0:00:04 > 0:00:07In a far corner of the Earth
0:00:07 > 0:00:09is a South American wilderness.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20These extreme landscapes are home to strange...
0:00:20 > 0:00:22and wonderful animals.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27ELEPHANT SEAL GROWLS
0:00:27 > 0:00:29From the rugged peaks of the Andes...
0:00:32 > 0:00:35..across the scorched desert steppe...
0:00:37 > 0:00:42..to coasts battered by some of the roughest seas on the planet.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Living here takes guts and determination.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54There are incredible opportunities for some.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01For others, it's a battle to survive.
0:01:06 > 0:01:11The pioneering spirit unites them all
0:01:11 > 0:01:16under the spell of Patagonia.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28This is the story of a coastline over 4,000 miles long.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32From the bitter cold of the far south,
0:01:32 > 0:01:36forging northwards to the parched desert.
0:01:38 > 0:01:43For those that dare, these shores offer unmatched bounty.
0:01:48 > 0:01:54And the driving force behind these riches is the turbulent ocean.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14At Patagonia's southern extreme lies a rocky outcrop
0:02:14 > 0:02:16steeped in nautical legend.
0:02:18 > 0:02:19Cape Horn.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31There have been 800 shipwrecks off the Horn,
0:02:31 > 0:02:34with a loss of more than 10,000 souls.
0:02:42 > 0:02:47This is where the Atlantic and the Pacific collide
0:02:47 > 0:02:48with the great Southern Ocean.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00This far south, there's no other land all the way round the planet.
0:03:05 > 0:03:10Nothing to stop the winds gaining speed or the waves gathering height.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19In this vast world of water,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22the island of Los Estados is a vital refuge,
0:03:22 > 0:03:26home to one of the Southern Ocean's most heroic birds.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37A male rockhopper penguin stands guard over his chick,
0:03:37 > 0:03:38just one week old.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48The youngster has a huge appetite, but there's no food here.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56They're both waiting for mum to return. She's fishing far out at sea.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06For the first three weeks of his chick's life, he must stay put
0:04:06 > 0:04:08whatever the weather.
0:04:10 > 0:04:11THUNDER RUMBLES
0:04:19 > 0:04:21The frequent storms are a reminder
0:04:21 > 0:04:24of just how close this island is to the Antarctic.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39Dad might look fed up, but he's got the easy job.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44His mate is returning from a day's foraging
0:04:44 > 0:04:47at feeding grounds 15 miles out to sea.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56There's a big challenge ahead.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03On this jagged coastline, there's no easy way out.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26In such immense waves, crash landings are inevitable.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38With a belly full of food, like every mother here,
0:05:38 > 0:05:41this female is driven by a need to feed her chick.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48But each step is hard-won.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07Thousands of rockhoppers make this journey each day
0:06:07 > 0:06:10and the headland has attracted an unwelcome visitor.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25A huge male sea lion, 100 times their size.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46Tossed around, the tiny birds do their best to avoid him.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35Each attack is a loss that will affect a whole family.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20She's conquered huge waves and faced down a monster.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25But before being reunited with her family...
0:08:25 > 0:08:27she still has a mountain to climb.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34It's a big ask for a bird that can't fly,
0:08:34 > 0:08:36standing less than two feet tall.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41But it's now that rockhoppers live up to their name.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51Incredibly strong toenails grip the rock.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58The beak makes a good climbing tool.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05The more experienced penguins make it look easy,
0:09:05 > 0:09:07but it's a steep learning curve.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20It takes youngsters a while to get the hang of it.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33Misjudge it and it's back to square one.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51At the top of the cliff, the going gets a little easier.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01She's following the footsteps of generations,
0:10:01 > 0:10:04forging deep tunnels through the tussock grass.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16These pathways connect around 20 different colonies
0:10:16 > 0:10:18spreading up the hillside.
0:10:20 > 0:10:25She's got to find her way through nearly half a million rockhoppers,
0:10:25 > 0:10:27but she knows where she's going,
0:10:27 > 0:10:30returning to the same colony each year.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37Unfortunately, that happens to be at the very top of the island.
