- [Narrator] It's within us and all around us.

60% of the human body is made up of water, so it's hardly surprising we are drawn to the 70% of the planet awash in it as well.

We are captivated by oceans, rivers and lakes, the power, the flow, the reflective stillness.

And as we seek to get closer, more connected, we immerse ourselves in an ever expanding range of experiences.

From the adrenaline pumping to the calm and relaxing, these are the world's greatest water adventures.

♪ (water bubbling) They're the denizens of the deep, giants of the sea captivating us since they first leapt from the oceans, sliced through the surface, or frightened a fishing boat with their sheer size.

Humans are drawn to these magnificent mammals, through fascination or fear.

And many adventurers are keen to get closer still to connect to nature on a truly grand scale.

And frankly, it doesn't get any bigger than this.

Blue whales are the largest animals ever recorded.

They've been known to grow up to 30 meters long, more than double the length of a school bus.

The only way to truly gauge their proportions is to see them from above as they cruise along the Southwest coast of Victoria, Australia.

Despite their streamlined shape, they were too big for whalers to miss.

Their blubber was in high demand for the manufacture of cosmetics, soap, and fuel for lamps.

Around 99% of their population was wiped out in the first half of the twentieth century, bringing the species to the brink of extinction.

Since whaling was stopped in the 1960s, numbers have recovered slightly.

There's now around 20,000 worldwide, but the blue whale is still considered endangered.

The humpback faced a similar fate.

Its stocky body made it slower than other species and its penchant for aerobatics made it easy to spot from a distance.

And that's something the modern day whale industry also uses to its advantage.

Humpbacks are the heroes for boatloads of people who will happily spend hours on the water, patiently waiting to watch their antics.

Their energetic displays are thought to be both for fun and a form of communication with other whales nearby.

But the breaches and slaps are not the only telltale sign a humpback is about.

Depending on their age and activity, they need to surface at least once every 20 minutes to breathe.

Their blows can rise three meters into the air.

And if they've just left their summer homes, their breath smells distinctively fishy.

These massive mammals gorge themselves on small fish and tiny shrimp-like critters called krill, in the icy waters of the polar regions every year.

Filled to overflowing, the humpbacks' fat reserves sustain them on their annual migration towards the equator.

They travel up to 25,000 kilometers to mate and calve in the tropics.

The newborns are five meters long at birth and triple in size once they're fully grown.

And that happens fairly rapidly.

They gain at least 45 kilograms a day, thanks to around 200 liters of milk from Mum.

It's all aimed at building up their strength for the long journey home.

There are a handful of places around the world where people can share these bonding moments at close range.

The South Pacific kingdom of Tonga has the calm, warm waters the whales favor to rest and recuperate.

Small groups of swimmers can lie alongside the humpbacks in a gentle interaction that often turns into people watching for the curious calves.

After a sordid history of dragging whales into our world, it's a humbling experience to share theirs with them.

A moment of wonder, of pure connection with the gentle giants of the sea.

♪ It's perhaps the most challenging of all water adventures, yet the most euphoric when it all comes together.

A combination of balance and timing that piggybacks on one of natures most powerful forces, often for an all too brief ride to shore.

Surfing has an almost cult-like following.

The faithful always ready to respond to the call of the waves.

It's difficult to define the start of this sport, but early accounts from British explorers suggest that surfing was already in vogue hundreds of years ago.

Back then, it was largely the domain of Polynesian kings and chiefs, a chance for them to prove their mettle against the gods of the sea.

But it was a humble Hawaiian swimmer who became true surfing royalty at the start of the twentieth century.

Olympian Duke Kahanamoku spent most of his days clocking up time in calm water, but the waves off Waikiki were enough to lure him away from the pool.

His high profile and love of the sport helped establish Hawaii as the undisputed home of surfing.

A title it still proudly holds today.

It's a mecca for surfers who come to test their skill at the place where the ocean swells that roll across the pacific finally meet land.

