0:00:02 > 0:00:04My name's Steve Backshall.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10Whoa! And I'm on a mission searching for...
0:00:10 > 0:00:13Deadly places, deadly adventures
0:00:13 > 0:00:14and deadly animals.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22And you're coming with me, every step of the way!
0:00:25 > 0:00:26Argh!
0:00:31 > 0:00:34I've developed a fascination bordering on obsession
0:00:34 > 0:00:37with the true icon of Deadly - the great white shark.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41So we decided to dedicate a whole episode
0:00:41 > 0:00:45of our Pole To Pole adventure to this perfect predator.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48We've come to the ultimate shark-watching location -
0:00:48 > 0:00:51Guadalupe Island, over 4,000 miles
0:00:51 > 0:00:54from our starting point in the Arctic Circle,
0:00:54 > 0:00:56this is great white central.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Heading out into the middle of the ocean,
0:01:01 > 0:01:05I will have an encounter with this lord of the sea like never before.
0:01:09 > 0:01:10I've been lucky enough
0:01:10 > 0:01:13to bounce up against one in a tiny inflatable boat.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15Wow! Next to me! Look at this!
0:01:16 > 0:01:19To see one from the safety of a shark diving cage.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Agh!
0:01:22 > 0:01:24Even to see them leaping -
0:01:24 > 0:01:28breaching out of the water in one of the world's most impressive attacks.
0:01:28 > 0:01:29No way!
0:01:29 > 0:01:32Just one big smack!
0:01:32 > 0:01:33But this time, we're going one better,
0:01:33 > 0:01:35we're going to dive with a shark
0:01:35 > 0:01:37out in the big blue, outside of the cage.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41This is quite simply the greatest shark encounter on the planet.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46That is no exaggeration.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49Great whites are the largest predatory shark on Earth.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53With over 300 serrated, sharp teeth,
0:01:53 > 0:01:57they can snag and slice through prey.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01Their exceptional sense of smell
0:02:01 > 0:02:04means they can detect blood from miles away.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07And when they focus in, their streamlined,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10torpedo-shaped bodies and crescent-shaped tail
0:02:10 > 0:02:13propel them through the water at a phenomenal speed.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23This mission is certainly not for the faint-hearted.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25It's coming back towards us.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35So, with no time to lose we get loaded up,
0:02:35 > 0:02:38as this boat will be our home for the next five days.
0:02:45 > 0:02:51Our destination is Guadalupe Island, better known as Shark Island.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55It's one of the best places in the world to see the great white shark.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58It'll be a 24-hour journey through some very rough seas,
0:02:58 > 0:03:02but it will all be worth it.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19This is Guadalupe Island.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23It's uninhabited, unimaginably wild
0:03:23 > 0:03:28and surrounded by an infinite expanse of big blue Pacific Ocean.
0:03:28 > 0:03:33And, down there, are dozens of the most-feared predator on Earth.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36It's a very, very special place indeed.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40With just two days to complete our mission,
0:03:40 > 0:03:42we need to start drawing the sharks in,
0:03:42 > 0:03:43as stage one of this challenge
0:03:43 > 0:03:48will be to assess the personality and mood of each individual shark
0:03:48 > 0:03:49from the safety of a cage.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55We're going to use the great white sharks' supersenses as a tool
0:03:55 > 0:03:56to attract them to come in close to us.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59They have an exquisite sense of smell
0:03:59 > 0:04:01and they'll be attracted from miles away
0:04:01 > 0:04:03by the scent of blood in the water.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05As soon as we see a shark in close,
0:04:05 > 0:04:07we're going to get down into the shark-diving cage
0:04:07 > 0:04:10and try and get a sense with the particular animals.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13If I'm going to leave the cage, it
0:04:13 > 0:04:16has to be with the right shark.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20After a few hours, the first shape appears,
0:04:20 > 0:04:23drawn in by those tantalising drops of blood.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26Shark coming round. Shark coming up.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33And it's hungry.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41Whoa! It's completely taken the bait all in one go.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44That whole, huge tuna, which was the length of my leg,
0:04:44 > 0:04:46gone in a mouthful.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Wow, things happen really quick round here.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57So with no time to lose, we get kitted up.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00Hopefully, this shark is going to stick around.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06I head down, with Johnny the cameraman, into the cage.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12Even though this is just stage one, my heart is already racing.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18Sitting, waiting - for perhaps the greatest predator on the planet
0:05:18 > 0:05:21to appear from the deep - is a daunting experience.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27I'm starting to imagine things.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29I just keep thinking that I've seen something.
