Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Narrator: WE KNOW IT IS OUT THERE --
ONE OF THE LAST GREAT UNSOLVED MYSTERIES...
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TO INVENT
ANYTHING CRAZY ABOUT THE GIANT SQUID
BECAUSE IT ALREADY IS A MONSTER.
Narrator: ...A CREATURE THAT LIVES IN OUR NIGHTMARES...
IMAGINE THAT MY HEAD WAS A SQUID EYEBALL.
THAT'S HOW BIG A GIANT SQUID'S EYEBALL IS.
Narrator: ...IN A WORLD BEYOND OUR IMAGINATION.
THE MID-OCEAN WHERE THE GIANT SQUID LIVES
IS ALMOST LIKE AN ALIEN PLANET.
Narrator: WE KNOW IT IS OUT THERE.
OH!
BUT IT DOES NOT WANT TO BE FOUND.
GET AWAY FROM THE BAIT! GET AWAY FROM THE BAIT!
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS ANIMAL THAT ALLOWS IT
TO ESCAPE US LIKE IT HAS?
Narrator: A DO-OR-DIE MISSION
HEADS INTO THIS ALIEN OCEAN
TO CAPTURE THE GIANT SQUID ALIVE.
Widder: IS IT COMING IN AGAIN?
OH!
IT GOES BY MANY NAMES --
SEA VAMPIRE, THE DEVIL FISH, THE KRAKEN.
NO MATTER WHAT IT'S CALLED, ITS NAME REALLY SPELLS MYSTERY.
WE KNOW LITTLE ABOUT IT. IT'S MYSTERIOUS. IT'S MYTHICAL.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEYOND THE REALM
OF THE OTHER KINDS OF WORK THAT WE DO.
Widder: IT'S INCREDIBLE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT HUGE
LIVING IN THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN
THAT NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO GO AND OBSERVE FIRSTHAND.
DESPITE ALL OF THE TIME, ALL OF THE MONEY,
ALL OF THE SCIENCE, ALL THE EXPERTISE
THAT WE HAVE INVOLVED IN LOOKING FOR THIS ANIMAL OVER THE YEARS,
IT HAS MANAGED TO EVADE US.
Narrator: IT REMAINS ONE OF THE LAST HOLY GRAILS OF SCIENCE,
A CREATURE THAT FULFILLS EVERY DEFINITION OF THE WORD "ALIEN,"
A CREATURE SO MYSTERIOUS
THAT THERE IS EVEN A DEBATE AS TO JUST HOW BIG IT CAN GROW.
IMAGINE A SCHOOL BUS
WITH TENTACLES 50 FEET LONG, 100 FEET,
EVEN BIGGER?
NO ONE KNOWS.
WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT THOUSANDS OF HOURS,
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, AND UNTOLD NUMBERS OF EXPEDITIONS
HAVE BEEN LAUNCHED TO FIND AND FILM THE GIANT SQUID UNDERWATER.
ALL HAVE FAILED.
Ellis: I AM RICHARD ELLIS, ARTIST, SCIENTIST,
AND AUTHOR OF BOOKS ABOUT CREATURES OF THE SEA.
OF ALL THE KNOWN OR SUSPECTED MONSTERS,
LIKE BIGFOOT, LIKE UNICORNS, LIKE DRAGONS,
THE ONLY ONE THAT IS REAL,
THE ONLY ONE THAT WE CAN LOOK AT AND HOPE TO SEE
IN ITS NATURAL HABITAT IS THE GIANT SQUID.
Narrator: FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS,
THE GIANT SQUID HAS TANTALIZED US
THROUGH MYSTERIOUS SIGHTINGS, WASHED-UP CORPSES,
AND, OCCASIONALLY, SAVAGE ENCOUNTERS.
IN THE WATERS OFF NEWFOUNDLAND,
A FISHERMAN MANAGED TO LOP OFF A 19-FOOT TENTACLE
AFTER HIS BOAT CAME UNDER ATTACK.
REVEREND AND AMATEUR NATURALIST MOSES HARVEY
COLLECTED THE EVIDENCE.
Harvey: I WAS NOW THE POSSESSOR
OF ONE OF THE RAREST CURIOSITIES
IN THE WHOLE ANIMAL KINGDOM --
THE VERITABLE TENTACLE OF A HITHERTO-MYTHICAL DEVIL FISH.
Narrator: DURING THE LATE 19th CENTURY,
A KIND OF SQUID MANIA SEIZED THE WORLD'S ATTENTION.
HUGE SQUID CORPSES BEGAN TO WASH ASHORE.
INSPIRED, JULES VERNE TOLD THE TALE OF A MONSTER SQUID
IN HIS FICTIONAL JOURNEY "20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA."
IN THE 20th CENTURY,
THE GIANT SQUID BECOMES A HOLLYWOOD FIXTURE.
THIS IS THE SQUID OF NIGHTMARES --
HUGE, HOMICIDAL, AND CAPABLE OF SINKING A SHIP.
AND IT SEEMS IT IS ALWAYS TIME TO RELEASE THE KRAKEN.
IN THE 21st CENTURY,
IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE HOW SOMETHING SO BIG
COULD REMAIN OUT OF OUR GRASP,
AND THEY SEEM TO BE EVERYWHERE --
NORWAY, THE GULF OF MEXICO,
NEW ZEALAND,
AND THE OGASAWARA ISLANDS OFF THE COAST OF JAPAN.
OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS,
LOCAL FISHERMEN HAVE FOUND 20-FOOT-LONG TENTACLES
DRAPED ON THEIR HOOKS.
WE KNOW THE SQUID ARE HERE, BUT THEY REFUSE TO SURFACE.
Ellis: THERE HAVE BEEN MANY, MANY EXPEDITIONS TRYING TO FILM
THE LIVING GIANT SQUID IN ITS NATURAL HABITAT.
ALL OF THEM HAVE FAILED. THE QUESTION IS WHY.
DID THEY FAIL BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO LOOK?
DID THEY FAIL BECAUSE THE GIANT SQUID AVOIDED THE CAMERAS?
WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
WELL, WELCOME, EVERYONE, TO DAY TWO OF THE SQUID SEMINAR.
Narrator: ON AUGUST 4, 2010,
THE WORLD'S TOP SQUID SCIENTISTS ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER
TO ONCE AND FOR ALL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO CAPTURE ON CAMERA
A GIANT SQUID ALIVE.
DeGruy: WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE IS PUTTING TOGETHER
A GROUP OF PEOPLE THROWING OUT SOME REALLY GOOD IDEAS
AND TESTING THEM.
Narrator: UNDERWATER BIOLOGIST, CINEMATOGRAPHER,
AND DEEP-SEA SUB PILOT MIKE deGRUY
LEADS THE DISCUSSION.
I HAVE A CONCERN THAT IT'S GONNA CHASE SQUID AWAY, BUT...
Narrator: MIKE HAS FILMED
ALMOST EVERY UNDERWATER CREATURE THERE IS.
BUT AS WITH CLYDE ROPER, THE GIANT SQUID ELUDED HIM.
Roper: THE IDEA IS TO TAKE PVC PIPE,
MAKE UP A BIG SQUARE FRAME,
AND HANG IT WITH CAMERAS ON ALL SIDES.
IS THAT POSSIBLE?
THERE'S NO WAY TO DECOUPLE THAT.
COMING JUST IN FRONT OF YOU.
OH, WOULDN'T IT BE NICE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THAT FRAME OVER?
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION ]
Narrator: FINALLY, AFTER TWO DAYS OF DEBATE,
THE GROUP COMES TO A CONCLUSION...
I THINK THAT THE BOTTOM CAMERA
IS JUST UNDERWATER...
...TO USE NOT JUST ONE TECHNOLOGY...
Widder: IT'S HUGE.
...BUT THREE,
AND TO BRING ALONG THREE DIFFERENT SCIENTISTS
TO EXECUTE THE HUNT.
HOW DISTURBING WOULD THAT BE
WHEN YOU BROUGHT THAT FOOTAGE UP
AND LOOKED AT IT AND WENT, "AH! OH! SO CLOSE."
MANY EXPEDITIONS HAVE FAILED IN THE PAST.
BUT THIS ONE IS VERY DIFFERENT.
THIS IS THE MOST SOPHISTICATED, MOST EXPENSIVE HUNT
FOR THE GIANT SQUID EVER UNDERTAKEN.
THESE ARE THE THREE SCIENTISTS SELECTED TO MAKE THIS JOURNEY.
I AM EDIE WIDDER, AND I AM AN EXPERT IN BIOLUMINESCENCE --
SPECIFICALLY, THE ANIMALS IN THE OCEAN THAT MAKE LIGHT.
Narrator: EDIE WIDDER'S PLAN IS TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE SQUID
IN A LANGUAGE THEY UNDERSTAND -- LIGHT.
THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO GET US A GIANT SQUID.
IT ALWAYS BOTHERED ME, THE WAY WE EXPLORE THE OCEAN.
I MEAN, THINK ABOUT IT.
THE ONLY WAY WE KNOW WHAT LIVES IN THE OCEAN IS
WE GO OUT AND WE DRAG NETS BEHIND SHIPS
OR WE GO DOWN IN THESE SUBMERSIBLES
AND REMOTE-OPERATED VEHICLES
THAT HAVE THESE BRIGHT WHITE LIGHTS AND NOISY THRUSTERS.
SO, HOW MANY THINGS ARE WE SCARING AWAY?
Narrator: ATTACHED TO THIS REMOTE CAMERA,
A SPECIAL ELECTRONIC LURE WILL ACT LIKE A SQUID DINNER BELL.
I AM STEVE O'SHEA.
I HAVE STUDIED OVER 130 DEAD GIANT SQUID,
AND I WANT TO APPLY WHAT I KNOW
ABOUT DEAD GIANT SQUID TO LIVE ONES
AND FIND THIS ANIMAL ALIVE IN ITS NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
Narrator: STEVE O'SHEA'S PLAN ALSO FOCUSES
ON A BASIC INSTINCT -- SEX.
MMM. IRRESISTIBLE.
Narrator: HE PLANS ON GRINDING UP DEAD SQUID
TO CREATE AN AQUATIC APHRODISIAC
THAT HE'LL PERSONALLY SPRAY DEEP UNDERWATER.
THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S ACTUALLY QUITE GOOD.
MY NAME IS TSUNEMI KUBODERA.
Narrator: DR. TSUNEMI KUBODERA --
OR, AS HIS FRIENDS CALL HIM, DR. KU --
PLANS ON USING THE BAIT OF A SMALLER SPECIES OF SQUID
SUSPENDED FROM A SUBMERSIBLE
TO LURE THE CREATURE WITHIN CAMERA RANGE.
THE EXPEDITION IS HEADING
TO DR. KU'S HUNTING GROUNDS OFF JAPAN'S OGASAWARA ISLANDS --
UNTIL NOW, A WELL GUARDED SECRET.
SO THOSE ARE ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD PLACES TO GO LOOKING.
COLD. GIANT SQUID.
THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO FIND THIS ANIMAL
IS REALLY THROUGH THE ASSISTANCE
PROVIDED BY DOCUMENTARY COMPANIES
BECAUSE THERE'S MONEY INVOLVED HERE.
THIS IS A PHENOMENALLY EXPENSIVE OPERATION
THAT WE'RE UNDERTAKING RIGHT NOW.
IF WE DON'T LOOK IN THE RIGHT PLACE
AT THE RIGHT TIME AT THE RIGHT DEPTH,
WE'RE NOT GONNA FIND THE ANIMAL.