(surfer music) The most famous and arguably the most challenging break is the pipeline.

It's claimed at least 12 lives and injured many more in the past 50 years.

But that doesn't stop surfers from trying to tame the massive waves.

While Hawaii had certainly started something, it couldn't contain the groundswell of support for the sport.

Malibu in California was the next to catch on to the trend.

In the 1950s, this enclave of the wealthy was invaded by water worshipers.

And leading the charge was 15-year-old Kathy Kohner.

At a time when surfing was considered men's business, the girl who became known as Gidget, proved the sea did not discriminate.

It was around this same time that Australia came on board with surfing.

A natural progression for a nation with 60,000 kilometers of coastline.

Surfing became ingrained in the youth culture in the second half of the twentieth century, spreading far and wide across the country, including the Wild West.

Here, the Indian Ocean produces a consistent swell of up to five meters.

More than enough to attract international competitors for the annual Margaret River Classic.

The east coast still claims the most devotees to the sport.

One of Australia's most beloved beaches is where the well heeled learn to ride.

Noosa is protected from most of the Pacific swells by its headland, the smaller waves allowing surfers to perfect their more theatrical moves.

For many, the sport here has morphed into standup paddleboarding, another import from Hawaii, just as challenging and less reliant on swell.

For purists, it's all about the pilgrimage to find the perfect wave, even sacrificing the warmth for the ultimate set, which explains the popularity of Biarritz in France.

Surfers discovered offshore canyons channeled the waves towards the beach, with great power and reliability.

The platform to gauge the waves is perhaps one of the most glamorous in surfing.

But for the many world champions who have taken on the bay, the view from the sea is far more appealing.

Despite slight variations on the theme and modifications to board designs over the years, by and large surfing has remained true to itself.

It's still a sport that requires patience and skill, where the rider and the wave become one, creating a moment of absolute perfection.

♪ White water occurs on every coast, wherever waves are whipping the sea into a frenzy.

But inland rivers have their fair share of surf-like action as well.

For thousands of years, inflatable rafts, made from animal skins filled with air, were used to cross rivers the world over.

A vital means for many of our ancestors to simply get from A to B. But in the 1960s, following the development of synthetic rubber and mass production of zodiacs, this ancient form of aquatic adventure really came into its own.

Suddenly, people from all walks of life, could not only cross, but work their way down the world's wildest rivers just for fun.

Glaciers and mountain streams feed a number of fast flowing rivers in the north and south islands of New Zealand, tumbling through narrow gorges and spectacularly scenic valleys.

They are all graded, according to the size and force of their rapids.

With level one rivers offering a relatively tranquil adventure, and level five?

Well, anything but.

With barely enough time to catch a breath, it's an intense way to experience many of the wilder realms of New Zealand.

But jet boating has become an even more popular option.

Less white water to contend with, but a great deal more white-knuckled action.

In the south island of New Zealand, jet boats move along glacial waterways at anything but a glacial pace, scaring the daylights out of passengers primed for the ultimate adrenaline rush.

This is where jet boating was invented, fast tracking Queenstown's quest to become the adventure capital of the world.

Unlike other motor boats that use an external propeller, jet boats draw water from beneath their hulls, channeling it into a pump jet inside the boat, then spitting out 800 liters of water per second through a nozzle at the stern.

It's a design that's ideally suited to navigating at speed, the shallow braided rivers and streams that flow from the Southern Alps.

Once the ride begins, there's no backing out, no choice but to hold on for dear life, trying to be present in the moment, rather than foreseeing your demise.

The pilots on the infamous Shotover are world renowned for their skills and thrills, all but grazing the paint from their vessels as they fly past the raw canyon walls.

Their coup de grace to bring an end to the adventure?

A g-force pulling 360-degree spin.

The Dart River, which flows from the Dart Glacier, in the Mount Aspiring National Park, is another hot favorite for high speed action.

Ducking and weaving along the glacial river, trying not to bottom out on the loose, gravel-like moraine.