0:10:54 > 0:10:59Finally, after a climb of over a mile, she's made it.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22And at last, it's time for dinner.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27It's a messy business, but the chick's not complaining.
0:11:44 > 0:11:49For the next two months, the devoted parents will share these duties
0:11:49 > 0:11:52until their chick is big enough to take to the ocean.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07Then they'll spend nearly half their lives at sea,
0:12:07 > 0:12:11further south than most humans ever dare to venture.
0:12:16 > 0:12:21Sailors of old who braved these southern latitudes had a saying -
0:12:21 > 0:12:25below 40 degrees south, there is no law.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28Below 50, there is no God.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35But there are those who choose to sail these seas
0:12:35 > 0:12:36at the end of the world.
0:12:45 > 0:12:46Puerto Toro.
0:12:46 > 0:12:5255 degrees south, the most southerly permanent settlement on Earth.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54Home to just one family.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01But at the port are migrant fishermen who've travelled
0:13:01 > 0:13:04hundreds of miles to seek the riches of the far south.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29IN SPANISH:
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Between them, Heriberto and his crew
0:13:56 > 0:14:01have almost a century of experience fishing the waters around Cape Horn.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05They are forever at the mercy of the weather.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26While conditions are good, they must make the most of it.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37The crew will work, sleep and live together
0:14:37 > 0:14:40on this small seven-metre boat for the whole season.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47Fishing for crabs.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34But there's an ultimate catch that really makes it worth the sacrifice.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43The centolla, or king crab.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45Almost a metre across.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51A highly prized delicacy sold to restaurants round the world.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54A single crab can fetch over £100.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11It's the turbulence of these seas that delivers such riches.
0:16:16 > 0:16:21Cold water flowing from the Antarctic is packed with nutrients,
0:16:21 > 0:16:24whipped to the surface by the wind and waves.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33And there's another huge reason these waters are super-fertile.
0:16:37 > 0:16:43North of Cape Horn there are mountains covered in glaciers.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Each is a titanic force,
0:17:02 > 0:17:07scouring deep trenches in the rock on its drive towards the sea.
0:17:18 > 0:17:23This releases millions of tonnes of sediment into the water,
0:17:23 > 0:17:26staining it with minerals.
0:17:42 > 0:17:48Beneath the surface - a vast forest of giant kelp.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52Fed by nutrients from the glaciers,
0:17:52 > 0:17:56the kelp can reach heights of over 30 metres tall
0:17:56 > 0:17:59and offers shelter from the strong ocean currents.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05This underwater world holds enough different species
0:18:05 > 0:18:08to rival a forest on land.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25An adult king crab is built big enough
0:18:25 > 0:18:27to deal with the strong currents out at sea.
0:18:32 > 0:18:37But it takes baby king crabs five years before they're fully grown.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46For this youngster, the kelp is a precious nursery
0:18:46 > 0:18:48full of strange neighbours.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04Life here is not without its dangers.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17But there are plenty of places to hide.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21And in water fed by the glaciers
0:19:21 > 0:19:24there's an endless supply of food.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43From these giant kelp forests,
0:19:43 > 0:19:47the mineral-rich waters flow out into the open ocean.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02Here they meet a mass of cold water that sweeps up from the Antarctic.
0:20:07 > 0:20:12This creates a super-fertile mix that surges northwards
0:20:12 > 0:20:15as the great Malvinas Current.
0:20:15 > 0:20:21Flowing over 1,000 miles from Cape Horn up the east coast of Patagonia,
0:20:21 > 0:20:25this is the driving force of life along these shores.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33The days are long here, creating the perfect conditions
0:20:33 > 0:20:37for one of the planet's most important life forms -
0:20:37 > 0:20:39phytoplankton.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44Individually, the algae are microscopic,
0:20:44 > 0:20:48but together they form blooms so big
0:20:48 > 0:20:51they can be seen from space.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10This is the starting point
0:21:10 > 0:21:14for one of the most extraordinary food chains on Earth.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25Anchovies. A huge shoal.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31A potential feast for sea lions.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46But with thousands of fish moving as one,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49the size of the shoal is bewildering.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57The arrival of a pod of dusky dolphins changes the odds.