AND TO DATE,
MANY OF THE EXPEDITIONS THAT WE'VE SEEN AROUND THE WORLD --
AND THIS ANIMAL HAS BEEN SEARCHED FOR AROUND THE WORLD
FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS --
THEY HAVEN'T BEEN LOOKING
AT THE RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME, RIGHT DEPTH.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO POLL ALL OF OUR BRAINS,
AND I'M SURE WE'RE GONNA NAIL IT THIS TRIP.
I WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE SO, ANYWAY.
GIANT SQUID IS JUST ONE OF THOSE GREAT MYSTERIES OF THE OCEAN,
AND THE OCEAN IS FILLED WITH FANTASTIC MYSTERIES,
THINGS THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT.
ARCHITEUTHIS IS ONE OF THOSE, THAT WE KNOW ABOUT IT
IS THEY HAPPEN TO FLOAT WHEN THEY DIE.
WHAT ABOUT THE STUFF THAT DOESN'T FLOAT?
HOW MUCH ELSE IS DOWN THERE THAT WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT?
TO IMAGINE SOMETHING THAT BIG
LIVING IN THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN
THAT WE'VE NEVER REALLY SEEN ALIVE UNTIL JUST ONCE RECENTLY,
THAT'S INCREDIBLE.
Narrator: 75-YEAR-OLD CLYDE ROPER
WILL NOT MAKE THIS VOYAGE,
BUT HE REMAINS HOPEFUL
THAT THIS TIME AN EXPEDITION WILL GET LUCKY.
Roper: CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW EXCITING IT WOULD BE
TO BE IN A SUBMERSIBLE
AND TO HAVE A GIANT SQUID COME CLOSE BY,
PERHAPS EVEN GRAB THE SUBMERSIBLE,
AND HERE YOU ARE, EYEBALL-TO-EYEBALL
WITH THIS MAGNIFICENT CREATURE FROM THE DEEP.
Narrator: ON JUNE 24, 2012,
THE HUNT FOR THE GIANT SQUID SET SAIL.
AND THE EXPEDITION'S BIG HOME IS THE ALUCIA,
A FORMIDABLE OCEAN RESEARCH VESSEL
ARMED WITH AN IMPRESSIVE ARRAY OF HIGH-TECH GEAR.
SHE CARRIES TWO STATE-OF-THE-ART SUBMERSIBLES
THAT CAN GO TO GIANT-SQUID DEPTH,
AS DEEP AS NINE FOOTBALL FIELDS LAID END TO END.
TRITON IS THE LEAD SUBMERSIBLE AND CAN DIVE THE DEEPEST.
ARMED WITH POWERFUL LIGHTS AND SOPHISTICATED CAMERAS,
IT CAN STAY UNDERWATER FOR UP TO 10 HOURS.
TRITON'S BUBBLE CANOPY ALLOWS THE SCIENTISTS
NOT ONLY TO LOOK AHEAD
BUT ALSO TO SEE WHAT MIGHT BE SNEAKING UP BEHIND THEM.
THE CONCERN IS WHETHER OR NOT
TRITON'S MOTOR AND BRIGHT WHITE LIGHTS
WILL FRIGHTEN THE GIANT.
FOR THIS REASON, IT'S EQUIPPED WITH INFRARED LIGHTS
THAT SHOULD BE INVISIBLE TO THE GIANT SQUID.
TRITON AND DEEP ROVER ARE RUN
BY THE BEST SUB PILOTS AND CREW IN THE BUSINESS.
THEY'RE COMING DOWN ON THE MAIN LIFT.
1,500 FEET.
THE TEAM HAS JUST 40 DAYS TO FIND AND FILM THEIR QUARRY.
IF ANY ONE OF THEM CAPTURES MOVING FOOTAGE
OF A LIVE SQUID IN THE DEEP, EVEN FOR A FEW SECONDS,
THEY WILL MAKE SCIENTIFIC HISTORY.
OH, BABY! LOOK AT YOU GO.
Narrator: NOBODY INTENDS TO GO HOME EMPTY-HANDED.
O'Shea: DESPITE ALL THE TECHNOLOGY
THAT WE'VE THROWN AT IT,
IT'S EVADED US.
THAT IS AMAZING.
THAT IS [BLEEP]
Narrator: THE HUNT FOR THE GIANT SQUID IS ON.
THAT WAS THE SHORTEST SEVEN HOURS OF MY LIFE.
I'M LESLIE SCHWERIN,
AND I'M THE PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR
FOR THE GIANT SQUID SHOW.
I SPENT SIX WEEKS OUT ON THE SHIP IN THE OGASAWARA ISLANDS
IN SEARCH OF THE GIANT SQUID WITH THE TEAM.
THERE WAS DR. KUBODERA, EDIE WIDDER, STEVE O'SHEA.
I LOVE EDIE WIDDER.
SHE IS -- IF I COULD DO MY LIFE OVER AGAIN, I WOULD BE HER.
SHE'S A BIOLUMINESCENCE EXPERT,
WHICH IS, LIKE, THE COOLEST THING.
SHE SPEAKS THE LANGUAGE OF LIGHT.
DR. KU, WHEN YOU FIRST MEET HIM, YOU THINK HE'S REALLY RESERVED.
BUT HE, IN FACT, IS REALLY FUNNY,
AND HE HAS A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR.
HE'S REALLY SMART.
AND HE'S INCREDIBLY DEDICATED AND OBSESSED.
HE WANTS TO FIND THE GIANT SQUID,
AND HE HAS, FOR OVER A DECADE, BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS THING.
STEVE O'SHEA IS, LIKE, THE WACKY PROFESSOR.
WHAT I LOVED ABOUT WORKING WITH STEVE
AS A FILMMAKER IS THAT HE WAS SO HIMSELF.
LIKE, HE WAS NOT SELF-CONSCIOUS AT ALL.
IT'S JUST LIKE, "THIS IS ME," AND HE'S JUST A GREAT CHARACTER.
HE DOESN'T HAVE THAT "I AM A SCIENTIST" FACADE, YOU KNOW?
HE'S JUST STEVE AND HE'S A BRILLIANT SCIENTIST
AND HE'S A FUN GUY.
Narrator: ALTHOUGH THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT SPECIES OF SQUID,
IN AN ASTONISHING VARIETY OF SHAPES AND SIZES,
ONLY ONE REFUSES TO EMERGE FROM THE DEPTHS --
ARCHITEUTHIS, OR LEADER OF THE SQUID.
THE GIANT SQUID IS ONE OF THE MOST MYSTERIOUS ANIMALS
ON EARTH OR IN THE OCEAN.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW THEY GROW TO THAT ENORMOUS SIZE.
BASICALLY, WE REALLY KNOW MORE ABOUT WHERE THEY DIE
THAN WHERE THEY LIVE.
Narrator: WE DO KNOW AT LEAST ONE THING ABOUT THE GIANT SQUID,
AND THAT IS WHERE THEY'RE CURRENTLY HIDING.
THAT WOULD BE HERE,
JUST OFF CHICHI JIMA,
AN ISLAND IN THE OGASAWARA CHAIN OFF THE COAST OF JAPAN.
THESE ISLANDS ARE CALLED THE GALáPAGOS OF THE ORIENT.
CREATURES EXIST HERE THAT EXIST NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.
THIS SEA HOLDS EVERYTHING A GIANT SQUID COULD WANT --
DEEP WATERS AND PLENTY TO EAT.
IT TAKES THREE DAYS AND NIGHTS TO PREPARE FOR THE FIRST DIVE.
[ RADIO CHATTER ]
YEAH, ROGER. OKAY, CHOCKS OFF.
O'Shea: WE'VE GOT A WONDERFUL CREW OF PEOPLE
WITH US HERE RIGHT NOW, FROM THE SCIENTISTS
RIGHT DOWN TO THE VESSEL CREW TO THE CAMERA CREW.
Widder: ANY OPERATION LIKE THIS HAS REAL DANGERS,
AND YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE TOO FAR.
A LOT OF NEW THINGS BEING TRIED.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO ALL BE VERY CAREFUL
AND TRY NOT PUSH THAT ENVELOPE TOO FAR.
Narrator: TRYING TO MEET A GIANT SQUID ON ITS OWN LEVEL
IS A RISKY UNDERTAKING.
THE DEEP OCEAN IS A DANGEROUS WORKPLACE,
AND THE MORE HIGH-TECH THE EQUIPMENT,
THE MORE THINGS THAT CAN GO WRONG.
DECK, IF YOU WANT TO LAUNCH -- LAND THE DIVER. OVER.
THE TEAM COORDINATOR AND LEAD SUB PILOT
IS MARK TAYLOR.
MARK KNOWS HE HAS HIS WORK CUT OUT FOR HIM.
WE'VE GOT THREE MAIN SCIENTISTS,
AND EACH WITH THEIR OWN IDEAS
OF HOW TO ENTICE A GIANT SQUID IN.
AND IT IS LIKE A BIG FAMILY --
SLIGHTLY DYSFUNCTIONAL.
STEVE'S A CONTROVERSIAL CHARACTER
WITHIN THE SCIENCE WORLD, THAT'S FOR SURE.
THIS IS GOING TO CONTAIN A CHEMICAL
THAT THE GIANT SQUID IS GOING TO FIND
ABSOLUTELY IRRESISTIBLE.
SOME PEOPLE LOVE HIS WORK. SOME PEOPLE HATE HIS WORK.
GO IN THE BLENDER, AND I THINK
THAT WE'VE GOT A SQUID SLURPEE.
IT'S GONNA WORK A CHARM.
Widder: I THINK HE'S GRINDING UP PARTS OF THE SQUID
AND HOPING TO GET PHEROMONES
THAT THEN COULD BE USED AS *** ATTRACTANT.
THIS IS GOING TO BE THE BEST MILKSHAKE.
Woman: DO YOU THINK THERE'S ANY CHANCE IT WOULD WORK?
[ LAUGHTER ]
O'Shea: TOTAL DIGESTIVE OVERLOAD --
THIS IS WHAT WE WANT.
ACTUALLY GLOWS.
EDIE'S VERY WELL KNOWN IN HER FIELD.
I THINK SHE'S VERY USED TO BEING THE NUMBER ONE,
AND IT WAS A BIT OF A SHOCK TO HER
TO REALIZE HOW BIG THE TEAM WAS.
Widder: I AM NOT AN EXPERT ON SQUID.
I'M AN EXPERT ON BIOLUMINESCENCE.
AND I LOVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH LIGHT IN THE OCEAN.
O'Shea: THE WORK THAT EDITH WAS DOING, TO MY UNDERSTANDING,
IS USING SOME NOVEL, GELATINOUS, GLOW-IN-THE-DARK, BLUE STUFF.
NOW, WHETHER THAT IS GOING TO ATTRACT SOMETHING TO THE SQUID,
I DO NOT KNOW.
I JUST REALLY THINK THIS MIGHT WORK.
Taylor: DR. KU IS VERY STRAIGHT-LACED.
OKAY.
YOU CAN TELL HE'S USED TO WORKING
ON GOVERNMENT RESEARCH VESSELS.
THIS IS GREAT, DR. KU.
I THINK SOME OF THE ANTICS THAT GO ON HERE SHOCK HIM.
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION ]
YOU CAN TELL THAT HE'S BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT.
Narrator: THE TRITON SUB IS THE MAIN DIVE PLATFORM.
IT IS BIGGER THAN DEEP ROVER AND CAN GO DEEPER.
EACH SCIENTIST NEEDS TO TAKE THEIR TURN UNDERWATER.
THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY 10-HOUR DIVES THAT CAN BE DONE
AND ONLY SO MANY DAYS IN WHICH TO DO THEM.