The Dart was named for the speed the river moved through the valley, but there are gentler side streams and chasms that can be accessed and explored by canoe, giving visitors a chance to experience another less terrifying side to New Zealand's watery wilderness.

The Dart River flows into Lake Wakatipu, the longest lake in New Zealand.

And the Karawau flows out of it.

It's not particularly long or significant in terms of water volume, but it is the birthplace for another uniquely New Zealand craze, riverboarding, which takes the concept of white-water rafting to a whole new level of ludicrous.

With grade 2 and 3 rapids, bearing alarming names like the Roller Coaster and the Man-eater, riverboarding is not for the faint-hearted.

Just for those hapless travelers prepared to take on whatever madness those crazy Kiwis have hidden up their adventurous sleeves.

♪ They're out of place and for most of us out of sight as well.

Eerie reminders of journeys that have not gone to plan.

Sitting silently, full of secrets on the sea floor.

Scuttled by bombs, swamped by waves, or sunk for underwater scenery, these once proud purveyors of travelers and treasure are now the world's greatest wreck dives.

It's estimated at least three million of them lie on the bottom of the ocean along with the remains of their crew and cargo.

But less than one percent have been found and identified.

For scuba divers, they add to the adventure of being underwater, vessels of mystery and history that have been doomed to watery graveyards.

The vast majority of shipwrecks are over 100 years old, but more recent sinkings, both deliberate and by accident, are adding to the ever expanding list of sites.

While searching the seabeds for reminders of the past, marine archeologists discovered wrecks had a future as artificial reefs.

The rusting relics provide a stable platform for coral growth and shelter for small marine life.

Bigger animals quickly recognize wrecks as seafood smorgasbords, and mini ecosystems emerge.

For divers, this simplifies time underwater by concentrating life in one convenient place.

The Russian fishing boat Lena is part of the new trend of purpose sunk ships.

It was scuttled in shallow water near Bunbury, off the West Australian coast, after the Navy confiscated it for poaching.

A relative newcomer to the shipwreck register, it's already attracting life.

For many divers, it's the ships sunk by accident or acts of aggression that hold the greatest interest.

In World War II alone, more than 36,000 ships were lost, leaving battle scars all over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

(waves crashing) Chuuk Lagoon, in the Federated State of Micronesia, is the resting place of 45 Japanese ships and 270 aircraft attacked during the two days of operation hailstone.

(plane engine humming) Many of the vessels were sunk in the shallows and remain exposed to the elements.

But others fell to the depths down to 40 meters and much of their cargo still remains in place more than 70 years after being swallowed by the sea.

There are other wrecks in Micronesia that have taken their secrets to a watery grave.

A Japanese Army cargo ship was discovered in Palau's Malakal Harbor in the late 1980s, but little is known of its identity.

It's been nicknamed the Helmet Dive from a fused stack of head gear left behind by its crew.

It was sunk in March 1944 by an aerial strike launched from the aircraft carrier U.S.S.

Lexington.

It took seven bombs to down the 58-meter vessel, ripping open her side but missing one vital piece of cargo.

The ship was carrying 85 depth charges that were found intact more than 40 years after her sinking.

They've since been disarmed, but divers are warned against entering the wreck in case there are other, undetonated devices.

Explosives aside, this is a rarity among wrecks as the bow lies at a relatively shallow depth of 15 meters.

The U.S.S.

President Coolidge was also a victim of the Pacific War, but not at the hands of the enemy.

In October 1942, the former cruise ship turned troop carrier struck an American mine off Vanuatu's northern island of Espiritu Santo.

Coral reefs thwarted efforts to beach the vessel but 5,340 men made it safely ashore.

Only the captain and one crew member died.

The wreck is almost 200 meters long and is now an underwater museum of World War II memorabilia.

The cargo of the Coolidge went down with the ship, including the entire supply of anti malarial medication for U.S.

troops stationed in the tropics.

