1 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:38,119 There is a force sufficiently powerful to move the oceans 2 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:40,397 of this world. 3 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:07,438 It is a force not of this Earth. 4 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:15,914 The Moon is large enough to generate gravity 5 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:21,997 and with sufficient force to pull on the Earth 230,000 miles away. 6 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,390 As the Moon orbits the Earth, 7 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:29,679 its gravity sweeps across the face of our planet. 8 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:34,551 Its power drags a great bulge of oceanic water in its wake... 9 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:44,357 ..the rising tide. 10 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:51,590 The River Amazon in Brazil. 11 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:56,437 On some special days, the gravitational forces 12 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:00,276 of the Moon and the sun combine, to extraordinary effect. 13 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:12,872 A growing tidal wave from the ocean is being forced 200 miles inland. 14 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:17,113 This is a tidal bore. 15 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,155 Fortunately, tidal bores are rare, 16 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:02,600 but the Moon does create strong tides out in the world's oceans 17 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:04,877 on every day of the year. 18 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,479 The Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia. 19 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,399 The tides here are the largest in the world, 20 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,598 and have a profound effect on marine life, 21 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:25,956 creating a rich feeding ground. 22 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:35,558 A feast that attracts some of the largest diners on the planet... 23 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:45,312 ..humpback whales. 24 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:52,274 But they are not the biggest threat to the herring. 25 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:09,320 These are finback whales. 26 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:13,474 At 70 tonnes, they are the second largest animal on Earth, 27 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:18,556 but so streamlined they are the fastest of the great whales. 28 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:23,754 This combination of speed and immense size 29 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:27,834 makes the finback a voracious hunter of schooling fish. 30 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:32,351 The Bay of Fundy can attract so many fish 31 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:34,910 that, during the summer, 32 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:41,077 as many as 500 of these magnificent whales hunt here every day. 33 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:46,230 The feeding is best where the tides run strongly. 34 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,592 So the whales move further into the bay, 35 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:54,549 following tidal rips and searching for fish. 36 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:05,913 Their movements are closely watched by flocks of Cory shearwaters. 37 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:14,918 As the whales dive down towards the fish, more and more birds gather, 38 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:17,879 anxious to pick up scraps. 39 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:32,433 The flowing tide 40 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:37,834 may provide a feast, but, before long, it will turn. 41 00:05:40,280 --> 00:05:43,876 In just six hours, 100 billion tonnes of water 42 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:46,032 will flow out of the bay, 43 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:51,229 the sea level falling by as much as 15 metres 44 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:55,314 and exposing vast tracts of mud and sand. 45 00:05:55,480 --> 00:06:01,033 At first sight, a barren place, entirely devoid of life. 46 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:10,199 In fact, the damp sand is packed with microscopic life, 47 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:13,910 the meiofauna, feeding in a sandy underworld, 48 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:17,915 quite unaffected by the departure of the sea. 49 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:24,272 But life is not all roses in this miniature world. 50 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:30,760 A sand bubbler crab in Northern Australia. 51 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:32,559 It hunts meiofauna. 52 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,599 Just a centimetre across, 53 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:39,071 the sand bubbler works at breakneck speed, 54 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:43,792 filtering out the meiofauna and kicking aside the waste. 55 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:50,313 The crab will clean 56 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:54,440 every grain of sand within a metre of its burrow. 57 00:06:54,600 --> 00:07:00,119 Endless practice for the best backheel in the natural world. 