0:05:31 > 0:05:32But it's always just a shadow.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39Then, out of nowhere...
0:05:42 > 0:05:43Shark, shark!
0:05:43 > 0:05:45We have a shark!
0:05:49 > 0:05:53Boy, do we have a shark! It's a monster!
0:05:55 > 0:05:59- Where did he come from?! - I know!
0:05:59 > 0:06:04It's just incredible that in water this clear,
0:06:04 > 0:06:08where you can see for what seems like an infinity,
0:06:08 > 0:06:11a shark can just appear out of nowhere.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14And this animal must weigh over a tonne,
0:06:14 > 0:06:17probably four metres in length. It's huge.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21But, somehow, they still manage to surprise you.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27The reason for that is its camouflage.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31It's called "countershading" and is very common amongst marine animals.
0:06:35 > 0:06:40Seen from below, the white underside merges into the bright sky above.
0:06:40 > 0:06:45Seen from above, the dark back blends into the deep, deep blue.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Ooh!
0:06:48 > 0:06:50He put on a burst of speed there.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53I'm just trying to suss out what this animal's all about.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58I think he might be a little bit feisty to get out of the cage with.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03But I do have another plan for this animal.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06I'm going to see if we can measure the strength of its jaws
0:07:06 > 0:07:08using a bite-force test gauge.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14Oh, and he's coming straight in for it! He's coming in for it already!
0:07:15 > 0:07:20Got very, very close on his first pass.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23Unfortunately, the shark's more focused on our bait
0:07:23 > 0:07:25than on our bite-test gauge.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32Pretty close, pretty close!
0:07:33 > 0:07:38And so much explosive power,
0:07:38 > 0:07:41coming out for a few tries with that tail.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46I tell you what, with this shark, I am very, very glad
0:07:46 > 0:07:50that I've got the safety of these bars between me and him.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53But, again, the shark is only interested in the bait
0:07:53 > 0:07:55and crashes into the cage.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58Good grief!
0:08:00 > 0:08:04I guess it just looks a bit weird. It doesn't look like food.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09I think we'll call the bite-test gauge a noble failure.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12Well, that was a great start,
0:08:12 > 0:08:15but the main one that's hanging around right now,
0:08:15 > 0:08:17I think, is perhaps a bit too aggressive.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20I wouldn't feel comfortable swimming out into the water with him,
0:08:20 > 0:08:22so I think we are just going to need a little patience
0:08:22 > 0:08:25and, while we're waiting, the perfect way to spend our time
0:08:25 > 0:08:29will be to go and see what brings great whites to Guadalupe.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31I want to go and see their prey.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35So the crew and I head right up to the cliff edge
0:08:35 > 0:08:39as, when you're the prey of a big apex predator,
0:08:39 > 0:08:41you never want to be far from safety.
0:08:44 > 0:08:45There's an animal that occurs here
0:08:45 > 0:08:47that lives in the world of the great white
0:08:47 > 0:08:49every single day of its life.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51It's a true survivor - the Guadalupe fur seal.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56This is a really dangerous place for fur seals to make a living.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59I mean these incredible volcanic cliffs
0:08:59 > 0:09:01just drop straight down into the sea
0:09:01 > 0:09:04and then go down to real depths very, very quickly.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06It means that the only place they can truly be safe
0:09:06 > 0:09:09is right up close to the shore.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12I've dived in dozens of seal colonies around the world
0:09:12 > 0:09:15and, usually, sitting this close to the shore,
0:09:15 > 0:09:16you'd be surrounded by seals.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19They'd be dancing around in the water around you.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22But not here. The animals keep very, very close to the edge
0:09:22 > 0:09:24and that is for a very good reason.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33One, two, three, go!