0:22:01 > 0:22:06They work as a team, breaking up the fish into smaller groups.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14And all the hunters benefit.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28Fully fed, it's time for the sea lions to head for shore.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37It's the same story for hundreds of miles up the coast.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44Waiting for this female,
0:22:44 > 0:22:47her pup. Just two months old.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53GROWLING
0:22:55 > 0:22:58She's been at sea for three days.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00And her pup's ravenous for her milk.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09For the next few days she'll remain onshore,
0:23:09 > 0:23:12joining almost 20,000 others
0:23:12 > 0:23:17in one of the largest gatherings of sea lions in the southern hemisphere.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25With plenty of food offshore
0:23:25 > 0:23:28and miles of isolated beaches,
0:23:28 > 0:23:31this seems the perfect nursery.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47At low tide, a large reef protects the beach from the open ocean.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54This creates natural swimming pools,
0:23:54 > 0:23:58calm, safe waters for the pups to learn to swim.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13With most mums out fishing,
0:24:13 > 0:24:16it's up to those here to keep an eye on the pups.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31But the rising tide means their world is about to change...
0:24:44 > 0:24:48..bringing the open ocean uncomfortably close.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12A killer whale.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18The pups have never seen anything like it.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29At first, they're curious and head straight back into the shallows...
0:25:36 > 0:25:39..not recognising the danger until it's too late.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25This mother understands the threat.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32She constantly checks above and below the surface...
0:26:32 > 0:26:36but there's too many pups to get them all to safety.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40She can only use herself as a shield.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59This time, her bravery pays off.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20The orca is not a lone killer.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25She's a mum, too,
0:27:25 > 0:27:27teaching her own family how to hunt.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34This is a highly specialised technique
0:27:34 > 0:27:37that has taken her years to master.
0:27:57 > 0:28:03By swimming sideways, the orcas can keep their dorsal fins hidden.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15The family falls silent as they approach the shore.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20They must maintain an element of surprise.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38An incoming wave propels her forward for the final strike.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52But only around one in ten attempts ends in success.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00With every strike, she puts her own life at risk.
0:29:08 > 0:29:10Get it wrong
0:29:10 > 0:29:12and she'll be stranded on the beach.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42Only a handful of orcas in the world have perfected this way of hunting,
0:29:42 > 0:29:46and it's something uniquely Patagonian.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52SEA LION ROARS
0:29:57 > 0:29:59For the orca family,
0:29:59 > 0:30:02it's a short window of opportunity.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06The pups soon wise up to the danger
0:30:06 > 0:30:09and the orcas will head back out to the open sea.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19All along the Patagonian coast,
0:30:19 > 0:30:24those that succeed are those prepared to do things differently.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32Almost 1,000 miles north of Cape Horn,
0:30:32 > 0:30:35the Malvinas Current is still the driving force of life
0:30:35 > 0:30:37along these shores.
0:30:40 > 0:30:45Sheltered from the open ocean by the huge Peninsula Valdes
0:30:45 > 0:30:48is the vast bay of San Jose.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03Very few people live here.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06Those that do turn to the sea for their livelihood.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12Lukas del Rio has a job that brings him face-to-face
0:31:12 > 0:31:14with the wealth of the ocean.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49Unlike most divers,
0:31:49 > 0:31:53Lukas and his crew don't use oxygen tanks.
0:31:53 > 0:31:57Instead, the air they need to breathe is pumped from a compressor
0:31:57 > 0:31:59through fragile tubes.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13They have to make sure the tubes don't snag or tear,
0:32:13 > 0:32:16diving down 20 metres for a hidden bounty.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25Mussels, or cholga, as they're known round here.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52Harvesting like this means that Lukas and his crew
0:32:52 > 0:32:54can work side-by-side with nature,
0:32:54 > 0:32:58since there are others fishing in the bay.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03HE WHISTLES
0:33:06 > 0:33:09A pod of dusky dolphins come to investigate.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13HE TAPS ON HULL
0:33:17 > 0:33:19Banging on the hull of the boat
0:33:19 > 0:33:21lets the divers know the dolphins are here.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25DOLPHINS SQUEAK
0:33:27 > 0:33:31They're not unwelcome, but the divers must make sure the dolphins
0:33:31 > 0:33:33keep away from their breathing tubes.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43And there's another inquisitive visitor.