58 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:22,754 The crabs work fast 59 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,391 because they can only sieve when the sand is damp. 60 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:30,600 Remarkably, they work the entire surface of the beach 61 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:34,515 within a couple of hours of the tide retreating. 62 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:44,112 Then they simply return to their burrows and await the next tide. 63 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:55,070 Underwater, the falling tide is the cue 64 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:57,471 for some bizarre activity. 65 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:03,670 These slow—moving clams use their muscular feet 66 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:06,230 to bury themselves under the sand. 67 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,632 If they fail to get under cover, 68 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:14,636 the tide will leave them exposed to the air and they will perish. 69 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:20,990 But once underground, they can wait, 70 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:23,800 safe beneath the beach, 71 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:29,676 And not a moment too soon. 72 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:36,791 June in south east Alaska. 73 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:41,557 In just four hours, a vast beach is exposed by the falling tide. 74 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:50,272 The bears are hungry. 75 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:56,471 At this time of year, the pickings on land are few and far between. 76 00:08:56,640 --> 00:09:02,193 But any food here has long since buried itself deep under the sand. 77 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:09,560 To a hungry adult bear, that is no barrier. 78 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:14,397 They smell the clams through the sand and simply dig them out. 79 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:18,713 For such large animals, 80 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:21,554 they show quite extraordinary dexterity 81 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:24,315 at opening the unfortunate shellfish. 82 00:09:41,680 --> 00:09:47,597 Cubs try their luck, too, none too successfully. 83 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:54,720 But for the adults, the shellfish feast 84 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:58,840 lasts as long as the tide remains out. 85 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:06,159 Table Mountain in South Africa. 86 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:15,233 Every day, the retreating waves leave flotsam on the beach. 87 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:18,552 And this creature is scenting the currents 88 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:21,713 for the odour of rotting fish. 89 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:26,909 The tide carries the scent far into the surf zone. 90 00:10:29,680 --> 00:10:34,391 Responding to the smell, snails emerge from the sand. 91 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:43,277 This is a race against the tide. 92 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:46,478 The snails need to find their meal 93 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:49,280 before the tide leaves it beyond reach. 94 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:53,070 But snails are slow and the tides fall rapidly. 95 00:10:56,320 --> 00:10:58,994 These, however, are no ordinary snails. 96 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:02,517 They can surf! 97 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:30,834 They ride the waves up the beach 98 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:35,517 but, all too soon, the tide leaves the fish beyond the surf zone. 99 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:46,631 Without the sea, there's a danger the snails will lose the scent, 100 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:49,554 but as long as the sand remains damp, 101 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:52,952 they can still follow a faint trail to the food. 102 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:56,477 Once there, 103 00:11:56,640 --> 00:12:00,031 they tuck in with macabre relish. 104 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:11,037 Good things come to those who wait. 105 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:28,276 Soon, the heat of the sun forces them to retreat into the sand 106 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:31,194 to await the return of the next tide. 107 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:37,752 February in Britain. 108 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:42,631 The falling tide is eagerly awaited by these knot. 109 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:10,556 As the water retreats, countless small invertebrates 110 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:12,757 seek shelter under the mud. 111 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:19,240 And with good reason. 112 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:38,032 Waders are specialists at probing in the mud, 113 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:40,112 their variety of beak shapes 114 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:43,671 designed for reaching different invertebrates — 115 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:47,470 keys that unlock the safety of the tidal flats. 116 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:02,192 But within a few hours, the tide will turn again. 