Jeeps and machinery needed for the large American airbase in Santo never reached their destination, thrown together in a jumbled mess when the troop carrier finally succumbed to the sea.

For divers, wrecks are a dramatic moment frozen in time, out of reach of most of the population.

Despite the tragedy, the inevitable loss of life, they are an eerie glimpse into another world, snatched by the ocean and drawn to the depths, to rest forever on the seabed.

♪ Paddle power has propelled adventurers across the planet for thousands of years, taking them further and faster than previously possible.

But it's the stealth-like capabilities of the craft that really made them an integral part of Indigenous cultures.

While open topped canoes were built for distance, a closed-in version was designed for quiet maneuvering around prey.

The Inuit, Yupik, and Aleut people developed their hunting capabilities in kayaks largely made from the skins and bones of their catch.

Today the once practical vessels have morphed into a pleasure seeking platform, launching its paddler into sometimes adrenaline-pumping predicaments.

But for most of us, they're a gentle way of getting close to nature.

A means to access the historic and the isolated, all at a steady pace, free from the noise and fumes of a powered vessel.

There are some places on this Earth only a kayak can reach, and the towering granite cliffs on Australia's most southern island is one of them.

The best known attribute of Tasmania's Freycinet Peninsula is Wineglass Bay.

And while this east coast beach is regularly voted as one of the 10 best in the world, it's seclusion in the middle of a national park saves it from being inundated.

The beautifully calm, clear water extends into neighboring bays, and perched on a kayak, it's possible to see 10 meters below.

But the most spectacular view is looking up, from underneath the dramatic rock walls.

Hundreds of thousands of years of wave action have carved out gullies in the granite and a path that only kayaks can access.

There are other hidden treasures in this remote part of the coastline, only revealed to those who approach cautiously.

Little blue penguins are rarely seen on shore during the day, when they typically head out to sea to forage for food.

But this duo must have chosen to sleep in, caught off guard by their quiet intruders.

Some wildlife encounters on kayak are less by chance.

The island of Maui in Hawaii has a prehistoric creature that is unconcerned by other visitors approaching from sea.

The green turtle, or Honu, has been swimming the waters of the world for an estimated 200 million years.

The Hawaiian Islands have one the biggest aggregations of these resilient reptiles, each one here has beaten the odds to survive to adulthood.

In their younger years they're easy prey for other sea creatures, but the hardiest can live to at least a century.

Kayakers don't have to get in the water to get a close view of them in the bay known as Turtle Town.

If they're active, every few minutes, they'll pop to the surface to breathe.

These cold blooded creatures were once on the menu in Hawaii.

In fact their name comes from the green tinge to their meat, the result of their almost exclusive diet of sea grass.

But the turtles are now protected in these waters and appear at ease alongside humans.

In local mythology, the Honu are considered Aumakua, ancestral spirits that bring peace and good luck.

Indeed many believe they guided the first Polynesians to Hawaii.

They're ancient navigators that stray up to 1,300 kilometers away from the islands, yet always return to the area they were born when it's time to breed and lay eggs themselves.

While the turtles remain relaxed around the snorkelers, if feeling at risk they have the ability to escape at a rate of 60 kilometers an hour.

And that's despite weighing up to 200 kilograms.

Kayaking is, above all else, a peaceful pursuit.

Tucking into tight corners, and gently gliding through watery landscapes with minimal fuss or fanfare, leaving paddlers with a sense of being at one with the natural world.

♪ On first pass, the idea of swimming with a fish, really doesn't sound all that exciting.

But adventurers on Ningaloo Reef, off the coast of Western Australia, would heartily disagree.

Despite its name, the whale shark is not a whale, but it is the biggest fish on the planet.

And its dimensions are impressive to say the least.

They can reach over 14 meters in length and weigh up to 12 tons, despite the fact that they only eat the smallest of the ocean's critters.

As filter feeders, they get most of their nourishment sieving plankton through their gills, along with the occasional squid.