THE EYES HERE ARE SCRUNCHING FORWARD.
THEY SCRUNCH FORWARD LIKE THAT.
EVERYTHING'S OUT IN A POINT LIKE THAT,
ALL GOING OUT TO A POINT.
THE EYES ARE SCRUNCHING DOWN THE...LIKE THIS.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING SEVEN METERS AWAY
AT THIS BRILLIANT WHITE THING,
AND IT'S LIKE THIS.
APPEARS ZIPPED-UP, AND IT KIND OF SEES SOMETHING DOWN THERE,
GRABS IT.
AND THEN INSTEAD OF PULLING THESE BACK UP TO THE BEAK,
THE WHOLE ANIMAL GOES...PSHEW!
...DOWN TO THE TENTACLES.
THAT IS SOMETHING I WOULD LOVE TO SHOW WHILE WE ARE OUT HERE.
KU, I BELIEVE, THINKS THEY'RE SHOOTING THEM OUT.
I BELIEVE THEY DANGLE THEM.
ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT THIS ENTIRE EXPEDITION
IS HOW WE ARE ALL REALLY IN THE DARK
AS TO WHAT THE OTHERS ARE DOING.
SO, I'M NOT SO SURE YET
WHETHER THIS IS A COMPETITION BETWEEN THE VARIOUS PROTAGONISTS
OR WHETHER WE'RE REALLY GOING TO COOPERATE.
BUT WHOEVER CATCHES THE ANIMAL ON FILM FIRST,
I JUST WISH THEM ALL THE BEST.
I HOPE IT'S DONE THIS TRIP.
Narrator: ACROSS YEARS OF OBSESSIVE STUDY,
STEVE O'SHEA HAS GONE BEYOND ANY CALL OF SCIENTIFIC DUTY
TO UNRAVEL THE MYSTERIES BEHIND GIANT SQUIDS LIKE THIS.
O'Shea: I'VE LIVED WITH THEM.
PRETTY MUCH EVERY WAKING MOMENT,
EVERY SLEEPING MOMENT OF MY LIFE, OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS,
HAS FOCUSED ON THIS ANIMAL IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
Narrator: THE EXAMINATION OF OVER 100 CORPSES LED STEVE
TO BECOME AN EXPERT ON THEIR GROWTH RATES AND SEX LIVES.
HERE HE FINDS A DEPOSIT OF *** DEEPLY EMBEDDED IN THE ARM.
*** HAS EVEN BEEN FOUND LODGED AROUND THE EYES
OF GIANT SQUID, BOTH MALE AND FEMALE.
AS WITH OTHER SQUID,
THEIR MATING RITUALS ARE LIKELY BIZARRE.
FROM OBSERVING SEX IN SMALLER SQUID SPECIES,
STEVE BELIEVES 16 ARMS AND 4 TENTACLES ENTANGLE
AS TWO GIANTS GO AT IT, BEAK TO BEAK.
NOW STEVE PLANS TO SPRAY THE DEEP OCEAN WITH APHRODISIACS.
FROM THERE, IT IS UP TO THE SQUID WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
O'Shea: IF I'M A GIANT SQUID, AND I'M LOOKING AT A SUBMERSIBLE
WITH SOMEONE SITTING INSIDE IT,
THREE THINGS ARE GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH MY MIND --
IS IT GOING TO EAT ME,
CAN I EAT IT, AND CAN I MATE IT?
YEAH, CAN YOU JUST NIP UP THAT STRAIGHT?
Narrator: A LIFE'S WORK HAS LED TO THIS MOMENT.
O'Shea: THIS IS OUR GIANT SYRINGE
FULL OF GIANT SQUID THAT'S BEEN GROUND UP.
THE SQUID GOES THROUGH HERE.
IT'S COMPRESSED THROUGH THIS HOSE,
OUT ALONG THE END OF THIS.
I DON'T -- HEY! THERE WE GO.
Narrator: ALTHOUGH STEVE HAS SPENT
YEARS TOPSIDE STUDYING SQUID,
THIS IS HIS FIRST EVER DIVE.
O'Shea: A LITTLE NERVOUS.
JUST -- JUST -- JUST -- JUST A LITTLE NERVOUS.
HOPEFULLY WE ARE SITTING DOWN THERE
IN OUR LITTLE ACRYLIC BUBBLE AT ABOUT 600 METERS DEPTH,
AND THIS FRENZIED *** ATTACK HAPPENS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US,
WITH BEAKS AND PENISES AND ARMS AND LEGS.
THAT IS THE DREAM.
WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH A QUICK SAFETY BRIEF BEFORE WE GO.
Narrator: VETERAN SUB PILOT TYM CATTERSON
WILL BE BRINGING HIM DOWN.
IT TAKES ROUGHLY 45 MINUTES TO REACH GIANT-SQUID DEPTHS
AND ANOTHER 45 TO ASCEND.
O'Shea: MY DREAM IS TO BE SITTING HERE,
LOOKING STRAIGHT INTO THE EYES OF A SQUID.
Narrator: TRITON HAS 10 HOURS OF ELECTRICAL POWER
TO MANEUVER UNDERWATER.
BUT IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG, THERE'S ENOUGH OXYGEN
TO KEEP THE SCIENTISTS ALIVE FOR 96 HOURS.
OH, YEAH. OH, YEAH.
OH, YEAH, BABY, OH, YEAH.
Narrator: THE CLOCK BEGINS THE MOMENT THAT HE SUBMERGES.
GLORY. THIS IS JUST MAGIC.
WOWEE. WOW.
IT'S GLOWING IN THE DARK, AND THEN IT DISAPPEARS.
Narrator: LUMINESCENT JELLYFISH EMERGE FROM THE DARKNESS.
THIS IS INCREDIBLE.
Catterson: YEAH.
WHAT AN AMAZING THING.
ISN'T THAT MAGNIFICENT?
LOOK AT THIS. LOOK AT THIS.
UNBELIEVABLE.
YES.
SURFACE, SURFACE. THIS IS TRITON.
WE'RE PASSING 300 METERS.
Narrator: AN HOUR AND A HALF DOWN...
O'Shea: THIS IS GIANT-SQUID TERRITORY.
WE'RE IN HERE. WE'RE LOOKING OUT.
BUT I WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S OUT THERE LOOKING IN.
WE'RE LIT UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE RIGHT NOW.
Narrator: 980 FEET DOWN, IT'S TIME FOR THE SQUID SPRAYER.
O'Shea: WHY DON'T WE GIVE THIS THING A TRY?
OKAY.
LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
NUDGE IT, NUDGE IT, NUDGE IT,
AND WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
KIND OF GET IT GOING HERE.
Narrator: STEVE DEPLOYS HIS GROUND-UP-SQUID COCKTAIL.
O'Shea: OH, BEAUTIFUL.
Narrator: IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG
FOR THE DEAD TO SUMMON THE LIVING.
O'Shea: COME ON. COME ON, SQUIDDY, SQUIDDY, SQUIDDY.
THERE'S A SQUID. SQUID RIGHT THERE.
SEE THERE? LOOK AT THAT.
OH, WE'VE GOT TO GET THAT.
WE'VE GOT TO GET THAT. OH, BABY, BABY, BABY.
COME TO ME. OH, BABY, LOOK AT YOU GO.
SQUID, SQUID, SQUID, SQUID, SQUID, SQUID.
BLOODY LOVELY, ISN'T IT?
LOOK AT THAT -- SQUID, SQUID, SQUID, SQUID,
SQUID, SQUID, SQUID, SQUID, RIGHT THERE.
SQUID. LOOK.
ISN'T IT BEAUTIFUL? LITTLE FELLA.
ANOTHER SQUID. LOOK AT THIS.
I MEAN, THERE ARE SQUID EVERYWHERE.
JUST NOT THE BIG ONES YET.
Narrator: THAT SOON CHANGES.
WHOA!
WHOA, BABY, BABY, COME TO PAPA!
OH, THIS IS JUST THE BEST. [ LAUGHS ]
Narrator: TANINGIA SQUID, ALSO KNOWN AS THE OCTOPUS SQUID,
ARE ALMOST AS RARE AS THEIR GIANT COUSINS.
UP UNTIL NOW, ONLY ONE MAN, DR. KU, HAS EVER FILMED ONE.
WE'LL GET THE NEXT ONE.
Narrator: STEVE DOESN'T MIND BEING SECOND...
GET THE NEXT ONE.
Narrator: ...THIS TIME.
NOW THE SUB HAS TO SURFACE.
WHOA, THAT IS -- WHOA.
I'M LOVING THAT.
IT WAS SHORTEST SEVEN HOURS OF MY LIFE.
O'Shea: UNBELIEVABLE.
THEY RANGED IN SIZE FROM ABOUT THAT
TO ABOUT THAT, AND THEN THAT.
DID YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT BIG?
OH, YEAH. IT WAS AMAZING. IT WAS A BIG TANINGIA.
IT JUST CAME STRAIGHT IN LIKE THAT. IT WAS JUST AMAZING.
JUST AWESOME.
THEY GOT BIG FINS LIKE THIS, WRAPPED AROUND,
STRAIGHT INTO ME LIKE THAT, AND THEN "WHOOSH!"
WOW.
Narrator: STEVE'S DIVE SIGNALS
THERE IS A METHOD TO HIS APPARENT MADNESS.
HIS APHRODISIAC COCKTAIL CERTAINLY ATTRACTS SQUID --
JUST NOT THE SQUID HE WANTS.
BUT HE IS UNDAUNTED.
O'Shea: IF WE FIND THIS GIANT SQUID DURING THIS EXPEDITION,
I WILL BE WETTING MYSELF.
MY HEART'S GONNA BE GOING BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.
Narrator: NOW IT IS EDIE WIDDER'S TURN.
I LOVE IT.
Schwerin: DURING THE EXPEDITION,
I DIDN'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO DOWN AT FIRST
BECAUSE WE WERE SO FOCUSED ON GETTING THE SCIENTISTS DOWN,
THE CAMERAMEN DOWN, AND THE PILOT.
I STARTED HINTING TO THE CREW,
"YOU KNOW, I'D REALLY LIKE TO GO DOWN, I THINK."
AND, YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T GO DOWN
BECAUSE OF TIME AND EVERYTHING
AND THEN FINALLY, THE LAST DAY, THEY SAID, "GET IN THE SUB."
AT FIRST, I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS BECAUSE YOU'RE IN THIS BUBBLE
AND YOU'RE TOSSING AROUND ON THE SURFACE
AND I START FEELING REALLY ILL.
I WAS LIKE, "OH, NO.
"GOD, THIS IS GONNA BE LIKE A FIVE-HOUR TRIP
AND I'M GONNA BE SICK AND TERRIFIED."
BUT AS SOON AS WE SUBMERGED
AND WE WERE ENVELOPED BY THE WATER AND THE DARKNESS,
I JUST CALMED DOWN.
AND SOON WE STARTED TO SEE BIOLUMINESCENT CREATURES.
AND IT WAS JUST SO BEAUTIFUL AND SO FASCINATING
THAT I LOST ALL FEAR.
Narrator: THOUGH NEVER CAPTURED ALIVE,
THE GIANT SQUID HAVE TAUNTED US WITH THEIR DEAD.
AND THROUGHOUT THE 20th CENTURY, THEY KEEP COMING --
WASHED UP ON MORE BEACHES,
THE REASON FOR THEIR DEATHS YET ANOTHER MYSTERY.
THE SIZE OF THE CREATURES IN THESE EARLY PHOTOGRAPHS
RAISE TROUBLING QUESTIONS.
WERE THESE GIANTS FULLY GROWN OR JUST BABIES?