0:09:35 > 0:09:37I'll need to get to the bottom quickly,
0:09:37 > 0:09:40so I'm safe from becoming prey myself
0:09:40 > 0:09:42and can enjoy this magical environment.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47Wow! What an extraordinary place!
0:09:49 > 0:09:53This is right at the edge of the world
0:09:53 > 0:09:58of the Guadalupe fur seal and the world of the great white.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04There is so much life here.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11It's like being in the world's greatest-ever aquarium.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15Oh, look at this!
0:10:17 > 0:10:20In no time at all, I'm surrounded by fur seals.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27There are two very distinct groups of seals.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29There are the true seals
0:10:29 > 0:10:33and the fur seals and sea lions, the eared seals.
0:10:34 > 0:10:40You can see these have external ear openings
0:10:40 > 0:10:43and long, broad flippers at the front of the body
0:10:43 > 0:10:45that they use for propulsion.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52Very inquisitive, this one.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Look at her, what a beauty!
0:10:59 > 0:11:00Hello.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11I think she could see her reflection in my mask.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25How good is this?! Absolutely amazing!
0:11:35 > 0:11:39They make everything underwater seem so effortless, don't they?
0:11:39 > 0:11:43I would give anything to be able to swim like that underwater.
0:11:57 > 0:12:02But no matter how hard I try, I just don't seem to have the same grace.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13These fur seals might just look like they're having fun,
0:12:13 > 0:12:17but, for them, life is all about one thing -
0:12:17 > 0:12:20surviving against great whites.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26I mean, once you're in the water, they hang at the surface
0:12:26 > 0:12:29with their heads and those big eyes looking down,
0:12:29 > 0:12:33always on the lookout for a shark.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38They're incredibly fast,
0:12:38 > 0:12:42agile, manoeuvrable creatures. But they have to be.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46As to escape a great white, you need to be quick.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53But fur seals are predators in their own right.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57All over the world, they use these same skills to hunt prey.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04With their speed, agility and lion-like teeth,
0:13:04 > 0:13:08they can catch food in all kinds of shapes and sizes with ease.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22This animal has had to face so many challenges
0:13:22 > 0:13:27in its life here in Guadalupe,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30from the great white sharks it shares the seas with
0:13:30 > 0:13:33to having to hunt in waters
0:13:33 > 0:13:36where everything can see them coming, they're so clear.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43But they are such sublime predators,
0:13:43 > 0:13:45they still manage to succeed.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50Oh, they are stunning!
0:13:56 > 0:13:59They're beautiful, they're playful,
0:13:59 > 0:14:01they're balletic,
0:14:01 > 0:14:03but they're also deadly.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16Well, I would say there are few more beautiful dives
0:14:16 > 0:14:18in the whole world than that.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21But I reckon we've had our fair share of beauty now.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23Now it's time for the beast.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30But right now the sharks have disappeared for the day.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32So we'll have to wait until tomorrow
0:14:32 > 0:14:36to leave the cage behind and attempt the ultimate Deadly challenge,
0:14:36 > 0:14:38to free-dive with the great white.
0:14:41 > 0:14:42'But ahead of tomorrow's dive,
0:14:42 > 0:14:45'I get the team together for a final briefing.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49'Safety will be paramount.'