A whale shark's skin can be up to 10 centimeters thick and is covered in a unique arrangement of spots.

Whale sharks are normally loners, but Ningaloo Reef is one of a handful of places where they're known to congregate each year to feast on krill and plankton.

They're not as easy as whales to locate from a boat, so spotter planes are used to pilot skippers to where the big fish are feeding.

- Roger that, one small eating-- - [Narrator] Whale sharks are cold blooded and draw their oxygen from the water, so they never need to breach the surface.

They swim by moving their bodies, rather than their tails, from side to side, and never reach speeds greater than five kilometers per hour, which makes it fairly easy for good swimmers to keep up with their pace.

They do dive and dive deep, with depths of 1,800 meters recorded.

Why they do this however, is unclear.

Despite ongoing research into these gentle giants, we know comparatively little about their biology and habits, which only adds to the enchantment of swimming with these mysterious creatures of the sea.

For most people, this is the only kind of shark they would ever consider getting close to.

But for those with a more adventurous spirit, there are many more species to encounter.

Black or white tipped reef sharks are frequently seen inshore and are generally more afraid of humans than we are of them.

But great white sharks?

Well, they're a completely different kettle of fish.

This apex predator is a ruthless hunter and extremely efficient killer.

But despite all the stories that suggest otherwise, humans are not a preferred part of their diet.

When attacks on surfers occur, it's more often than not a case of mistaken identity, for backlit, board-riders most certainly do look like succulent seals.

(sea gulls squawking) The Neptune Islands off South Australia are one of just a few places in the world where it's possible to enter the great white's realm on relatively safe terms, providing those with more bravado than brains a chance to eyeball great whites at close range.

The first shock to the system is the temperature.

Since great whites favor cool water, divers must brace themselves for 15 degrees.

The second shock is anticipation.

Enough on its own to get the heart racing, let alone the prospect of something enormous sneaking up from behind.

(thudding) Yes, there's a cage separating the divers from instant, gut-wrenching death, but there's no shaking the fact that most shark attack victims never see their assailant coming.

(sea gulls squawking) Basic human instinct compels a response that's either fight or flight.

And frankly, when you're trapped inside a cage, you have the option to do neither.

Fresh chunks of tuna are used to lure the great whites closer.

Close enough, one imagines, for them to see the great whites of a diver's eyes, even though they're concealed behind a mask.

Sharks can detect electrical currents over vast distances, even the heartbeat of a resting animal.

But can they smell human fear or sense the nervous pumping of adrenaline animating the moves of those trapped inside the cage?

'Round about now, you'd want to hope not.

Love them or loathe them, great whites, like all other sharks, are deserving of our respect.

These prehistoric creatures have earnt the right to dominate the ocean, filling us with fear and fascination as we boldly share their seas.

♪ More than 2,000 precipitous islets rise from the jade waters of Ha Long, so named by the locals as the place where the dragon descends into the sea.

An iconic world heritage wonder, breathing life into the landscape and economy of Northeast Vietnam.

Big cruise ships regularly glide through the larger passages in the bay.

But smaller boats are more easily maneuvered, allowing those with a more adventurous spirit to make the most of this great watery wonderland.

Some wily operators offer guests the best of both worlds, a mothership to call home for a few days, with kayaks on board for exploring many of the hidden gems of Ha Long.

The limestone islands that dominate the bay were created some 300 million years ago when the entire area was covered in a warm, shallow ocean.

Rising and falling sea levels have eroded the islands at their bases, giving some a top-heavy appearance and others hidden tunnels to explore.

While international travelers have been soaking in the many charms of Ha Long Bay for decades, local families have lived in the region for centuries.

Many have spent their entire lives on the water, making a living from fishing, and more recently, from aquaculture and tourism, encouraging visitors to tour their floating villages.

A living tradition that is a unique component of the Vietnamese identity.

Other communities in Ha Long Bay live on some of the larger, jungle-clad islands.

