,990 --> 00:45:57,270
The greater the depth,

691
00:45:57,270 --> 00:45:59,393
the greater the biodiversity it harbors.

692
00:46:04,985 --> 00:46:09,402
A rich, well-balanced world operating in slow motion,

693
00:46:10,300 --> 00:46:13,583
in a time-space continuum that eludes us completely.

694
00:46:37,670 --> 00:46:40,040
I always choose our diving locations

695
00:46:40,040 --> 00:46:42,500
keeping in mind the long hours of ascent

696
00:46:42,500 --> 00:46:44,203
that we spend in freezing water.

697
00:46:47,090 --> 00:46:48,610
So I make sure we always follow

698
00:46:48,610 --> 00:46:51,330
the contours of the rock up to the surface

699
00:46:51,330 --> 00:46:53,400
so that the exploring can continue

700
00:46:53,400 --> 00:46:55,000
and we forget the freezing cold.

701
00:47:06,400 --> 00:47:09,593
For all of these weeks, I feel like I've never stopped,

702
00:47:11,470 --> 00:47:14,323
as if this entire trip were one long dive,

703
00:47:16,487 --> 00:47:19,253
the most difficult one of my life, I think,

704
00:47:20,290 --> 00:47:22,040
only to finish triumphantly

705
00:47:22,040 --> 00:47:24,440
here at the foot of this little island

706
00:47:24,440 --> 00:47:26,263
I'd been dreaming of for years.

707
00:47:29,874 --> 00:47:32,874
(breathing heavily)

708
00:47:36,617 --> 00:47:38,823
There are a lot easier dives.

709
00:47:43,140 --> 00:47:45,470
I'm exhausted.

710
00:47:45,470 --> 00:47:46,303
Shit.

711
00:48:03,293 --> 00:48:06,540
Down there, my head was freezing.

712
00:48:06,540 --> 00:48:08,610
My entire body was freezing.

713
00:48:08,610 --> 00:48:10,970
It's really cold on the bottom.

714
00:48:10,970 --> 00:48:14,133
But the life on that slope, mesmerizing.

715
00:48:15,814 --> 00:48:19,481
(graceful orchestral music)

716
00:48:31,800 --> 00:48:36,003
Some 72 hours left to savor this magical place,

717
00:48:37,000 --> 00:48:39,710
and everyone hopes the young emperor penguins

718
00:48:39,710 --> 00:48:42,210
will finally make their move.

719
00:48:42,210 --> 00:48:45,210
(penguins chirping)

720
00:48:51,990 --> 00:48:55,940
At last, they realize that their parents aren't coming back,

721
00:48:55,940 --> 00:48:57,473
that they're on their own now.

722
00:48:58,390 --> 00:49:01,750
Now it's their turn to follow the footsteps of the adults

723
00:49:02,850 --> 00:49:05,704
pointing them toward the open water.

724
00:49:05,704 --> 00:49:09,000
(lively orchestral music)

725
00:49:09,000 --> 00:49:11,640
This year the ice pack has shrunk

726
00:49:11,640 --> 00:49:13,343
so there'll be no fatalities.

727
00:49:19,410 --> 00:49:22,430
This last step is a tough one.

728
00:49:22,430 --> 00:49:25,030
Instinctively they know this new environment

729
00:49:25,030 --> 00:49:26,483
may be dangerous.

730
00:49:29,560 --> 00:49:31,550
Vincent has front-row seats

731
00:49:31,550 --> 00:49:34,030
and is ready for the show to begin.

732
00:49:34,030 --> 00:49:36,803
These may be his last photographs of the trip.

733
00:49:37,816 --> 00:49:40,399
(gentle music)

734
00:49:41,400 --> 00:49:44,860
None of the divers want to miss this incredible moment.

735
00:49:44,860 --> 00:49:47,310
They're all hanging out around the launching pad.

736
00:49:49,900 --> 00:49:53,853
It could be a matter of minutes, or days.

737
00:50:00,930 --> 00:50:02,200
Everyone's ready,

738
00:50:02,200 --> 00:50:05,260
and no one cares how long they have to wait.

739
00:50:05,260 --> 00:50:07,957
This is exactly what they've come so far to see.

740
00:50:12,205 --> 00:50:15,372
(penguins vocalizing)

741
00:50:26,745 --> 00:50:29,495
(dramatic music)

742
00:50:49,180 --> 00:50:50,793
Finally they take the plunge.

743
00:51:01,567 --> 00:51:06,484
Hunger will quickly turn them into efficient ocean hunters.

744
00:51:08,320 --> 00:51:10,630
Following this march of the penguins,

745
00:51:10,630 --> 00:51:12,083
there's a lengthy swim.

746
00:51:12,930 --> 00:51:16,010
All the young birds will spend five years in these waters

747
00:51:16,010 --> 00:51:19,480
before returning to the ice shelf where they were born,

748
00:51:19,480 --> 00:51:20,593
to give birth.

749
00:51:23,360 --> 00:51:25,340
This especially benign season

750
00:51:25,340 --> 00:51:27,560
shouldn't overshadow the cruel reality

751
00:51:27,560 --> 00:51:31,060
of nature's imbalance at the polar extremes.

752
00:51:31,060 --> 00:51:33,460
Antarctica's health is precarious,

753
00:51:33,460 --> 00:51:35,420
yet our own wellbeing depends

754
00:51:35,420 --> 00:51:37,243
on its environmental stability.

755
00:51:40,310 --> 00:51:41,920
Over the course of this expedition

756
00:51:41,920 --> 00:51:43,780
photographer Vincent Munier

757
00:51:43,780 --> 00:51:46,600
will have discovered an unlikely Garden of Eden

758
00:51:47,490 --> 00:51:51,263
conveyed in nuanced and subtle shades of white and gray,

759
00:51:52,140 --> 00:51:56,113
a world easy on the eyes but icy to the touch.

760
00:52:01,020 --> 00:52:03,920
And Laurent Ballesta has exposed us to an incredible

761
00:52:03,920 --> 00:52:08,130
new world of contrasts and unexpected landscapes.

762
00:52:08,130 --> 00:52:11,670
Ocean depths as luxuriant as tropical jungles

763
00:52:11,670 --> 00:52:14,683
despite the desert of ice that flourishes above.

764
00:52:16,460 --> 00:52:18,440
It's nature's subtle balancing act

765
00:52:18,440 --> 00:52:22,060
that ensures life's ongoing existence.

766
00:52:22,060 --> 00:52:25,260
If we human beings finally realize that,

767
00:52:25,260 --> 00:52:28,210
we may be inspired to protect the polar regions

768
00:52:28,210 --> 00:52:32,683
as if our lives and our future truly depended on it.

769
00:52:40,260 --> 00:52:43,593
(slow orchestral music)