0:34:08 > 0:34:13Over 600 southern right whales return to the bay each year,
0:34:13 > 0:34:15following the Malvinas Current north
0:34:15 > 0:34:18from their feeding grounds in the south.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25Lukas and his crew are careful not to dive in places
0:34:25 > 0:34:27where the whales are present,
0:34:27 > 0:34:32but the whales sometimes approach out of curiosity.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53The divers are lucky enough to share the bay
0:34:53 > 0:34:57with one of the biggest nurseries of southern right whales in the world.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05Over 100 new calves are born here each year.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19These calm and warm waters are perfect for the baby whales.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25But for other visitors to these shores,
0:35:25 > 0:35:27the growing heat of Patagonia's northern reaches
0:35:27 > 0:35:30puts them way out of their comfort zone.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45Elephant seals spend most of the year
0:35:45 > 0:35:49in the cold waters of the southern seas.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51It's the rich feeding grounds offshore
0:35:51 > 0:35:54that brings these elephant seals so far north.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02Over 15,000 females come here to give birth,
0:36:02 > 0:36:07enduring temperatures as high as 30 degrees Celsius.
0:36:11 > 0:36:15Presiding over them - a huge, solitary male.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19The beachmaster.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27This is his harem
0:36:27 > 0:36:31and he has mating rights over all these females.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35A position he must fight to keep.
0:36:38 > 0:36:43Soon after giving birth, the females are ready to mate again
0:36:43 > 0:36:46and this hasn't gone unnoticed.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50THEY GROWL SOFTLY
0:36:50 > 0:36:52A rival male.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55Chancing his luck.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01He's almost ten times bigger than the female.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03And she has little say in the matter.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08But he's taking a huge risk.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31Despite weighing almost four tonnes,
0:37:31 > 0:37:34the beachmaster is surprisingly nimble.
0:38:01 > 0:38:05A single brutal bite sends the intruder packing.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11ROARING
0:38:21 > 0:38:25The beachmaster needs to choose his battles wisely.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28For the next two months, he cannot leave the beach to feed
0:38:28 > 0:38:31or he'll loose his harem.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35He must survive on his fat reserves.
0:38:37 > 0:38:42But the six inches of blubber he carries are stifling in this heat.
0:38:47 > 0:38:52So he has to see off the competition using as little effort as possible.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12Most rivals try to keep a low profile.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21But this can be tricky when you're the size of a large car.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41ROARING
0:39:41 > 0:39:46For most, a nod or a roar from the beachmaster is enough.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53But he's not getting a second to relax
0:39:53 > 0:39:55and it's starting to take its toll.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15Dawn brings a real contender.
0:40:21 > 0:40:25Fresh from the water, he's not here to sneak around.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30He's here for the beachmaster's throne.
0:40:30 > 0:40:35GROWLING
0:40:57 > 0:41:00Has the beachmaster met his match?
0:41:06 > 0:41:10At full height, they stand almost ten feet tall.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14Neither is prepared to back down.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25GROWLING
0:41:29 > 0:41:32Every single blow saps energy.
0:41:46 > 0:41:51Their thick blubber does not protect against canines three inches long.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04The beachmaster starts to gain the upper hand.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27Despite weeks without food or rest,
0:42:27 > 0:42:31this time, his experience wins out.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48Every single fight leaves its mark
0:42:48 > 0:42:51and the season isn't over yet.
0:42:55 > 0:42:59But for now, a moment to enjoy his victory.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08Under his care - a harem
0:43:08 > 0:43:14that's part of one of the biggest elephant seal colonies on Earth.
0:43:21 > 0:43:23Surging north from here,
0:43:23 > 0:43:27the influence of the Malvinas Current finally begins to fade.
0:43:31 > 0:43:33But the power of the sea
0:43:33 > 0:43:38draws one last visitor to Patagonia's northern shores.
0:43:39 > 0:43:42These soft sandstone cliffs
0:43:42 > 0:43:45are buffeted by the winds and the waves...