NOBODY KNOWS.
ARTHUR C. CLARKE LIKED GIANT SQUID,
AND HE LIKED TO WRITE ABOUT THEM.
HE BELIEVED THAT THEY GOT TO BE A LOT LONGER
THAN THE ONES THAT WASHED UP OR WERE DYING.
HE BELIEVED THEY COULD GET TO BE
100 FEET LONG OR MAYBE EVEN MORE.
Narrator: 1942.
ON A BRITISH TRAWLER OFF THE MALDIVES ISLANDS,
A.G. STARKEY SEES SOMETHING IN THE WATER,
AND IT APPEARS TO SEE HIM.
Starkey: AS I GAZED, FASCINATED,
A CIRCLE OF GREEN LIGHT GLOWED IN MY AREA OF ILLUMINATION.
THIS GREEN, UNWINKING ORB, I SUDDENLY REALIZED, WAS AN EYE.
THE SURFACE OF THE WATER UNDULATED
WITH SOME STRANGE DISTURBANCE.
GRADUALLY, I REALIZED THAT I WAS GAZING
AT ALMOST POINT-BLANK RANGE AT A HUGE SQUID.
Narrator: STARKEY WALKS THE LENGTH OF HIS SHIP,
FINDING THE TAIL AT ONE END
AND THE TENTACLES AT THE OTHER.
HIS SHIP IS OVER 175 FEET LONG.
DR. KU'S FISHERMEN PROVIDE A BOOST OF MORALE TO THE CREW --
A RECENTLY CAUGHT GIANT SQUID TENTACLE.
O'Shea: IT'S BEEN QUITE A SMALL ONE, HASN'T IT?
YEAH, IT'S NOT SO LARGE, THAT.
Narrator: WHILE IT SEEMS TO BE OF MONSTROUS SIZE,
THIS TENTACLE IS ACTUALLY SHORT FOR A GIANT SQUID.
GIANT SQUIDS HAVE THE ABILITY TO REGENERATE THEIR TENTACLES,
AND THIS ONE COULD BE IN MID-GROWTH.
THAT DOES NOT MEAN IT IS ANY LESS DANGEROUS.
ONE COULD ONLY IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE
ON THE OTHER END OF THIS HUNGRY ARM.
I'M VERY HAPPY, YEAH.
I'M VERY HAPPY.
SO, STEVE, YOU MEASURE.
260.
Widder: 260.
YEAH.
260.
Narrator: THIS TENTACLE MEASURES NINE FEET LONG.
WHILE THIS PROVES THEY'RE CLOSE, IT IS NOT CLOSE ENOUGH.
COULD BE A MALE.
O'Shea: PROBABLY.
MALES MUCH SMALLER THAN FEMALES, SO...
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]
Narrator: FOR MANY OF THE CREW, THIS IS THEIR FIRST ENCOUNTER.
A SQUID'S TENTACLE HAS MULTIPLE ROWS OF SUCKERS
THAT CAN GROW UP TO TWO INCHES IN DIAMETER.
JULY 2012.
THE HUNT FOR THE GIANT SQUID CONTINUES.
IF WE DON'T GET IT DURING THIS EXPEDITION HERE,
THEN I WILL GIVE MY PhD AWAY TO SOMEONE ELSE
BECAUSE THIS GIANT SQUID IS SMARTER THAN I AM.
Narrator: THE TEAM HAS 40 DAYS TO LOCATE, LURE, AND FILM
THEIR ELUSIVE QUARRY.
NOW IT IS EDIE WIDDER'S TURN.
OF THE THREE SCIENTISTS ONBOARD,
SHE IS BY FAR THE MOST EXPERIENCED SUB DIVER.
I LOVE IT.
I'VE SEEN AMAZING THINGS FROM SUBMERSIBLES,
AND PRETTY BIG THINGS LIKE SIPHONOPHORE CHAINS
THAT JUST DISAPPEAR IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.
BUT THE IDEA OF ACTUALLY SEEING A GIANT SQUID
FROM A SUBMERSIBLE,
I CAN'T EVEN QUITE GET MY HEAD AROUND WHAT THAT WOULD BE LIKE,
AND I'VE HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCE OF SEEING COOL THINGS.
BUT THAT WOULD BE JUST SO AMAZING.
AND I'VE TOLD PEOPLE ABOUT GOING ON THIS EXPEDITION,
AND THEY -- THEIR REACT-- SO MANY OF THEM REACT ABOUT,
"WELL, AREN'T YOU AFRAID
THAT THE SQUID'S GONNA ATTACK THE SUB?"
IT'S NEVER CROSSED MY MIND THAT
[CHUCKLES] THE SQUID WOULD ATTACK THE SUB.
I JUST WANT TO SEE ONE.
I MEAN, THAT WOULD JUST BE PHENOMENAL.
Catterson: OKAY, DECK, THIS IS TRITON.
ALL OF OUR PENETRATORS ARE CLEAR.
WE ARE READY TO DIVE, DIVE, DIVE. OVER.
Narrator: ONCE AGAIN, SUB PILOT TYM CATTERSON DRIVES THE TRITON.
THE OPTICAL LURE ATTACHED TO THE SUB,
IT MIMICS BIOLUMINESCENT SIGNALS,
THE LIGHT ANIMALS GIVE OFF TO COMMUNICATE.
EDIE AND TYM HOPE TO ATTRACT A GIANT SQUID
BY USING THE ELECTRONIC JELLYFISH, OR E-JELLY FOR SHORT,
TO SIMULATE A KEY LINK IN THE SQUID FOOD CHAIN.
SINCE WE KNOW WE ARE JUST GOING AFTER SQUID,
WE USE THE PATTERN THAT'S BEEN MOST EFFECTIVE WITH SQUID.
Narrator: EDIE BELIEVES THE GIANTS ARE ATTRACTED
TO THE BIOLUMINESCENT PANIC SCREAMS
OF THE ATOLLA JELLYFISH.
WHEN THIS CREATURE IS ABOUT TO BE EATEN BY A FISH,
IT EMITS FLASHING LIGHTS, A KIND OF BIOLOGICAL 911 CALL.
Widder: IT'S LIKE A SCREAM FOR HELP WITH LIGHT
BECAUSE IT'S MEANT TO ATTRACT A LARGER PREDATOR
THAT MAY ATTACK WHOEVER IS ATTACKING THE JELLYFISH.
Narrator: AND EDIE HOPES THAT THIS LARGER PREDATOR
WILL BE A GIANT SQUID.
SHE HEADS ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM.
AT SOME POINT WHEN WE'RE DOWN THERE,
I'D LIKE TO GO COMPLETELY DARK
'CAUSE I WANT THE SQUID TO ONLY SEE THAT...
...AND NO OTHER LIGHTS.
Narrator: NOW EDIE WAITS.
Widder: THIS IS EMPTY RIGHT NOW,
AND THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M USED TO SEEING.
SO...
IT'S QUITE MYSTERIOUS TO HAVE THIS AMOUNT OF LARGE LIFE --
*** WHALES AND LARGE SQUID --
AND NOT BE SEEING MORE OF THE LIFE THAT MUST BE SUSTAINING IT.
THEY'RE EATING IT, BUT WHERE ARE THEY EATING?
Narrator: AFTER SIX HOURS, HER TIME IS UP.
NO GIANT SQUID HAS RISEN TO EDIE'S BAIT.
SHE AND TYM HAVE TO SURFACE.
REQUESTING PERMISSION TO SURFACE.
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION ]
COME HERE. [ LAUGHS ]
WHAT DID YOU GET?
THERE'S NOTHING DOWN THERE.
NO, DON'T SAY THAT, NO, PLEASE.
NO, BUT YOU SAW LOTS OF STUFF GLOWING IN THE DARK.
NOTHING.
I DON'T KNOW. THIS IS JUST WEIRD.
Narrator: TWO DIVES FROM TWO SCIENTISTS.
STEVE'S MILKSHAKE ATTRACTED SQUID, BUT NOT THE RIGHT KIND.
AND EDIE'S ELECTRONIC LURE DID NOT ATTRACT AT ALL.
AND NOW IT'S DR. KU'S TURN TO DIVE.
HE WILL RELY ON FRIENDS
WHO HAVE HELPED HIM IN THE PAST, LOCAL FISHERMEN.
Narrator: TODAY THEIR JOB IS TO WATCH THE FLAGS
ATTACHED TO THEIR JIGS FOR A VISIBLE STRIKE.
IT COULD MEAN THAT, 2,000 FEET BELOW,
SOMETHING BIG IS ON THE LINE.
TRITON, DECK, ARE YOU HAPPY TO START LAUNCH?
LET'S ROLL.
INSTEAD OF HAVING THE FISHERMEN PULL A SQUID UP,
KU IS READY TO GO DOWN TO MEET THE MONSTER IN ITS OWN LAIR.
PRAYING IT COMES BACK WITH THE BACON.
[ LAUGHS ]
Harris: SURFACE, SURFACE, TRITON COMMS CHECK. CHECK.
PILOT JIM HARRIS AND CAMERAMAN TATSUHIKO SUGITA
RIDE DOWN WITH KU.
THE MEN ARE BRINGING ALONG A DIAMONDBACK SQUID AS BAIT.
KU BELIEVES GIANT SQUID LOOK UP
AND, WITH THEIR SUPER-SENSITIVE EYES,
SEE THE SILHOUETTE OF THEIR FOOD AND SWIM UP AND ATTACK.
THE MEN WAIT, 2,000 FEET DOWN.
NOTHING.
NO SQUID.
Kubodera: OOH, CAMERA! LOOK!
A LONGFIN MAKO SHARK, ROUGHLY 7 FEET LONG, CRUISES BY.
SHARK. COME ON. COME ON.
BUT THIS SHARK IS THE ONLY VISITOR.
GOOD BOY.
AFTER SPENDING TWO HOURS AT THIS CRUSHING DEPTH,
KU, LIKE HIS COLLEAGUES, FAILS TO SEE A GIANT SQUID.
HE HAS TO SURFACE.
BUT TOPSIDE, THERE IS A DIFFERENT STORY.
OKAY, BACK HERE, BACK HERE, GOOD.
THE FISHERMEN REPORT A STRIKE ON THEIR LINE.
SOMETHING VERY BIG IS ON THE OTHER END.
ON AN EXPEDITION LIKE THIS WHEN THE ODDS ARE AGAINST YOU,
YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THE WORST,
WHICH IS YOU DON'T GET WHAT YOU WANT,
YOU DON'T GET THE PRIZE, YOU DON'T GET THE GIANT SQUID.
AND SO, YEAH, AS A PRODUCER/FILMMAKER,
I HAD TO COME UP WITH THAT CONTINGENCY.
WHAT IF WE DON'T FIND IT?
WELL, IT'D BE A BUMMER,
BUT THEN IT WOULD TURN INTO A STORY OF
THE QUEST FOR THE GIANT SQUID.
BUT THAT'S WHAT ALL THE OTHER FILMS HAVE DONE
AND ALL THE OTHER EXPEDITIONS,
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU ALWAYS HOPE THAT THIS WILL BE THE ONE,
THIS WILL BE THE EXPEDITION TO ACTUALLY GET THE GIANT SQUID,
IMAGES OF THE GIANT SQUID.
Narrator: BELOW THIS SHIP,
THERE ARE UNSEEN MONSTERS -- MAYBE MANY MONSTERS.
AND ONE OF THEM MAY HAVE JUST BEEN CAUGHT
ON A FISHERMAN'S LINE.
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION ]
OH, YEAH?