The biggest, and most developed, is Cat Ba, on the southeast edge of the bay.

There's evidence that suggests people have lived here for nearly 6,000 years.

And today, the island supports 13,000 residents, more than half of whom live in the main town area.

Heading further inland, requires pedals, rather than paddles, providing a welcome opportunity to stretch the sea legs and glimpse a more rural side of Ha Long Bay life.

Buffalo are still kept as a source of fresh milk and labor.

But many farmers have ditched the yoke in preference for ploughing their rice fields mechanically.

Beyond the villages, the bulk of the island is still wonderfully wild and craggy, sanctioned as a national park.

From the top of Ngu Lam Peak, all you can see is mountains, and nothing at all of the grand aquatic playground that circles the base of Cat Ba.

Despite just how popular Ha Long Bay has become, it's still possible to find solace on its waters.

Gliding silently into a hidden cavern, or onto a tiny white beach, that sense of discovery that motivates adventurers, is never far beyond reach.

♪ There's a little known triangle in our oceans that's celebrated for giving life.

Unlike the more infamous patch of planet around Bermuda, this geometric anomaly is gaining a reputation for all the right reasons.

Scientists have dubbed it the Coral Triangle.

A place so rich in biodiversity, it's thought to be the birthplace of all life in our seas.

The Coral Triangle is home to one third of all reefs in the world, containing 75% of the known species of coral and nearly 3,000 types of fish, more than double the amount found anywhere else.

All of this is confined in an area of less than one percent of our ocean's surface.

Divers are drawn here like they once were to the Caribbean and Great Barrier Reef, wanting to immerse themselves in this nursery of the seas.

The Coral Triangle sits in Southeast Asia and encompasses six countries.

It's where the Indian Ocean meets the Pacific and strong, nutrient rich currents, combine with natural light and high water temperatures to create one of the most diverse marine habitats on Earth.

It also just happens to be in one of the most populated parts of the planet.

More than 120 million people live here, and at least half of them rely on food from the sea as their primary source of protein.

An ever increasing demand for seafood inevitably led to overfishing.

But all the nations in the region have now signed an agreement to protect and preserve their vital marine habitat.

Sitting at the heart of the Coral Triangle, Raja Ampat is a sparsely populated and little known archipelago in the West Papua province of Indonesia.

This is the epicenter of diversity.

A place that continues to astound researchers with its mix of marine life.

In an area just two times the size of a football field, scientists have discovered six times the number of coral species that can be found in the entire Caribbean.

The quantity of life here is simply staggering.

But it's more than just reef and fish.

Half the world's species of mollusks are also in the waters around Raja Ampat.

The most colorful is also one of the smallest.

The nudibranch is a tiny sea slug that uses its bright patterns to warn predators that it's potentially poisonous.

They rarely grow more than 10 centimeters and spend their lives feeding on the feast of sponges and soft corals found here.

The nudibranchs larger cousin, the cuttlefish, is also a favorite for divers in the Coral Triangle.

It's considered the most intelligent of the mollusks, preferring camouflage over cautionary colors to evade predators.

But their greatest attribute is one parents the world over have long desired.

The next best thing to literally having eyes in the back of your head, cuttlefish can see what's in front of them and behind simultaneously.

One animal that draws divers to Raja Ampat more than any other, is the manta ray.

They're regularly sighted on reefs here, at cleaning stations, where small wrasse remove parasites from their skin.

(water bubbling) More than just a well-groomed body, mantas have the largest brain of any fish, and an impressive wingspan to match.

They can measure up to 7 meters across, and their aerodynamic design allows them to glide through the water at speeds of up to 40 kilometers an hour.

These gentle giants pose no threat to humans.

When they're not getting cleaned, they spend their days cruising the currents, scooping up meals of tiny organisms called zooplankton.

The resilience of life here could well provide answers to help the rest of our oceans cope with climate change.