0:14:49 > 0:14:50If I go to swim out the cage,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53then the first thing I do is get the OK from you,
0:14:53 > 0:14:55because you're much more experienced with this than I am.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58So you look at the shark, you suss it out,
0:14:58 > 0:14:59you figure out it's OK and then
0:14:59 > 0:15:01- you're going to be watching my back...- Yes.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03..and then I look down for that splash.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05And your last look should be looking down.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07Always look down first and then swim out.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09And, I guess, try and come alongside the shark
0:15:09 > 0:15:11- as it comes up to the bait?- Yes.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14But not in front of it. You don't want to be in front of the shark
0:15:14 > 0:15:17- and getting in-between it and the food.- Yes.
0:15:17 > 0:15:22Once the shark locks up on the bait, they don't change their minds.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24They'll go for the bait. Even if we are close by,
0:15:24 > 0:15:28they never change their minds, they just lock on the bait.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Um, and, you know, obviously,
0:15:31 > 0:15:33we don't want to even think about things going wrong,
0:15:33 > 0:15:38but what is our kind of escape plan, if anything does happen?
0:15:39 > 0:15:41Oh, bottom line is something bad happens,
0:15:41 > 0:15:43we've got to get you out of the water.
0:15:43 > 0:15:48Because we're so far out from any type of civilisation, trauma centre,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51dive chamber. We've got to start evacuating you immediately.
0:15:51 > 0:15:52OK.
0:15:52 > 0:15:53Any bite from any of these sharks,
0:15:53 > 0:15:56whether it be a juvenile or a large female or whatever,
0:15:56 > 0:15:59is going to be a catastrophic event.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01If someone gets bit, it's going to be catastrophic.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16'As I probably won't be getting the best night's sleep,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19'I take the opportunity to go out with local scientists
0:16:19 > 0:16:21'on the hunt for a bizarre beast.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30'It's so rare it's only ever been filmed three times.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36'It's only 50 centimetres in length but has oversized teeth
0:16:36 > 0:16:39'and will take chunks out of all kinds of bigger creatures,
0:16:39 > 0:16:41'from seals to dolphins, tuna,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44'even the great whites themselves.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46'It's called the cookie cutter shark.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54'We're heading to an area where our scientist Mauricio
0:16:54 > 0:16:56'believes these sneaky sharks are hiding out.'
0:16:59 > 0:17:02So, the first thing that we are going to try is to set the tuna
0:17:02 > 0:17:03with a big camera with light,
0:17:03 > 0:17:05and we wait until the cookie cutter gets the tuna,
0:17:05 > 0:17:08and then we have to pull the bait very, very fast,
0:17:08 > 0:17:12because the cookie cutter gets the tuna and stays there a few seconds.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16- Yep.- So we will try to get it to the boat. So, we will see about that.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18Fingers crossed, then, I guess!
0:17:20 > 0:17:23We've got a decent-sized tuna here,
0:17:23 > 0:17:25and what they do is incredibly sneaky.
0:17:25 > 0:17:26They'll swim in to large prey,
0:17:26 > 0:17:29get a hold of it with their grippy upper teeth,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31and then the bottom teeth, which are like scalpels,
0:17:31 > 0:17:33will get stuck right in.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36They suck down, creating almost like a vacuum suction power,
0:17:36 > 0:17:38and then twirl around,
0:17:38 > 0:17:41taking a big, circular chunk out of their food.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44So what we've got is here, a camera system with a light,
0:17:44 > 0:17:47which will be aimed down at the tuna.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50We can watch the images from this camera up here on the boat,
0:17:50 > 0:17:54and hopefully if the cookie cutter comes in, we'll see it here,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57we can draw the tuna in and try and catch it with a net.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01It is a real long shot. I'll be amazed if it works!
0:18:01 > 0:18:04But if it does, this is going to be an incredible glimpse
0:18:04 > 0:18:07into the secret life of a shark that is almost entirely unknown.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12'We place the tuna in the water.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16'All we can do now is sit and watch the screen.'