117 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:16,873 Soon, the waders are out of their depth. 118 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:19,794 The creatures of the mud are safe once more. 119 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:29,397 Underwater, incoming tides can create a strong current, 120 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:35,158 and flounder are experts at hitching a tidal lift. 121 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:38,313 They are shaped rather like a kite, 122 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:41,473 a perfect design for gliding on the tide. 123 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:48,159 In Newfoundland on the east coast of Canada, 124 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:52,678 large numbers of flounder ride the currents up into the shallows. 125 00:14:57,000 --> 00:14:59,310 They've come to hunt invertebrates 126 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:02,359 that will emerge now that the water is back. 127 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:23,719 The pickings in the shallows can be very good. 128 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,637 The activity has not gone unnoticed. 129 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:36,872 But ospreys can't dive deeply. 130 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:46,595 As long as the water is more than a metre deep, the flounder is safe. 131 00:15:57,120 --> 00:15:59,680 Going too far inshore 132 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:02,116 can be a risky business. 133 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:14,435 This fish buries itself completely in the sand 134 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:16,637 at any sign of danger. 135 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:22,237 But when the tide floods in again, as long as the coast is clear, 136 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:24,756 these sand lancet will re—emerge. 137 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:35,480 After a wait of six hours under the sand, 138 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:37,632 they are desperate for food. 139 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:41,032 Unlike flounder, they head out to sea, 140 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:43,317 looking for shallow, open water 141 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:49,238 where the tidal currents will concentrate their food — plankton. 142 00:16:54,560 --> 00:17:00,511 In untold thousands, they stream towards the best feeding grounds, 143 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:02,592 where they simply pick up 144 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:06,151 tiny planktonic creatures from the water. 145 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:20,670 But, if they swim too far off—shore in search of food, 146 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:25,756 they risk meeting large predators that live in deeper water. 147 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:30,115 Dogfish — small sharks. 148 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:37,554 The sand lancet have strayed out of their safe depth. 149 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:36,949 The effect of the turning tide 150 00:18:37,120 --> 00:18:41,831 can be totally different on a rocky shore. 151 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:49,837 Here, on the coast of Vancouver Island in Canada, 152 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:53,755 the sun bakes the exposed rock. 153 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:58,153 It's almost impossible to dig underground when the sea retreats, 154 00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:03,998 so these mussels and barnacles are fully exposed to the sun's heat, 155 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:07,073 literally cooking in their own shells. 156 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:13,716 And the seaweed simply dry to a crisp. 157 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:22,076 It can be a wait of many hours before the water returns. 158 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:30,039 Throughout each month, the size and strength of the tide changes. 159 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:33,880 The biggest tides of all happen 160 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:37,511 when the gravities of the sun and Moon pull in unison. 161 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:40,912 That happens immediately after the new moon... 162 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:45,753 ..and again after the full moon. 163 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:53,391 These are called the spring tides. 164 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:58,919 They revealvast tracts of seabed that would normally be covered. 165 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:06,074 For these racoons, it's a chance to look for a seafood feast. 166 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:11,040 A mother ventures forth with her kits. 167 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:14,671 With the spring tide, they've come further down 168 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:17,560 than smaller tides would normally allow. 169 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:31,113 Searching with their sensitive paws, 170 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:33,112 they look for suitable prey. 171 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:37,433 With the extreme low tide, they could find something special. 172 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:57,350 And what could be better than a red rock crab? 173 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:02,993 That is, if it weren't for the risk of a painful pinch. 