DIVE TEAM LEADER MARK TAYLOR AND CAMERAMAN SUGITA
RACE BACK INTO THE WATER IN THE SECOND SUB, DEEP ROVER,
IN ORDER TO SEE WHAT IS DOWN THERE BEFORE IT CAN GET AWAY.
CONTROL, CONTROL. THIS IS ROVER. DEPTH 50 FEET.
HOOKED ONTO THE LINE. LIFE SUPPORT OKAY. OVER.
Narrator: FINALLY, THEY GET TO THE OTHER END OF THE LINE.
Sugita: OH. SQUID. SQUID.
MOVE ON A LITTLE BIT.
YES, A LITTLE BIT, PLEASE.
Taylor: OKAY.
WOW. LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT.
THAT IS HUGE.
HE IS AMAZING.
GOOD. ABOUT TIME.
Narrator: THE FISHERMEN HAVE CAUGHT
A FIVE-FOOT-LONG DIAMONDBACK,
ONE OF THE GIANT SQUID'S FAVORITE SNACKS.
Narrator: GIANT SQUID FIT EVERY POPULAR DEFINITION
OF THE WORD "ALIEN."
IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE A MONSTER, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
FIRST, YOU WOULD MAKE IT HUGE.
YOU WOULD PERHAPS GIVE IT TWO HUGE, GLARING EYES.
YOU WOULD GIVE IT BLUE BLOOD, THREE HEARTS,
GIGANTIC SUCTION CUPS, JET PROPULSION.
BOY, THAT REALLY DOES MAKE A MONSTER, DOESN'T IT?
Narrator: THEY LIVE IN DARKNESS,
UNDER CRUSHING PRESSURE THAT WOULD KILL A MAN IN SECONDS.
COVERED IN MUCUS, THEY CAN CHANGE COLOR
AND PROPEL THEMSELVES IN ANY DIRECTION.
THEY HAVE THREE HEARTS AND TRIPLE-LOBED BRAINS.
ONE WRAPS AROUND THEIR THROAT.
TOGETHER THEY CONTROL IMMENSE ARMS
AND REGENERATING FEEDING TENTACLES.
THESE ARE LINED WITH TOOTH-ENCRUSTED SUCKERS
WHICH ENTANGLE AND SWEEP VICTIMS INTO A RAZOR-SHARP BEAK.
Roper: GIANT SQUID HAVE MANY SUCKERS ON THEIR ARMS.
EACH ARM HAS ABOUT 300 SUCKERS.
SO, EIGHT ARMS -- THERE'S 2,400 SUCKERS.
THE TWO TENTACLES HAVE A COUPLE OF HUNDRED EACH,
SO YOU DO THE MATH.
THAT IS A LOT OF SUCKERS.
Narrator: THE GIANT SQUID'S ENORMOUS EYES
SCAN THE SUNLESS DEPTHS FOR OTHER CREATURES,
BOTH PREDATOR AND PREY.
TO GET AN IDEA OF THE SIZE OF A GIANT-SQUID EYEBALL,
JUST LOOK AT ME AND IMAGINE THAT MY HEAD --
MY HEAD -- WAS A SQUID EYEBALL.
Narrator: DAY 14.
ALTHOUGH THE TRITON DIVES HAVE COME UP EMPTY-HANDED,
EDIE WIDDER HAS BROUGHT ALONG A SECRET WEAPON.
YOU CAN LET GO NOW, NO PROBLEM.
SHE ROLLS OUT HER BIOLUMINESCENT LURE, THE E-JELLY,
AND A HIGH-TECH ROBOT CAMERA PLATFORM CALLED THE MEDUSA.
UNLIKE THE MANNED DIVES,
EDIE'S MEDUSA CAN STAY DOWN AS LONG AS IT TAKES.
Widder: I WANTED TO FIND SOME WAY
TO EXPLORE THE OCEAN UNOBTRUSIVELY.
AND LEAVING A CAMERA ON THE BOTTOM
THAT WAS BATTERY-POWERED SEEMED LIKE A GOOD FIRST STEP.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT MOST OF THOSE CAMERAS
HAVE ALWAYS USED WHITE LIGHT.
SO I WANTED TO USE A LIGHT THAT WAS INVISIBLE TO THE SQUID.
Narrator: EDIE'S MEDUSA IS RIGGED
WITH THOSE SPECIAL INFRARED LIGHTS,
A CAMERA, AND HER E-JELLY LURE.
BUT WITH NO MOTOR, THERE ARE NO SQUID-SCARING VIBRATIONS.
MEDUSA AND HER CAMERA CAN RUN FOR 30 HOURS,
PATIENTLY WAITING FOR A SQUID TO SHOW UP.
Widder: THIS IS AS UNOBTRUSIVE AS WE CAN POSSIBLY MAKE IT.
AND THEN WE ALSO ADDED A FISH HEAD
BECAUSE I CAN'T BE SHOWN UP BY STEVE.
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION ]
Narrator: THEY ATTACH A BUOY TO MEDUSA
SO THEY CAN FIND IT AGAIN
AND BRING IT BACK FROM THE DEPTHS.
IF THE CURRENT'S STRONG, THE MEDUSA COULD DRIFT MILES AWAY.
THERE WE GO.
Widder: ALL RIGHT.
THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.
BYE-BYE, MEDUSA.
Narrator: THE EYES OF A GIANT SQUID
ARE NOT ONLY THE LARGEST IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM,
THEY'RE AMONG THE MOST SOPHISTICATED.
THOUGH COLOR-BLIND, WITH PUPILS 3 1/2 INCHES ACROSS,
THEY HAVE AN ALMOST SUPERNATURAL ABILITY
TO DETECT LIGHT IN THE SUNLESS DEPTHS,
WHERE THE ONLY LUMINANCE COMES FROM OTHER CREATURES.
BIOLUMINESCENCE IS ALSO A LANGUAGE.
AND EDIE IS DETERMINED TO SPEAK IT.
Widder: SQUID USE LIGHT IN SOME REALLY INTRIGUING WAYS.
THEY'RE VERY GOOD COMMUNICATORS.
MAYBE WE CAN LEARN SOMETHING FROM THEM.
Narrator: BACK IN 2004,
EDIE MADE HER FIRST ELECTRONIC JELLYFISH
AND PROGRAMMED IT TO SIGNAL
THAT IT WAS UNDER THREAT FROM A PREDATOR.
WE PUT IT DOWN.
AND THE FIRST TIME WE ACTIVATED IT,
86 SECONDS AFTER IT CAME ON FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME,
WE RECORDED A SQUID OVER SIX FEET LONG ATTACKING THIS THING,
AND IT WAS A SQUID SO NEW TO SCIENCE,
IT CAN'T EVEN BE PLACED IN ANY KNOWN SCIENTIFIC FAMILY.
WHEN IT CAME UP ON THE SCREEN, I SCREAMED SO LOUD,
THEY HEARD ME UP ON THE BRIDGE.
86 SECONDS? I MEAN, THAT NEVER HAPPENS IN SCIENCE.
Narrator: WHILE HER E-JELLY LURE AND MEDUSA
WAIT QUIETLY ON THE BOTTOM,
EDIE GETS BACK IN THE SUB.
BUT THIS TIME, SHE'LL DESCEND WHEN IT'S DARK ABOVE
AS WELL AS BELOW.
Narrator: THE COVER OF NIGHT DRAWS CREATURES
FROM THE DEPTHS TOWARDS THE SURFACE.
THIS NOCTURNAL SEARCH FOR FOOD
CREATES A GREATER CONCENTRATION OF LIFE AND ACTIVITY.
Harris: TRITON IS PASSING THROUGH 400 METERS.
LIFE SUPPORT IS OKAY.
OH, LOOK AT THAT. OKAY, NOW WE'RE TALKING.
THIS IS -- WE GOT BAIT BALLS. WE'VE GOT ACTUAL BAIT BALLS.
Narrator: FISH AND SHRIMP COLLECT TOGETHER IN TIGHT PACKS
AS A DEFENSE FROM PREDATORS.
THESE BAIT BALLS ARE A GOOD INDICATION
THAT SOMETHING BIG, SOMETHING HUNGRY,
MIGHT BE LURKING NEARBY.
Loud and clear, got 663 meters.
Life support, okay.
THE CREW WAITS FOR WHAT COULD BE AROUND THE MURKY CORNER.
OH, OH, BIG SHARK.
Widder: OH, LOOK, LOOK, LOOK, LOOK!
OH, MY GOD.
MY GOD.
[ LAUGHS ]
IT'S GOT SIX GILLS. IT'S GOT SIX GILLS.
SIX GILLS.
MY GOD.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 GILLS.
OH, NO! DON'T EAT THE JELLY!
[ LAUGHS ]
[ LAUGHS ]
OH, THERE'S TWO!
TWO!
NO WAY.
OH, MY GOD.
THEY'RE HUGE.
Narrator: THE CREW SEES WHAT THE E-JELLY HAS ATTRACTED --
NOT ANY USUAL FIVE-GILL SHARK,
BUT ITS RARER DEEP-SEA COUSIN, THE SIX-GILL.
WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!
AS SOON AS THEY GRAB IT, IT'S GONE.
DON'T EAT IT!
NO, NO! DON'T TAKE IT!
DON'T TAKE IT AWAY!
SPIT IT OUT! SPIT IT OUT!
NO!
SPIT IT OUT!
IT'S NOT GOOD FOR YOU.
MAYBE IT'S ROUGHAGE.
Narrator: THEIR HARD WORK COMES DOWN TO THIS TENSE MOMENT.
ALL COULD BE LOST AT ONE FATEFUL GULP.
HERE HE COMES. OH, NO. DON'T GO OVER THERE.
OH, GOD!
[ LAUGHS ]
OKAY. THAT WAS SERIOUSLY COOL.
[ LAUGHS ]
HOW DO YOU FEEL?
[ LAUGHTER ]
I THINK THEY LIKE THE E-JELLY.
I THINK THEY LIKE EVERYTHING.
I JUST SAW SOMETHING IN THE DISTANCE.
Narrator: THEN, OUT OF THE DARKNESS, A GIANT EMERGES...
BUT NOT A SQUID -- A RARE SEVEN-ARM OCTOPUS.
Widder: HOW COOL IS THIS?
IT'S VERY COOL.
I THINK IT'D BE MUCH MORE COOL TO BE WRESTLING A SQUID.
WELL, GIVE IT TIME.
YEAH.
Narrator: APPROACHING 13 FEET IN LENGTH,
IT IS ONE OF THE TWO LARGEST SPECIES OF OCTOPUS
EVER SEEN BY MAN --
BEAUTIFUL, RARE, BUT NOT WHAT EDIE IS LOOKING FOR.
HUNTERS SPEND A LONG TIME SITTING IN BLINDS.
OKAY, AND I THINK WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS GET DARK AND QUIET.
OKAY.
Narrator: THREE HOURS PASS.
OH. OOH, LOOK, THERE'S --
OH, YES, IT'S A SQUID. IT'S A GIANT SQUID.
HERE, HERE, HERE. YES, YES, THERE'S A BIG FIN.
YEAH. OOH.
OOH, THE -- OH, HE'S CIRCLING IT.
GIANT SQUID?
YES, IT IS, AND HE'S GOT IT.
HE'S GOT IT. HE'S GOT IT.
YEAH. OOH. OOH!
OH, THE -- OKAY, TURN THE LIGHT ON.
TURN THE LIGHT ON.
OH [BLEEP]
[BLEEP]
IT IS A GIANT SQUID.
YES.
Narrator: THERE IS NO DOUBT.
SOMETHING HAS MET EDIE IN THE DARKNESS.
AND THAT SOMETHING IS HUGE.