0:43:47 > 0:43:52..creating the ideal conditions for burrowing parrots.
0:44:08 > 0:44:12The parrots have flown over 1,000 miles south from Uruguay,
0:44:12 > 0:44:16swapping their tropical home for this exposed stretch of coast.
0:44:18 > 0:44:21Over 70,000 birds return here every year,
0:44:21 > 0:44:26making this the biggest gathering of parrots anywhere on the planet.
0:44:38 > 0:44:40Safely tucked away inside burrows
0:44:40 > 0:44:42extending three metres into the cliff face,
0:44:42 > 0:44:45the parrots have chicks to raise.
0:44:49 > 0:44:52And it's up to the males to keep them fed.
0:44:57 > 0:45:00The sea here still offers plenty of food.
0:45:00 > 0:45:02But that's no use to a parrot.
0:45:04 > 0:45:06So the males head inland.
0:45:18 > 0:45:23There's very little rain this far north and it's too dry for trees.
0:45:30 > 0:45:33Sometimes the parrots have to travel nearly 50 miles
0:45:33 > 0:45:36to find shrubs and grasses to feed on.
0:45:48 > 0:45:50There are few natural sources of water.
0:45:50 > 0:45:54MOOING
0:45:54 > 0:45:59Luckily, up here, wilderness gives way to farmland
0:45:59 > 0:46:01and the parrots take advantage.
0:46:04 > 0:46:07This slow trickle isn't going to sustain a flock of thousands,
0:46:07 > 0:46:09all with chicks to feed.
0:46:13 > 0:46:16On this unusually still day,
0:46:16 > 0:46:19the water pump needs a little encouragement.
0:46:35 > 0:46:38Now they can drink their fill.
0:46:44 > 0:46:48It's thirsty work having to travel so far for food and water.
0:46:50 > 0:46:55And it's a journey the parrots make four times a day.
0:47:00 > 0:47:03But it's worth the effort.
0:47:07 > 0:47:09These cliffs make such a good nesting spot,
0:47:09 > 0:47:13almost all the world's population of burrowing parrots come here
0:47:13 > 0:47:15to raise their young.
0:47:18 > 0:47:23And being part of such a huge flock helps keep them safe.
0:47:23 > 0:47:26Even from aerial attacks.
0:47:30 > 0:47:32A peregrine falcon.
0:47:32 > 0:47:34The fastest predator on Earth.
0:47:44 > 0:47:46But they've got a way of dealing with her.
0:47:49 > 0:47:52As more and more parrots pile in,
0:47:52 > 0:47:54they face their challenger head on.
0:48:07 > 0:48:10Having lost the element of surprise,
0:48:10 > 0:48:12she's missed her moment.
0:48:16 > 0:48:18PARROTS CHIRP
0:48:18 > 0:48:22There are benefits to being part of a crowd.
0:48:27 > 0:48:30And crowds don't get bigger than this.
0:48:43 > 0:48:45All the way along the coast,
0:48:45 > 0:48:48from Cape Horn to the northern reaches of Patagonia,
0:48:48 > 0:48:52life is defined by the power of the sea.
0:49:14 > 0:49:20North of here, the influence of the great Malvinas Current fades
0:49:20 > 0:49:23and so, too, does the spirit of Patagonia.
0:49:32 > 0:49:36Patagonia may be too harsh and unforgiving for most,
0:49:36 > 0:49:39but there are opportunities for those brave enough
0:49:39 > 0:49:42to take on the challenges
0:49:42 > 0:49:45and do things a little differently.
0:50:01 > 0:50:04The survivors,
0:50:04 > 0:50:07the pioneers
0:50:07 > 0:50:11and the mavericks that call Patagonia home.
0:50:27 > 0:50:29The most challenging experience for the team
0:50:29 > 0:50:31was in Patagonia's far south,
0:50:31 > 0:50:34filming the rockhopper penguins on the island of Los Estados.
0:50:38 > 0:50:41Researcher Anthony Pyper, cameraman Paul Stewart
0:50:41 > 0:50:44and producer Evie Wright are the first BBC crew to be given access
0:50:44 > 0:50:47to the island in nearly 40 years.
0:50:50 > 0:50:53At the helm is skipper Hank.