174 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:10,831 With crabs, there's no substitute for experience. 175 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:13,959 The mother makes an expert's catch. 176 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:25,153 But the kits learn fast. 177 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:36,035 And for those that don't, begging is always worth a try. 178 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:43,159 All too soon, the returning tide will cover the racoon's table. 179 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:54,832 For the invertebrates, it's a welcome relief, 180 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:58,789 but in rough weather, they are exposed 181 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:00,599 to the worst of the waves. 182 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:42,236 Even when there are no waves, 183 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:47,156 the incoming tide can create considerable forces underwater. 184 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:51,553 The gaps between these islands on the east coast of Vancouver Island 185 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:53,313 channel the tidal flow. 186 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:58,554 As the tide keeps rising, gradually the water flows faster, 187 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:01,758 and soon these 30—metre—long bull kelp plants 188 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:04,879 bend to the current. 189 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:20,632 They are sufficiently flexible to cope without too much damage, 190 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:26,159 but there are some spots where the currents are especially powerful. 191 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:29,670 This is the Nakwakto Rapids. 192 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:35,518 At the turn of the tide, water from almost 700 miles of coastal fjords 193 00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:39,754 will have to empty through a gap half a mile wide. 194 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:44,870 Within a few minutes, the current is already picking up speed, 195 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:48,716 until water roars by at over 17 miles an hour. 196 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:28,552 Tidal currents are not always damaging. 197 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:34,756 Here, in the Poor Knight Islands of New Zealand, 198 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:39,790 weak tides run through rock arches, making it an ideal resting place 199 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:41,599 for stingrays. 200 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:55,039 These rays congregate here in huge numbers every March. 201 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:57,237 They've come to breed. 202 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:08,032 The arches funnel the current, which the rays can ride 203 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:12,513 with the minimum of effort, so saving energy. 204 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:21,313 Nearby, out in open water, 205 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:25,838 a school of two spotted demoiselle fish are feeding on plankton, 206 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:31,758 and the current is perfect for sweeping their food past them. 207 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:46,589 Once the current starts to weaken, 208 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:48,752 there is insufficient food 209 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:52,038 to warrant the risks of swimming out in the open. 210 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:55,830 So, the demoiselles head off to find shelter en masse. 211 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:58,117 Safety is in numbers. 212 00:26:07,120 --> 00:26:11,558 More and more demoiselles pour towards the cave entrances 213 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:14,679 that riddle the Poor Knight Islands. 214 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:46,836 Safe at last. Inside the cave, they are less exposed 215 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:48,912 to attack from predators. 216 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:55,074 Thousands of demoiselles and blue mao mao 217 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:59,393 wait for the return of the current, when, once again, 218 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:02,473 they will head out into the open to feed. 219 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:10,910 The Moon's gravitational pull is weaker 220 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:13,959 nearer to the Earth's equator. 221 00:27:14,120 --> 00:27:18,831 So, the more equatorial the location, the smaller the tides. 222 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:24,200 Out in the Caribbean Sea, the tidal movements are slight. 223 00:27:24,360 --> 00:27:26,511 Even so, they are sufficient 224 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:30,151 to push free swimming plankton in their path. 225 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:36,637 These are thimble jellyfish. 226 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:40,232 They swim towards sunlight, 227 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:43,916 and invisible boundaries formed by the tidal motion 228 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:49,872 help to herd them together, until they gather in immense swarms. 