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A look back into the life of the explorer who acquired worldwide fame through his love of the oceans and who then brought his underwater world into our living rooms.
JIM LEHRER: Before we go tonight, a brief remembrance of Jacques Cousteau. The explorer and explainer of nature died today at age 87. Here are excerpts from his widely popular television series "The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau."
JACQUES COUSTEAU: ("A Sound of Dolphins") Filming free dolphins is a challenge. There are too swift for divers to approach them. They never stay behind or alongside a ship, but they are attracted to the bow as to a magnet. To Calypso we have attached an extension with an underwater camera, aimed backward, toward the nose of the ship. We hope the extension camera will reveal dolphins swimming head on, never before achieved on film. (music in background)
Meanwhile, frolicking hitchhikers come from all directions, but the main herd continues to outrun the ship, its underwater camera boom, and all other protruding contraptions. At last--a spouting humpback. It is a solitary male. Males are forerunners of the migration. On the bow of the speeding boat Philippe must seize the exact moment to contact a whale. (music in background)
Using it long range for a sharp turn, the whale banks away from Philippe, who is somewhere under the blanket of foam. (music in background)
Our artful dodger makes a U-turn beneath us and leaves Philippe stranded like a speck of bobbing flotsam. From the air, I observe how futile are the efforts of our divers to stay with the whale. But I have a grandstand seat. (music in background)
JIM LEHRER: In a recent interview Cousteau said, "The reason why I love the sea I cannot explain. It's physical. When you dive, you begin to feel like you're an angel."
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