0:50:57 > 0:51:01It takes over 20 hours to reach Los Estados,
0:51:01 > 0:51:04a chance for Evie to fill Paul in on what lies ahead,
0:51:04 > 0:51:09from the description of a British naval expedition in the 1700s.
0:51:09 > 0:51:10He says that though Tierra del Fuego had
0:51:10 > 0:51:13"an aspect extremely barren and desolate,
0:51:13 > 0:51:16"yet this island far surpasses it in the wildness
0:51:16 > 0:51:20- "and horror of its appearance." - Wow.
0:51:20 > 0:51:23- Oh, good(!) - HE LAUGHS
0:51:23 > 0:51:27To reach Los Estados, they must cross the infamous straits of Le Maire,
0:51:27 > 0:51:32the 20-mile channel that separates the island from the mainland.
0:51:32 > 0:51:36Strong currents make this one of the most dangerous stretches of water
0:51:36 > 0:51:39in the world, and it doesn't make for comfortable sailing.
0:51:47 > 0:51:51After very little sleep, the team arrives at 4am.
0:51:59 > 0:52:03As Hank departs, so does the crew's lifeline to the outside world.
0:52:03 > 0:52:05Remember us. Please come back.
0:52:05 > 0:52:06SHE CHUCKLES
0:52:09 > 0:52:12Left alone, the enormity of the challenge that lies ahead
0:52:12 > 0:52:14begins to dawn on the crew.
0:52:16 > 0:52:18They have nearly a tonne of equipment
0:52:18 > 0:52:21and it all has to be moved on foot.
0:52:22 > 0:52:24It's not long before they find their first penguin.
0:52:26 > 0:52:28But it's the wrong species -
0:52:28 > 0:52:31a lone king penguin rather than the half a million rockhoppers
0:52:31 > 0:52:33they're here to film.
0:52:41 > 0:52:44First things first - the crew set up a base camp,
0:52:44 > 0:52:47a shelter for storing kit and provisions.
0:52:47 > 0:52:51- ..So the restrictive things are across the flysheet.- My one matches.
0:52:51 > 0:52:56Oh, I see. Maybe the fly IS the wrong way round, relative to the...
0:52:56 > 0:53:00We're going to put a lot of unbelievably heavy cases in there...
0:53:00 > 0:53:03The worst that's going to happen is the top is just going to rip off.
0:53:03 > 0:53:05Yeah, that's it.
0:53:05 > 0:53:10Having established base camp, it's time to find the rockhoppers.
0:53:10 > 0:53:12They know where the penguins ought to be
0:53:12 > 0:53:16thanks to advice from a team of Argentinian scientists.
0:53:17 > 0:53:19After a steep two-hour hike,
0:53:19 > 0:53:22they find exactly what they're looking for...
0:53:30 > 0:53:32..and set up a second camp nearby.
0:53:38 > 0:53:41Over several days, Paul captures the dedication required
0:53:41 > 0:53:43to be a male rockhopper penguin,
0:53:43 > 0:53:45protecting their chicks at the nest
0:53:45 > 0:53:48and rooted to the spot.
0:53:50 > 0:53:54Caracaras, on the lookout for an unattended chick,
0:53:54 > 0:53:57don't make their job any easier.
0:54:09 > 0:54:11But this is only half the story.
0:54:11 > 0:54:14The crew also need to film the females returning from sea.
0:54:16 > 0:54:18This is like crossing through a Dr Seuss landscape, isn't it?
0:54:18 > 0:54:20It's ridiculous.
0:54:21 > 0:54:24Getting through the tussock grass is proving less easy for people
0:54:24 > 0:54:26than it is for penguins.
0:54:26 > 0:54:30You get the feeling you never make exactly the same journey twice.
0:54:30 > 0:54:31Whoo!
0:54:39 > 0:54:40You carry on.
0:54:46 > 0:54:48Reaching the headland is worth the effort.
0:54:50 > 0:54:54Los Estados is a protected provincial reserve under Argentinian law.
0:54:56 > 0:55:00The crew are amongst a privileged few lucky enough to ever come here.