Narrator: THIS IS MONSTER COUNTRY.
AND 2,000 FEET BELOW A JAPANESE SEA,
EDIE WIDDER HAS CAPTURED SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY AND HUGE
ON HER CAMERAS.
Widder: HE'S GOT IT. HE'S GOT IT.
Sugita: YEAH. OOH. OOH!
Man: HEY, CAPTAIN, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
THE TRITON IS CLEAR.
GOOD DIVE.
VERY GOOD. EXCELLENT DIVE.
LOTS OF ACTION.
OH, IT WAS REALLY GREAT.
WE SAW TWO LARGE SQUID.
OH, THAT'S INCREDIBLE.
YEAH, THE FIRST ONE WAS 4 1/2 METERS, YEAH.
YES.
...STRAIGHT ON THE HORIZONTAL?
YEAH, ON THE HORIZONTAL, VERY FAST.
LET'S GO AND HAVE A LOOK AT SOME FOOTAGE, SHALL WE?
OH, YEAH.
Narrator: THIS IS THE MOMENT OF TRUTH.
IS THE GIANT SQUID ABOUT TO REVEAL ITSELF?
NO?
I THINK THIS IS THE...
THE JELLY COMES AGAIN. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
IT CAME AROUND, AND IT GRABBED IT, GRABBED IT.
AND NOW IT YANKS IT. WATCH THIS.
O'Shea: OH, WOW.
WHOA!
Narrator: BUT UNDER CLOSER SCRUTINY,
THE TEAM'S HOPES EVAPORATE AGAIN.
WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.
NO, NO, NO, NO. THIS IS TANINGIA RIGHT HERE.
THAT'S TANINGIA?
YEAH, IT'S VERY LARGE BEAK HERE,
AND GO THIS WAY.
YEAH, TRUE.
IT MUST BE TANINGIA, NO DOUBT.
Narrator: IT IS THE SECOND FALSE ALARM.
ANY OTHER TIME,
A SIGHTING OF A RARE TANINGIA WOULD BE CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION.
BUT IT'S NOT THE GIANT THEY HAD HOPED FOR.
THIS IS THE PEAK SEASON FOR GIANT SQUID AROUND HERE.
I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED. IT'S NOT GIANT SQUID.
Narrator: THE VOYAGE IS HALF OVER, AND NO GIANT SQUID.
NOW A NEW OBSTACLE PRESENTS ITSELF.
THIS IS WHAT WE CALL WOW -- WAITING ON WEATHER.
Narrator: NOT ONLY ARE THERE NO GIANT SQUID,
THERE ARE ABOUT TO BE NO MORE DIVES.
Taylor: I'M GETTING THE FORECAST --
SUPER TYPHOON WHICH IS COMING IN HERE.
Narrator: MARK TAYLOR BREAKS THE BAD NEWS.
Taylor: BASED ON THE INFORMATION I HAVE,
TODAY, WITH THE WEATHER, WE WILL NOT BE DIVING TODAY.
I'M NOT PREPARED TO PUT
MY PEOPLE OR THE EQUIPMENT IN THAT SITUATION.
THIS IS -- THIS IS A MONSTER.
30-, 40-FOOT WAVE HEIGHTS,
WIND SPEEDS OF OVER 100 MILES AN HOUR.
VERY DANGEROUS FOR THE VESSEL,
LET ALONE LAUNCHING SUBMARINES,
SO I THINK SUBMARINE OPS ARE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN
UNTIL THIS WEATHER SYSTEM PASSES THROUGH.
IT'S BUMPY.
OH, MY GOSH!
[ GROANS ]
Narrator: THE ALUCIA HURRIES TO MAKE ITS WAY
TO THE NEAREST PORT FOR SHELTER.
IT GETS THERE IN THE NICK OF TIME.
PERHAPS THE GODS ARE PROTECTING THEIR GIANT.
Man: YEAH.
O'Shea: BEAUTIFUL DAY, HUH?
ALTHOUGH THE SUN IS NOW SHINING,
THE SEAS ARE STILL TOO HIGH FOR LAUNCHING THE SUBS.
YOU KNOW, WITH THE SUB TEAM, WE RUN A VERY TIGHT SHIP
AND THERE'S ZERO TOLERANCE ON ANY FRIVOLITY.
[ LAUGHTER ]
OH, MY GOD.
[ LAUGHS ]
JUST ANOTHER DAY IN THE OFFICE.
Widder: A GOOD DECK OFFICER PAYS ATTENTION TO MORALE
AND THEY BREAK IT UP.
BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN IT BROKE UP QUITE LIKE THIS.
THIS IS PRETTY GOOD.
YEAH?
1, 2, 3...
WAS THAT A REAL TATTOO ON HIS ***
OR DO YOU THINK THEY PAINTED IT ON JUST FOR THIS?
It's erroneous.
Just -- we'll get to the bottom of it.
Widder: IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT IN SCIENCE TO HAVE A FALL-BACK POSITION.
THAT'S RIGHT.
AND THERE'S SOME HAIRDRESSERS THAT MAKE MORE THAN SCIENTISTS.
SO THIS IS MY FALL-BACK POSITION.
WE HAVE A CHOICE OF POLISHES TODAY HERE AT THE SQUID SALON.
WE HAVE ORANGE.
ORANGE.
AND...ORANGE.
OH, I WOULD LOVE THE ORANGE, PLEASE.
Man: OH, THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.
I HAVE A PATTERN WITH THE PARTS.
THE PART IS HERE.
YOU HAVE NO PATTERN.
[ LAUGHTER ]
Narrator: THERE ARE LEGENDS OF PEOPLE LOSING THEIR MINDS
FROM TOO MUCH TIME AT SEA.
STEVE'S GOOD-LUCK CHARM.
Narrator: THESE LEGENDS APPEAR TO BE TRUE.
FROM ME TO HIM, FOR SQUID.
THE MORE PEOPLE THAT DO A SHOT OF THIS TONIGHT,
THE BETTER CHANCE WE HAVE OF THE LUCK COMING TO US.
GIANT SQUID.
SQUID.
[ LAUGHTER, INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]
YEP.
Narrator: FINALLY THE STORM HAS PASSED.
ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN NO DIVES,
EDIE'S MEDUSA, HER SILENT EYE IN THE SEA,
HAS BEEN WATCHING AND WAITING.
THE GOOD NEWS IS
THE LIGHTS ARE STILL ON IN THE E-JELLY.
IT'S STILL WORKING.
THE BAD NEWS -- IF THEY STAY ON FOR TOO LONG, THEY'LL BURN OUT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SPARES
FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING EXCEPT, OF COURSE, THE LIGHTS.
COME ON. WHAT'S THE MATTER?
THEY KEEP TURNING IT ON AND OFF.
JUST SLIDE IT UNDER THE BUNGIE AND SLIDE IT BACK AND FORTH
IF YOU CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHERE IT GOES.
I NEED SOMEBODY JUST TO PULL THIS BUOY DOWN HERE.
WHY HAVE THEY STILL GOT THE LIGHTS ON?
Narrator: FINALLY, EDIE RETRIEVES MEDUSA AND THE E-JELLY
TO SEE WHAT HER EYE HAS SEEN.
IT IS IN ONE PIECE.
SHE HOPES THAT SOMEWHERE DEEP IN ITS HARD DRIVE,
A GIANT SQUID MIGHT BE FOUND.
IT LOOKS GOOD.
THERE ARE 30 HOURS OF FOOTAGE THAT NEED TO BE SCRUTINIZED.
AND THAT PROCESS BEGINS NOW.
THAT LOOKED LIKE LUMINESCENCE, MAYBE. I SAW A FLASH.
YEAH.
OH, OH, WHAT IS THAT?
OH, MY GOD.
OH, MY GOD!
THIS IS NO FALSE ALARM.
Narrator: DAY 18.
ON A TURBULENT JAPANESE SEA,
THE ULTIMATE MONSTER HUNT IS IN PROGRESS.
GIANT SQUIDS WERE ONCE LEGENDS.
UNLIKE THE GREAT CARNIVOROUS DINOSAURS LIKE T. REX,
THE GIANT SQUID EXISTS IN OUR LIFETIME
AND PRODUCES A SITUATION WHERE MYTHOLOGY AND REALITY MEET.
Narrator: THEN THEY WERE FOUND IN BLOODY FRAGMENTS,
IN FISHING HOOKS, AND ROTTING ON BEACHES.
NOW ONE MAY HAVE BEEN SEEN
IN THE DEEP, ALIVE AND IN MOTION,
FOR THE FIRST TIME, BY A MACHINE.
WHAT IS THAT?
STEVE? KU?
O'Shea: OH, MY GOD.
[ GASPS ]
OH, MY GOD.
OH, WOW, LOOK AT THAT. WHERE ARE THE --
Kubodera: OH. OKAY.
SO...
YOU HAVE --
[ LAUGHTER ]
OH.
ALL RIGHT.
OH, MAN, THAT'S JUST HANGING OUT THERE,
JUST OUTSIDE THE LIGHT, ISN'T IT?
ALL RIGHT.
IS THERE MORE?
OH, JUST -- YEAH.
IS IT COMING IN AGAIN?
OH!
WOW.
OH, THAT IS SO COOL.
SO COOL, YEAH. YEAH.
SHOW US AGAIN.
YES, YES, YES, YES.
Narrator: DR. KUBODERA DELIVERS THE VERDICT.
OH, IT MUST BE A GIANT SQUID.
THAT IS MAGNIFICENT.
NO.
BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY SUCKERS AND LONG ARMS.
SO, IT'S AMAZING.
O'Shea: YOU'VE DONE IT.
OH, YOU'VE DONE IT. NO DOUBT THAT THIS IS A GIANT SQUID.
Widder: YES!
[ LAUGHTER ]
COME ON, COME ON, COME ON.
[ CHEERS, LAUGHTER ]
O'Shea: JOB WELL DONE. THAT'S A BIG ANIMAL.
THAT'S A BIG ANIMAL.
OKAY, GROUP HUG. GROUP HUG.
Narrator: THIS IS THE MOMENT
THAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR.
Widder: IT'S JUST A MIND-BLOWER.
IT JUST LOOKS LIKE ONE ARM COMING IN,
BUT ACTUALLY IT'S ALL THE ARMS TOGETHER,
BECAUSE THEN IT GOES "WHOOSH."
SO, THIS HAS BEEN MY THEORY ALL ALONG,
THAT THE SQUID DOESN'T WANT THE JELLY,
IT'S LOOKING FOR WHAT'S ATTACKING THE JELLY.
AND SO IT HOMES IN ON THE MEDUSA.
WE CAN SEE THE EYE,
AND NOW WE CAN SEE RIGHT INTO THE MOUTH.
ISN'T THAT AMAZING?
TOTALLY AWESOME.
Narrator: THIS GIANT SQUID IS NOT AS GIANT AS IT ONCE WAS.
ALTHOUGH SCIENTISTS ESTIMATE ITS BODY AT 11 FEET LONG,
IT WOULD BE EVEN LARGER.
BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR CREATURE.
NO, NO, NO TENTACLES.
I MEAN, NOT EVEN THE BASE OF A TENTACLE.
THERE'S NOTHING THERE ANYMORE.
Narrator: BOTH OF ITS LONG FEEDING TENTACLES ARE MISSING.
THIS SQUID IS AN AMPUTEE.
ITS TWO SUPER-LONG FEEDING TENTACLES
MAY HAVE ENDED UP IN THE STOMACH OF A *** WHALE,
THE GIANT SQUID'S MOST IMPLACABLE ENEMY.