0:18:21 > 0:18:23This is what the camera's seeing,
0:18:23 > 0:18:25looking down to the upper surface of the tuna.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28All of these small particles in the water that look like snow,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31those are plankton, and some of them are tiny jellyfish,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34being illuminated by the light shining down.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37There's lots of small fish coming in and checking it out, though,
0:18:37 > 0:18:39which is a really good sign.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49'But the waiting just goes on and on.'
0:18:55 > 0:18:58Well, I've been staring at this screen for ages now,
0:18:58 > 0:19:00and no sign of a cookie cutter shark.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04But then again, very, very few people have ever seen one,
0:19:04 > 0:19:07and there is no doubt that this tiny, sneaky shark
0:19:07 > 0:19:11that feeds on some of the biggest organisms on earth
0:19:11 > 0:19:12is definitely deadly.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19'Deadly but ultimately elusive.
0:19:19 > 0:19:20'So we head back to our boat,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23'as tomorrow is going to be a very big day.'
0:19:26 > 0:19:28So, today's the day.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30A lot of people might ask why I would even consider
0:19:30 > 0:19:33going outside of the cage with a great white shark,
0:19:33 > 0:19:34and, for me, it's very simple.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37I've spent a lot of my life trying to convince people
0:19:37 > 0:19:40that sharks are not the misunderstood,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42man-eating monsters that a lot of people think they are,
0:19:42 > 0:19:45and this is kind of the best way of proving that.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47These animals have so much to fear from us
0:19:47 > 0:19:50and we have next to nothing to fear from them.
0:19:51 > 0:19:57Across the world, sharks are being destroyed at an alarming rate.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59For every person killed by a shark,
0:19:59 > 0:20:02around ten million sharks are killed by man.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07From habitat loss to overfishing
0:20:07 > 0:20:10to the demand for shark-fin soup,
0:20:10 > 0:20:12sharks are being decimated.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18By swimming with the greatest shark of them all, the great white,
0:20:18 > 0:20:19hopefully people can see
0:20:19 > 0:20:22that sharks are not the monsters they seem to be.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28But at the moment, we're playing a waiting game.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32So much of wildlife-watching is just about patience
0:20:32 > 0:20:35and waiting, and this is no different, really.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37We're just staring off into the inky blue,
0:20:37 > 0:20:40hoping to see that distinctive silhouette of a shark
0:20:40 > 0:20:42popping up to the surface.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44But at the moment, it's just not happening,
0:20:44 > 0:20:47and we're running out of time.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50'So we're ready when they do appear, we start kitting up.'
0:20:57 > 0:21:00The important thing is that diving with whites,
0:21:00 > 0:21:04your heart always skips a beat.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06It doesn't matter how many times you do it.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13'And our first shark of the day appears.'
0:21:14 > 0:21:16Shark, shark!
0:21:17 > 0:21:20This shark is definitely a player. This is perfect,
0:21:20 > 0:21:22this is one who will hang around if we play it right.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30It's really tricky. You've got to force yourself to go through
0:21:30 > 0:21:32all of your checks, your air,
0:21:32 > 0:21:34with the microphone, with the mask, with your fins,
0:21:34 > 0:21:37with all of the things that you have to have working
0:21:37 > 0:21:38just to do a normal scuba dive.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40But all the time in the back of your mind,
0:21:40 > 0:21:44is the fact that you're about to swim out in the open ocean
0:21:44 > 0:21:47with one of the most epic predators on the planet.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49But somehow you have to put that to the back of your mind
0:21:49 > 0:21:51and focus on the important jobs.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58'I can't let nerves get the better of me, as animals can sense fear.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04'This is the moment. We can't wait any longer.'
0:22:04 > 0:22:05Are we ready?
0:22:08 > 0:22:10'It's time to head out into his world.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21'This shark is known to the team,
0:22:21 > 0:22:23'so we're confident we can open the cage door.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29'But before I head out into the deep blue,
0:22:29 > 0:22:33'we need to be absolutely sure this shark is on its best behaviour.'
0:22:34 > 0:22:40It's an eerie sight, seeing a great white swim past you like this
0:22:40 > 0:22:43with the door of the cage open.