229 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:52,919 They put the tropical sunshine to good use. 230 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:55,311 Their brown colour comes from algae 231 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:58,200 that live inside the jellyfish's body 232 00:27:58,360 --> 00:28:01,478 and photosynthesise energy from the sun. 233 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:13,031 In open water they are fairly safe, 234 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:17,513 but the tide is sweeping the whole swarm gently towards the Bahamas, 235 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:20,991 where hungry mouths are waiting. 236 00:28:27,120 --> 00:28:30,033 Although the sea level doesn't change much, 237 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:34,956 the tides are still pushing an enormous volume of ocean water 238 00:28:35,120 --> 00:28:39,194 through the small gaps between the island cays. 239 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:53,355 Underwater, the tidal currents race past soft corals... 240 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:01,440 ..and on over the sandy banks themselves. 241 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:10,118 It is an immense area of coral sand 242 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:14,035 that is only just submerged at high tide. 243 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:20,436 This incoming tide is bringing in a fresh supply of oceanic plankton. 244 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:22,751 Razorfish gather at the best spots 245 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:26,960 to catch the pick of the microscopic feast. 246 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:33,794 Although there's plenty here for these small fish to eat, 247 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:35,792 gathering in one place 248 00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:39,840 makes it easy for their predators to find them. 249 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:45,877 A nurse shark is little threat. 250 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:51,233 (CHIRPS AND CLICKS) But this sound... 251 00:29:51,400 --> 00:29:54,234 heralds a quite different danger. 252 00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:08,954 A bottlenose dolphin. 253 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:18,630 It's using its sonar to locate razorfish beneath the sand. 254 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:30,389 Once it finds a suitable target, it simply digs out its prey. 255 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:11,395 The buried fish have no defence against this attack. 256 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:15,395 They simply have to wait and hope they aren't found out. 257 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:33,357 This dolphin appears to have a razorfish craving. 258 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:35,512 Well, she is pregnant. 259 00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:47,716 Success at last. 260 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:03,870 The incoming tide sweeps on towards America, 261 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:07,158 flooding across vast flat plains of seagrass. 262 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:09,710 They are so shallow that, at low tide, 263 00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:14,113 all large fish are forced to retreat into deep water channels, 264 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:17,034 like these nurse shark... 265 00:32:19,920 --> 00:32:21,877 ..and stingrays. 266 00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:25,431 Both predators hunt crustaceans on the seagrass beds, 267 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:28,115 but until the tide brings enough water, 268 00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:30,636 they will have to wait. 269 00:32:38,400 --> 00:32:41,711 So now, for this tulip snail, it appears safe 270 00:32:41,880 --> 00:32:45,317 to patrol the shallows in search of a meal. 271 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:47,597 But is it? 272 00:32:54,760 --> 00:32:56,991 This is a rather bigger snail. 273 00:32:57,160 --> 00:33:02,952 At five kilograms in weight, the giant horse conch 274 00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:08,912 has little to fear from any shark, and it has a taste for tulip snail. 275 00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:18,118 Sensing the approaching danger, 276 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:20,237 the snail flees. 277 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:24,831 But, in a world of snail paces, 278 00:33:25,000 --> 00:33:27,640 the conch is something of a Ferrari. 279 00:33:27,800 --> 00:33:30,360 It calls for desperate measures. 280 00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:38,515 Exhausted by the effort of its last—ditch attempt, 281 00:33:38,680 --> 00:33:41,275 the tulip snail is slowly gunned down. 282 00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:49,920 The tide has to rise for another hour 283 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:53,551 before the big predators can feed. 284 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:59,000 But out on the flats, the scent of dying snail wafts away on the tide. 285 00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:06,279 It's a scent these hermit crabs are particularly partial to. 286 00:34:08,720 --> 00:34:13,476 It's vital that the crabs have the best possible protection 287 00:34:13,640 --> 00:34:17,031 from the heavy teeth of the waiting sharks and rays. 288 00:34:17,200 --> 00:34:21,114 For that, they need the shell with the perfect fit. 289 00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:24,432 Today, there is new real estate on offer — 290 00:34:24,600 --> 00:34:28,640 and competition in this housing market is fierce. 