Narrator: IN ORDER TO BREATHE,
THE *** WHALE MAKES FREQUENT ROUND TRIPS
FROM THE MIDDLE OCEAN TO THE SURFACE.
OCCASIONALLY, THEY BRING UP A SECRET.
Ellis: IN OLD WHALING DAYS,
WHEN A *** WHALE WAS KILLED, IT OFTEN VOMITED UP AN ARM,
AND THE ARM WAS COVERED WITH SUCKERS,
WHICH MADE PEOPLE REALIZE THAT WHAT THEY WERE SEEING
WAS EVIDENCE OF THE EXISTENCE OF A SEA MONSTER
THAT THEY HAD ONLY IMAGINED -- THE GIANT SQUID.
Narrator: WITH AN 80-YEAR LIFESPAN,
THE BATTLE-SCARRED HIDES OF *** WHALES
TELLS US THAT ALTHOUGH THEIR MEALS DON'T COME EASILY,
THEY DO EAT A LOT OF SQUID.
THERE'S A LIBRARY INSIDE THE STOMACH
OF EACH *** WHALE THAT WE LOOK AT
WHEN WE CONDUCT AUTOPSIES ON THESE ANIMALS THAT STRAND.
AND WHEN WE LOOK IN THE STOMACHS OF THESE *** WHALES,
WE FIND GIANT SQUID BEAKS,
AMONGST OTHER SPECIES OF SQUID BEAKS.
THE BEAKS ARE THE HARD PARTS OF SQUID THAT ARE LEFT OVER.
WHEN A GIANT SQUID IS ATTACKED BY A *** WHALE,
IT MUST BE AN REALLY INTERESTING SHOW,
BECAUSE YOU HAVE A MASSIVE *** WHALE
WEIGHING MANY, MANY TONS, VERY POWERFUL,
LONG JAWS, TEETH THAT GO INTO SOCKETS IN THE UPPER JAW
SO NOTHING CAN ESCAPE,
AND YOU HAVE A GIANT SQUID --
BIG FOR A SQUID, BUT NOT NEARLY AS BIG AS A *** WHALE.
BUT I KNOW THAT A GIANT SQUID
DOES NOT GO DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT.
Narrator: THEIR HUGE TENTACLES ARE A FORMIDABLE WEAPON.
Roper: WE KNOW THIS BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK
AROUND THE MOUTHS AND HEADS OF *** WHALES,
WE SEE THE SCARS THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT
BY MAYBE 1,000 OR 2,000 OR 3,000 SUCTION CUPS,
JAWS THAT ARE VERY SHARP AND VERY POWERFUL.
Narrator: BUT IN THESE DEEP-SEA BATTLES,
THE SQUID'S GREATEST LEVERAGE
MAY BE ITS ABILITY TO STAY AT GREAT DEPTH INDEFINITELY.
WHEREAS THE MIGHTY *** WHALE
HAS TO GO TO THE SURFACE EVERY 45 MINUTES OR SO,
AT TIMES, THE GIANT SQUID MIGHT ESCAPE
IF IT CAN GET AWAY QUICKLY ENOUGH.
BUT I THINK MOST OF THE TIME,
GIANT SQUID BECOMES GREAT BIG LUNCH FOR *** WHALES.
Narrator: EDIE WIDDER'S REMOTE MEDUSA
MAY HAVE UNCOVERED EVIDENCE OF JUST SUCH A TITANIC FIGHT.
Man: WHOA.
OH, MY GOD!
Man #2: THAT'S GREAT.
Narrator: NOW THE TEAM WASTES NO TIME
IN SHARING THE DISCOVERY WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES.
OHH.
YOU'RE THE FIRST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD
TO EVER SEE A GIANT SQUID LIKE THAT.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
STILL, A ROBOTIC SIGHTING
IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR THE REAL THING.
I LOVE SEEING THE FOOTAGE ON THE MEDUSA.
IT'S AMAZING.
BUT I REALLY WANT TO SEE IT FIRSTHAND,
AND I KNOW YOU DO, AS WELL.
OH, OF COURSE.
Narrator: FIRSTHAND OBSERVATION
COULD ALSO ELIMINATE SCIENTIFIC CONTROVERSY.
Widder: LET'S SEE. 46.
O'Shea: YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HAD PHENOMENAL SUCCESS WITH MEDUSA,
BUT THERE ARE SO MANY CONFOUNDING VARIABLES THERE.
WHAT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO DO NOW
IS TO START ELIMINATING SOME OF THOSE VARIABLES.
LIKE, ARE WE ACTUALLY DEALING WITH BIOLUMINESCENCE,
ARE WE DEALING WITH PREY,
OR ARE WE DEALING WITH THE FACT
THAT WE'VE GOT A GREAT BIG YELLOW BOX IN THE WATER?
WELL, I DOUBT THAT VERY MUCH.
I DOUBT IT, TOO, BUT, YOU KNOW,
IF WE CAN HAVE SOME SORT OF CREDIBLE NARRATIVE HERE --
JUST TO BACK UP, YOU KNOW,
WE DID HAVE MEDUSA IN MONTEREY CANYON
FOR MANY MONTHS WITH THE E-JELLY EXPERIMENTS AND NO BAIT,
AND WE GOT 26 ATTACKS ON E-JELLY BY JUVENILE HUMBOLDT SQUID.
SO THAT'S PRETTY DEFINITIVE.
I AM NOT DISMISSING OR RAINING ON ANYONE'S PARADE HERE.
I JUST REALLY WANT TO NAIL THIS,
AND WE HAVE GOT THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY NOW
TO ACTUALLY ELIMINATE SOME OF THESE VARIABLES.
O'Shea: I AM SO NOT FRUSTRATED.
I'M -- THERE'S NOT A BONE OF FRUSTRATION IN ME
AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
I'M DELIRIOUSLY HAPPY. I REALLY AM.
Narrator: THE BEST WAY TO STUDY A SQUID
IS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL.
AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT
IS TO MEET ONE ON ITS OWN TERMS IN ITS OWN WORLD.
THE HUNT CONTINUES.
AS A FILMMAKER ON AN EXPEDITION LIKE THIS,
YOU HAVE TO PREPARE FOR
THE MOMENT THAT THEY FIND SOMETHING
IF THEY FIND SOMETHING.
AND THEY MIGHT FIND IT WHEN THE CAMERAS AREN'T ROLLING.
WHEN EDIE CAME BACK FROM HER DIVE
AND HER ASSISTANT WAS LOOKING AT THE FOOTAGE FROM MEDUSA,
HE ACTUALLY TOLD US THAT SOMETHING WAS UP AND WE SET UP,
AND THEN HE CALLED EDIE OVER.
AND HE SAID, "OH, I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING."
SO SHE WAS LIKE, "WHAT'S THIS?"
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THIS ARM JUST COMES IN.
AND SHE GOES, "OH, MY GOD.
"OH, MY GOD!
"WHAT'S THAT?
OH, MY GOD!"
AND SHE CALLS OVER THE OTHER TWO SCIENTISTS.
"STEVE, KU, GET OVER HERE!"
SO, THEY WERE THRILLED,
AND WE WERE THRILLED AS THE CAMERA CREW.
WE WERE JUST SO PSYCHED.
AND, BUT THE THING IS, WE WERE SHOOTING THEIR REACTION.
I DIDN'T GET TO SEE THE ACTUAL GIANT SQUID UNTIL AFTERWARDS.
SO I WAS LIKE, "COME ON! FINISH, FINISH SO WE CAN SEE IT.
I WANT TO SEE THIS GIANT SQUID."
SHE GOT THE MOST AMAZING SHOT OF THE SQUID COMING IN
AND JUST SHOWING OFF ITS MOUTH RIGHT IN THE LENS
AND THEN COMING OUT.
THAT WAS THE MONEY SHOT.
AND WE WERE ALL JUST LIKE, "WOW."
Narrator: UFOs, THE LOCH NESS MONSTER,
BIGFOOT --
THESE ARE ENDURING MYSTERIES THAT MAY NEVER BE SOLVED.
BUT ONE MYSTERY IS NOW WITHIN OUR GRASP.
BAM, AND SMILE FOR THE CAMERA.
Narrator: EDIE WIDDER'S E-JELLY AND MEDUSA ROBOTIC TEAM
HAS MANAGED TO CAPTURE A GIANT SQUID.
WOW. I LOVE THAT ONE.
Narrator: STILL, NO HUMAN HAS SEEN A SQUID ALIVE UNDERWATER.
Widder: WOW. WHAT A SHOT.
Narrator: TIME AND MONEY ARE ABOUT TO RUN OUT.
I THINK THE GIANT SQUID HAS ALMOST KILLED ME
ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS.
I'VE COME VERY CLOSE.
I'LL LET IT HAVE ONE MORE CHANCE TO DO SO,
AND I REALLY HOPE IT ATTACKS THAT SUBMERSIBLE.
GROUND-UP SQUID.
Narrator: STEVE O'SHEA HAS ONE LAST CHANCE AND ONE LAST DIVE.
O'Shea: IF THAT IS IN ANY WAY DRAWING IN GIANT SQUID,
THEN I'M GONNA THROW ANYTHING I CAN
ON THE END OF THAT SQUID THERE TO BRING THAT ANIMAL IN,
BECAUSE THIS IS MY LAST OPPORTUNITY.
GET THE LADDER OVER HERE FOR YOU.
WE'RE DOING IT.
Narrator: AS STEVE DESCENDS,
HE TAKES TIME TO HONOR A FRIEND
WHO COULD NOT MAKE THE JOURNEY WITH HIM.
HANG ON, MIKE. LOOK.
IT'S NOT QUITE GIANT, HERE,
BUT WE NOTICED A BIG ONE OUR WAY.
THIS IS MIKE deGRUY.
MIKE SHOULD HAVE BEEN WITH US ON THIS EXPEDITION,
BUT HE WAS TRAGICALLY KILLED WHILST ON AN EXPEDITION,
SO THIS DIVE IS REALLY IN HONOR OF MIKE.
Narrator: HOURS GO BY.
Taylor: IT'S A LOT LIKE FISHING.
AND HOURS.
LIFE SUPPORT IS OKAY.
GETTING QUITE THE SQUID SHOW HERE.
LOTS OF LITTLE DANCES FOR US.
OH!
YOU SEE THAT BIG FISH? GET AWAY FROM THE --
GET AWAY FROM THE BAIT! GET AWAY FROM THE BAIT!
GET AWAY FROM THE BAIT! GET AWAY FROM MY SQUID!
YOU FILTHY FISH! HE ATE THE HEAD.
OH, YOU [BLEEP] YOU [BLEEP]
YOU [BLEEP] [BLEEP] [BLEEP]
Narrator: IT'S OVER FOR STEVE AND HIS PART OF THE EXPEDITION.
[ SIGHS ]
WELL, I'VE LOOKED FOR THIS ANIMAL NOW PERSONALLY
FOR AT LEAST 15 YEARS.
AND WHEN I SAW IT,
AND I SAW AN IMAGE OF IT ON THE SCREEN, I CRIED.
I CAN'T EXPLAIN WHAT IT IS ABOUT THIS ANIMAL THAT FASCINATES ME,
BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WHEN WE GET IT,
IT'S JUST GONNA BE FANTASTIC.
Narrator: BUT A ROBO-SIGHTING OF A SQUID
IS JUST NOT THE SAME AS A HUMAN CLOSE ENCOUNTER.
AND DR. KU IS NOT READY TO ADMIT DEFEAT.
HE STILL WANTS TO SEE A GIANT FACE-TO-FACE.
TIME FOR THE EXPEDITION AND FOR KU IS RUNNING OUT.