0:22:49 > 0:22:54It's a male shark, but it's a mature male and of a good size.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59This is an animal that isn't going to have anything to prove.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02'And the conditions are perfect.'
0:23:06 > 0:23:11So I think it's time to head out through the open cage door.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21'Leaving the cage, I suddenly feel very small.'
0:23:38 > 0:23:42They are so completely transfixing,
0:23:42 > 0:23:44almost hypnotising.
0:23:44 > 0:23:49But once you see one shark, you can't take your eyes off it.
0:23:49 > 0:23:50But the fact is,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53it's not the shark you can see that you have to be worried about,
0:23:53 > 0:23:55it's the shark that you don't see.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00'So I'm very glad I have lots of eyes in the water.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03'But even then, sharks can still surprise you.'
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Watch behind you, Jose! Watch behind you!
0:24:11 > 0:24:14'Sharks are not the mindless killers people believe them to be,
0:24:14 > 0:24:15'but they're still predators.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19'Even an exploratory bite from a great white,
0:24:19 > 0:24:21'where they mean no harm, could be fatal.'
0:24:24 > 0:24:27Coming back towards us, Johnny, straight at us.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42It's incredible,
0:24:42 > 0:24:47the power they can create with a couple of whips of that tail.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52So dramatic. And he's coming back round for the bait again.
0:24:52 > 0:24:57This is very similar to the way that white sharks here in Guadalupe
0:24:57 > 0:25:01have to go for fur seals.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04There's too much visibility here.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07They have to rely on sneak attacks,
0:25:07 > 0:25:09bumping into their prey,
0:25:09 > 0:25:13taking a bite then releasing, swimming away
0:25:13 > 0:25:15and letting it bleed to death.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18'And their camouflage is so impressive
0:25:18 > 0:25:21'that sharks simply appear out of the blue.'
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Look at that coming straight towards us.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28Different shark. Completely different shark.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32It's obviously been in battles with other males.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36It's lost an enormous chunk of flesh from its back.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42It's a newcomer. We haven't seen this one before,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45so I'm going to watch it very carefully
0:25:45 > 0:25:48before I think about swimming alongside it.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53In fact, I'm going to get back in the cage.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03'But the new shark doesn't stay long before our other male is back.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07'I have enough air left
0:26:07 > 0:26:10'for one final encounter with this incredible predator.'
0:26:28 > 0:26:31This is quite simply wonderful.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36'This shark seems so at ease,
0:26:36 > 0:26:39'gliding alongside me through the water.'
0:26:50 > 0:26:52Beautiful. Just beautiful.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01I'm not suggesting it's deadly
0:27:01 > 0:27:06because of its danger to people - far from it.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10But in terms of its mastery of the ocean,
0:27:10 > 0:27:12this creature is unparalleled.
0:27:25 > 0:27:30That is one of THE great wildlife encounters.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Unbelievable!
0:27:34 > 0:27:38To share the open water with a great white shark,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41probably the most feared creature on the planet.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45Extraordinary.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47I will never, ever forget this moment.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01What an experience.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03The great white is one of those animals
0:28:03 > 0:28:05that just seems to be perfect.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08Everything about it - its streamlining,
0:28:08 > 0:28:11its simple camouflage, its teeth,
0:28:11 > 0:28:13all of those supersenses -
0:28:13 > 0:28:17it's perfection. It just cannot be improved upon.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20And if you were a tuna or a seal,
0:28:20 > 0:28:23it would probably be the very last thing you'd ever see.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26'To human beings, it does have the power
0:28:26 > 0:28:29'to make us feel incredibly fragile and small.'
0:28:29 > 0:28:34To everything else in the sea, it is deadly.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38Join me next time as we continue south.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40to a land of giants...
0:28:40 > 0:28:43of fire...
0:28:43 > 0:28:44and the bizarre.
0:29:03 > 0:29:04'(Deadly.)'