0:55:02 > 0:55:04Because of this, most of the rockhoppers
0:55:04 > 0:55:07have probably never encountered people before,
0:55:07 > 0:55:09and they're more curious than afraid.
0:55:12 > 0:55:15I think they're all wondering what you're looking at, Paul.
0:55:17 > 0:55:19But determined to feed their chicks,
0:55:19 > 0:55:24the female penguins aren't going to let a pesky film crew get in the way.
0:55:27 > 0:55:29Because of the difficulty terrain,
0:55:29 > 0:55:32the team have had to keep the generator,
0:55:32 > 0:55:35needed for charging batteries, back at base camp.
0:55:36 > 0:55:39So Anthony's walking more than six hours a day
0:55:39 > 0:55:41to keep the cameras running.
0:55:41 > 0:55:44Just going to head to pick up the batteries and then...
0:55:44 > 0:55:48Yeah, going back to base camp and then back here in the morning.
0:55:48 > 0:55:51Bye, take care.
0:55:51 > 0:55:53Good luck.
0:55:54 > 0:55:56Unusually for Patagonia,
0:55:56 > 0:56:00there have been several days of relative calm and sunshine.
0:56:00 > 0:56:03But that's all about to change.
0:56:03 > 0:56:07Just left Evie and Paul at the rockhopper landing spot
0:56:07 > 0:56:09and it was beautiful weather.
0:56:09 > 0:56:13But here it can turn in an instant, and that's what's happened.
0:56:13 > 0:56:15It's really windy!
0:56:15 > 0:56:16It's hailing!
0:56:16 > 0:56:19So it's properly started snowing now.
0:56:19 > 0:56:23For Anthony, covering so much of the island every day -
0:56:23 > 0:56:26and alone - the experience is beginning to take a toll.
0:56:26 > 0:56:29The winds have picked up even more!
0:56:29 > 0:56:31This is not going to be nice.
0:56:32 > 0:56:34It's actually not too bad.
0:56:34 > 0:56:37Uh...it's just got sunny and nice.
0:56:37 > 0:56:39WIND HOWLS
0:56:39 > 0:56:41Can't feel my feet now.
0:56:41 > 0:56:42My boots...
0:56:42 > 0:56:45The tent isn't really holding up very well.
0:56:45 > 0:56:47I wish I was a rockhopper.
0:56:47 > 0:56:48By the end of the trip,
0:56:48 > 0:56:52Anthony will have climbed the equivalent of scaling Everest
0:56:52 > 0:56:54and lost a stone and a half in weight.
0:56:54 > 0:56:56Hello.
0:57:07 > 0:57:10The bad weather means Paul can capture a true picture
0:57:10 > 0:57:14of what rockhoppers must go through to care for their chicks.
0:57:18 > 0:57:20But there's a big problem.
0:57:20 > 0:57:23We've now got a massive storm rolling in.
0:57:23 > 0:57:27It's actually hailing, it's just been thundering and lightning.
0:57:27 > 0:57:30Hank's due to return with the boat,
0:57:30 > 0:57:32but he can't make the crossing in seas this rough,
0:57:32 > 0:57:34leaving the team stranded on the island.
0:57:38 > 0:57:41With everyone now back at the base camp on the beach,
0:57:41 > 0:57:43there's a break in the weather,
0:57:43 > 0:57:46but there's no guarantee Hank has been able to set sail.
0:57:50 > 0:57:52Food supplies are running low.
0:57:54 > 0:57:57Safe sailing! See you tomorrow. Bye.
0:57:57 > 0:57:59Yes!
0:57:59 > 0:58:00It's good news.
0:58:03 > 0:58:06As for everyone who worked on the Patagonia series,
0:58:06 > 0:58:09Los Estados has had a lasting impression on Anthony.
0:58:11 > 0:58:14I can't actually believe we're going home.
0:58:14 > 0:58:18Even though it's one hell of a climb...
0:58:18 > 0:58:21Yeah, this place has got a strange hold on me now. Going to miss it.
0:58:22 > 0:58:25The crew have been given a privileged glimpse
0:58:25 > 0:58:28into the persistence and endurance it takes
0:58:28 > 0:58:32to carve a life for yourself at the edge of the Earth.