JULY 10, 2012...
OKAY, CHOCKS OFF.
...A DAY THAT WILL LIVE IN SCIENTIFIC HISTORY.
THE DIVE BEGINS LIKE ALL THE REST.
OH.
GOOD MORNING.
OOH!
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION ]
SURE. THANKS.
Narrator: TWO HOURS PASS.
AND THEN...
WHAT'S THAT? WHAT'S THAT?
Kubodera: OH! STOP! STOP!
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
Narrator: THE CREATURE IS HUGE BUT INDISTINCT.
NOBODY KNOWS HOW LONG IT WILL REMAIN WITHIN CAMERA RANGE.
THE SUB'S INFRARED LIGHTS DON'T SCARE THE SQUID,
BUT THEY DON'T REVEAL IT, EITHER.
DR. KU DECIDES TO TAKE AN ENORMOUS RISK.
LIGHT. WHITE LIGHT. WHITE LIGHT, PLEASE.
Narrator: HE DECIDES TO FLOOD THE SCENE WITH WHITE LIGHT.
Sugita: LIGHT. LIGHT, PLEASE.
Kubodera: LIGHT. WHITE LIGHT.
Narrator: HOW BIG ARE GIANT SQUID,
AND EXACTLY WHAT DISTINGUISHES THE GIANT
FROM OTHER SQUID SPECIES?
THE SUPER-AGGRESSIVE HUMBOLDT SQUID
TOPS OUT AT ABOUT 6 FEET IN LENGTH,
THE RARE TANINGIA SQUID AT 7 1/2 FEET,
AND THE COLOSSAL SQUID IS, WELL, COLOSSAL.
SPECIMENS HAVE BEEN REPORTED WEIGHING CLOSE TO 1,000 POUNDS.
THE GIANT SQUID IS NOT AS HEAVY,
WEIGHING IN AT AROUND 600 POUNDS.
BUT THEY DO HAVE FAR LONGER ARMS
AND EVEN LONGER FEEDING TENTACLES,
SO THEY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE MUCH GREATER IN SIZE.
I HAVE EXAMINED
WELL OVER 100 SPECIMENS OF GIANT SQUID AROUND THE WORLD,
AND THE LARGEST I HAVE EVER BEEN ABLE TO MEASURE
IS PERHAPS 45 FEET, AND THAT'S TOTAL LENGTH,
WITH THE TWO LONG FEEDING TENTACLES STRETCHED OUT.
SO MOST ARE IN THE 25- TO 35-,
MAYBE 40-FOOT TOTAL LENGTH RANGE.
WE ALL THOUGHT
THAT IF WE WERE EVER GONNA GET SHOTS OF GIANT SQUID,
IT MIGHT BE JUST LIKE A FLEETING ARM OR A TENTACLE.
AND EDIE'S FOOTAGE WAS MAYBE LIKE 15 SECONDS,
WHICH WAS AMAZING.
BUT THEN WHEN KU SAW THE GIANT SQUID
DOWN IN ITS ENVIRONMENT, EYE-TO-EYE,
23 MINUTES.
THE PILOT, JIM, CALLED UP TO THE SURFACE AND SAID,
"WE GOT GIANT SQUID. WE GOT GIANT SQUID."
AND TYM, WHO WAS ON THE SURFACE IN COMMS,
WAS LIKE, "YEAH, YEAH, RIGHT. YEAH, OKAY.
"AND IF YOU'RE NOT TELLING THE TRUTH,
I'M GONNA KICK YOUR ***," IS BASICALLY WHAT HE SAID.
WE WERE FILMING PEOPLE'S REACTIONS,
AND AT FIRST, NO ONE'S BELIEVING
THAT KU IS LOOKING AT A GIANT SQUID FOR SO LONG.
AND THEN THEY'RE LIKE, "HUH.
MAYBE IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY HAPPENING."
Kubodera: OH! STOP! STOP!
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
Narrator: A LIFETIME OF SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION
ALL COMES DOWN TO ONE DECISION...
WHITE LIGHT. WHITE LIGHT, PLEASE.
Narrator: ...TO THROW A SIMPLE LIGHT SWITCH.
WE'VE GOT IT.
Harris: VERY GOOD.
VERY GOOD.
OH, THAT'S GREAT.
OH.
Narrator: THE SQUID CONTINUES TO FEED ON THE BAIT.
HUNGER OVERRIDES ITS NATURAL INSTINCT TO FLEE.
IT'S OKAY?
GOOD. VERY GOOD.
Harris: ONCE WE REALIZED THAT THERE WAS NO WAY
THAT SQUID WAS GOING TO LET GO,
THAT'S WHEN THE SHOW BEGAN.
YOU GUYS ARE USING ALL THE OXYGEN NOW.
Kubodera: TOO MUCH OXYGEN?
NO, IT'S LOW BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS EXCITED.
KEEP THIS. FULL SHOT.
Narrator: SEVEN MINUTES GO BY, YET THE GIANT REMAINS.
SURFACE, SURFACE, TRITON.
TRITON, TRITON, THIS IS NORTHWIND.
DO YOU COPY?
WE HAVE THE GIANT SQUID.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF FOOTAGE.
IT'S ALL GOING VERY, VERY WELL.
ROGER, JIM -- YOU CONFIRM YOU HAVE A GIANT SQUID
ON THE BAIT ON THE FRONT OF THE TRITON.
I'M CALLING THIS IN,
SO IF YOU'RE KIDDING ME ON THIS ONE,
I'M GOING TO KICK YOUR *** WHEN YOU COME UP.
NEGATIVE, NEGATIVE,
WE HAVE COMPLETE CONFIRMATION.
Jack, Jack, this is Northwind. Do you copy?
Okay, go ahead.
According to Jim,
they have got some footage of a giant squid.
Narrator: WORD OF THE SIGHTING SPREADS THROUGHOUT THE SHIP.
I CAN'T BELIEVE DALE. [ LAUGHS ]
Narrator: BUT WOLF HAS BEEN CRIED TOO MANY TIMES.
YEAH, SAY ALL OF YOUR LAST AGAIN. OVER.
Okay, I have been trying to tell you
that Jim and the Triton down there
have gotten footage of a giant squid.
HEY, THAT'S AWESOME NEWS. WELL DONE, GUYS.
I think there's more going on than what he's actually saying.
THIS IS HUGE. WHAT A...
THAT'S INCREDIBLE. WE'VE DONE IT.
Harris: WE FINALLY GOT ONE. [ LAUGHS ]
WHAT HAVE THEY BEEN SAYING?
THEY'VE BEEN FILMING A GIANT SQUID FROM THE TRITON.
IT'S BEEN HANGING OFF THE BAIT.
FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME?
OH, YEAH, IT WAS CHEWING ON IT, AND THEY WERE DIVING WITH IT.
AND I THINK IT'S A VIABLE SOURCE.
DR. KU'S ONBOARD, SO IT'S NOT ONE OF OUR IDIOTS.
GIANT SQUID, YEAH.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. I'M JUST SO EXCITED.
WE'VE DONE IT.
GOOD. YEAH.
WHOO!
[ LAUGHTER ]
Harris: OKAY. I THINK WE'RE AT THE END OF THE TETHER.
880.
Kubodera: OH, IT'S LEAVING.
HE'S LEAVING.
OH, IT'S LEAVING. OH.
GO AWAY.
Narrator: AFTER 23 MINUTES, THE CLOSE ENCOUNTER IS OVER.
OH, IT'S GONE.
THE GIANT SQUID HAS JUST LEFT.
I THINK EVERYBODY IS GOING TO BE VERY, VERY HAPPY.
OHH.
SO, SHALL WE GO BACK?
HE'S GOT TO BE THE HAPPIEST GUY ALIVE.
I'M SO THRILLED IT WAS HIM.
I MEAN, HE'S JUST GOT TO BE OVER THE MOON.
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT HE GOT.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]
YOU DID GOOD. WELL DONE.
Kubodera: YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MWAH!
[ LAUGHTER ]
YEAH!
Narrator: THERE IS NO DOUBT
DR. KU CAPTURED SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY AND HUGE
ON CAMERA.
WITH A BODY 10 FEET IN LENGTH,
HAD THEY NOT BEEN LOST TO A WHALE OR A FISHERMAN,
ITS TENTACLES COULD STRETCH AN ADDITIONAL 16,
MAKING THIS SQUID 26 FEET LONG.
THIS DISCOVERY SPEAKS FOR ITSELF
IN A LANGUAGE OF WONDER
ANY SCIENTIST CAN APPRECIATE.
THIS IS THE MOMENT OF TRUTH.
WHOA. WOW.
OH, MY GOD.
WOW. FANTASTIC.
Narrator: FOR CLYDE ROPER,
A LIFELONG QUEST HAS BEEN ACHIEVED.
Roper: IT ALL SAYS GIANT SQUID.
BIG EYES. LOOK AT THE EYES.
BIG FUNNEL.
THAT IS JUST SPECTACULAR.
SEE HOW THE FINS ARE MOVING TO SORT OF STABILIZE THE ANIMAL?
WELL, IT'S ATTACKED THE BAIT,
TAKING CHUNKS OUT, BITING CHUNKS OUT.
HERE WE CAN SEE THE GREAT ACTION OF THE MANTLE AND THE FUNNEL --
THE MANTLE SUCKING WATER IN,
AND NOW BLOWING WATER OUT THROUGH THE FUNNEL LIKE THAT,
SUCKING WATER IN, POOF, BLOWING IT OUT.
YES, IN MY MIND,
THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO QUESTION WHATSOEVER
THAT IS THE GIANT SQUID.
THAT'S A GIANT SQUID.
Narrator: THE VOYAGE OF THE ALUCIA IS OVER.
THIS QUEST HAS ALSO BEEN ACHIEVED FOR OTHERS
WHO COULD NOT MAKE THE JOURNEY,
BUT THEY WERE THERE IN SPIRIT.
SO, I MADE IT.
HE'S CERTAINLY HERE TODAY WITH US.
YOU KNOW, I'M SURE HE'S DOWN THERE,
PUSHING GIANT SQUID SOMEWHERE TOWARDS THE CAMERAS.
Narrator: A CREATURE WE ONCE REGARDED AS A MONSTER
HAS MET US ON ITS OWN TERMS IN A HIDDEN WORLD.
WE'VE LOOKED INTO ITS EYES, AND IT HAS LOOKED INTO OURS.
AN ALIEN IS ALIEN NO MORE.
THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE EXPEDITION
ARE MORE THAN JUST EXPLORERS.
THEY ARE AMBASSADORS.
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
MAKING A DISCOVERY LIKE THIS, CAPTURING AN ANIMAL ON FILM
THAT'S NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE LIVE,
IS INSPIRING BECAUSE IT MAKES YOU THINK ABOUT
HOW LITTLE WE DO KNOW, HOW MUCH THERE IS TO KNOW,
AND THAT THERE'S STILL SOMETHING OUT THERE
TO EXPLORE AND TO DISCOVER.
THIS MIGHT BE THE FIRST OF MANY EXPEDITIONS
OF FINDING GIANT SQUID.
AND THE FOOTAGE IS INCREDIBLE.
AND I THINK THE SCIENTISTS ARE GONNA LEARN A LOT
ABOUT THE GIANT SQUID'S BEHAVIOR BY ANALYZING IT.
BUT IT'S JUST THE BEGINNING.
IT WOULD BE REALLY FANTASTIC TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW IT AROUND,
TO SEE IT HUNTING, MATING PERHAPS.
I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE INCREDIBLE TO SEE.
AND WHO KNOWS? MAYBE IT WILL HAPPEN SOON.