And while scientists have long been singing its praises, divers too are now convinced that no other reef system comes close to matching the richness and the purity of the Coral Triangle.

♪ They're food, they're trophies, and they're worthy adversaries.

For thousands of years, the humble fish has tormented the average angler, trying every trick, every temptation in a battle recognized as much for its failures as successes.

Tales of the one that got away have become legendary, as the scaly water dwellers more often than not outwit their land-based opponents to live to swim another day.

Despite this, fishing remains one of the world's most popular pastimes, and the truly devoted will go to great lengths in their hunt for the ultimate catch.

London Lakes isn't at the end of the Earth, but it's not far from it.

This freshwater system is in Tasmania's high country, secluded and largely untouched.

A place where fishing companions are drawn to the silence.

With it's cloak of mist, it's quite possibly one of the most scenic places on the planet to go fly fishing, and it's also one of the most consistent for delivering trout.

Both brown and rainbow varieties are found in the two shallow lakes, Big Jim and Samuel.

As with many species of fish, trout are easier to catch in the early morning when they swim to the surface to eat insects.

It's a sport that is equal parts patience and persistence.

But the effort doesn't always pay off.

Thredbo River in Australia's Snowy Mountains also has a reputation for trout.

The clear, alpine water, offers no camouflage for the fish, but that doesn't make them easy prey.

This skilled type of angling requires a lure that mimics the trout's natural diet and a light touch with casting.

There's more than one way to catch a trout, and there are a bigger target in nearby Lake Jindabyne.

In shallow streams, this species only grows to around two-and-a-half kilograms.

But in deeper bodies of water they can weigh four times that amount.

But that's small fry compared to Australia's most prized freshwater fish.

The barramundi can grow up to two meters and tip the scales at the same weight as a small human adult.

They're found in the top end of the country and into Southeast Asia and will spend at least part of their lives in saltwater.

They've long been part of the diet of Indigenous tribes in the Northern Territory.

The name barramundi, is thought to be an aboriginal word, loosely translating to fish with big scales.

Despite their sometimes impressive size, they often prove a little elusive, demanding extreme dedication to track down.

The remote Daly River in the vast Northern Territory is considered prime barra territory.

Every wet season between December and March, these plains flood, allowing the barramundi easy passage to the coast for breeding and a few unwelcome visitors to stray further inland than normal.

Crocodiles are not enough to discourage determined fishermen, who charter helicopters out of Darwin to reach their prized fishing spots, but they are careful to stand clear of the murky water.

Barramundi are known as ambush predators and can be tricky to land.

At least with this kind of fishing, if the big one doesn't bite, the journey itself goes a long way towards compensating.

Australia doesn't have the monopoly on out of the way angling.

To reach the place dubbed The Salmon Capital of the World requires commitment to the cause.

The float plane flight over British Columbia's coastal forests ends at Sonora Island, a largely unpopulated part of Canada's West.

Five different species of salmon are caught here in a season that runs all year round.

Chinook, which are also known as king or spring salmon, are the largest and most sought after.

Their numbers are starting to decline through overfishing and habitat destruction.

But in the protected waters of the Inside Passage, the population is stable.

As remote as it is here, there's still competition for the fish and often, from sources, it's difficult to argue with.

Killer whales patrol these waters, and researchers have found the Chinook salmon constitutes 80% of the apex predator's diet in summer.

Killer whales are not the only mammal in these parts with a taste for fish.

Canada's coastal grizzly bear population are also keen catchers of salmon, although their technique is less hit and more miss.

It's probably not surprising that the greatest adventures in fishing are often away from the crowds, in difficult to get to places.

In a sport that often involves hours of quiet contemplation, location is everything.

(water splashing) Even though it's not our element, humans are constantly drawn to water, to the extraordinary creatures that live here, to the challenge of its vastness and power.

Through its beauty and, sometimes, its dangers, we connect to realms that broaden our understanding of the world, inspiring us to paddle further and delve a little deeper on our adventurous journey through life.

♪