291 00:34:53,240 --> 00:34:57,029 The action becomes even more desperate 292 00:34:57,200 --> 00:35:01,035 when the shell of the devoured snail is ready for release. 293 00:35:09,840 --> 00:35:13,470 This crab simply can't wait any longer. 294 00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:20,990 But it's a decidedly risky acquisition. 295 00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:26,870 The risk paid off handsomely. 296 00:35:27,040 --> 00:35:31,114 The new shell is both lighter and stronger than the old home. 297 00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:36,594 It's not a moment too soon, because the tide is flooding the plains. 298 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:42,634 At last, the predators are free to start their foraging. 299 00:35:51,920 --> 00:35:55,436 Both stingrays and shark have an electrical sense 300 00:35:55,600 --> 00:35:59,879 which they use to search for buried invertebrates. 301 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:03,477 They can sense minute movements beneath the sand. 302 00:36:06,520 --> 00:36:11,151 Finding a promising signal, this ray digs out its meal. 303 00:36:11,320 --> 00:36:15,473 An unprotected hermit crab would have no chance. 304 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:26,315 Within a few hours, the tide ebbs out once more 305 00:36:26,480 --> 00:36:29,996 and all the predators are forced to leave. 306 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:38,312 They will have to wait until the next high tide 307 00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:41,200 before making another feeding foray. 308 00:36:44,800 --> 00:36:48,271 At certain times of the year, called the equinox, 309 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:53,674 spring tides are exceptionally large and rise higher than normal. 310 00:36:55,600 --> 00:37:00,914 Predators can reach the shallowest fringes of the seagrass flats. 311 00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:05,871 These two—metre—long tarpon are going further inshore still. 312 00:37:06,040 --> 00:37:08,714 They are heading for the mangroves. 313 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:15,514 These flooded forests cover huge areas of the coastal shallows. 314 00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:22,674 Extraordinarily, the roots of the mangrove can live in salt water, 315 00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:26,197 and they make a perfect nursery for small fish. 316 00:37:35,000 --> 00:37:39,552 Silversides and snapper find sanctuary in the maze of roots. 317 00:37:39,720 --> 00:37:43,350 Big predators seldom find a way in here. 318 00:37:49,920 --> 00:37:53,470 And now the tide is falling once more. 319 00:37:56,000 --> 00:37:59,755 The water starts losing what little oxygen it contained, 320 00:37:59,920 --> 00:38:02,560 and quickly becomes stagnant. 321 00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:08,837 Most predators have abandoned the mangroves, 322 00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:14,075 but the tarpon are still here, trapped by the falling tide. 323 00:38:18,520 --> 00:38:21,718 Dissolved oxygen is fast running out, 324 00:38:21,880 --> 00:38:25,920 but they have a vital survival technique... 325 00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:29,800 ..they can breathe air. 326 00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:42,592 Pumped up with fresh oxygen, 327 00:38:42,760 --> 00:38:46,390 they can easily out—manoeuvre the dozy silversides. 328 00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:12,676 The tide has turned again. 329 00:39:15,480 --> 00:39:17,597 And this is no ordinary tide. 330 00:39:17,760 --> 00:39:21,071 Since it is the equinox, the tide is rising fast, 331 00:39:21,240 --> 00:39:23,038 but now, out to sea, 332 00:39:23,200 --> 00:39:27,513 a hurricane is on its way, forcing the tide yet higher. 333 00:39:57,080 --> 00:40:03,031 The passing storm leaves large areas of the coast flooded. 334 00:40:05,760 --> 00:40:09,071 Low—lying islands, like the Bahamas, 335 00:40:09,240 --> 00:40:13,757 are particularly prone to the storm flooding. 336 00:40:13,920 --> 00:40:17,436 The sun's power here is immense. 337 00:40:18,560 --> 00:40:22,440 As the tide recedes and the remaining flood water evaporates, 338 00:40:22,600 --> 00:40:26,071 a remarkable transformation takes place. 339 00:40:36,240 --> 00:40:41,156 The mud is coated with a magical world of salt. 340 00:40:49,720 --> 00:40:53,760 Any remaining water is extremely salty. 341 00:40:53,920 --> 00:40:56,799 Very few creatures can survive here... 342 00:40:56,960 --> 00:40:59,759 except brine shrimp. 343 00:41:05,880 --> 00:41:08,156 And, on the water's edge — 344 00:41:08,320 --> 00:41:10,391 brine flies. 345 00:41:10,560 --> 00:41:17,034 Both are the favourite food of an extraordinary animal. 346 00:41:18,280 --> 00:41:21,114 The Caribbean flamingo. 347 00:41:24,160 --> 00:41:28,518 Remarkably, they actually seek out such briny places. 348 00:41:28,680 --> 00:41:32,720 They are the best spots for them to find their food. 349 00:41:46,120 --> 00:41:48,840 They also provide the protection 350 00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:52,357 the flamingos need to raise their young. 351 00:41:52,520 --> 00:41:56,514 Nesting sites like this are surrounded by corrosive brine. 352 00:41:56,680 --> 00:41:59,115 It's a formidable barrier 353 00:41:59,280 --> 00:42:04,116 to any predator seeking to dine on flamingo chicks. 354 00:42:08,480 --> 00:42:12,872 The flamingos take the precaution of building raised nests 355 00:42:13,040 --> 00:42:15,680 just in case of further flooding. 356 00:42:22,560 --> 00:42:26,873 Strangely, it's actually the power of the storm tides 357 00:42:27,040 --> 00:42:32,638 that gives the flamingos food and a perfect habitat in which to breed. 358 00:42:45,080 --> 00:42:48,278 The breeding of many animals in the ocean 359 00:42:48,440 --> 00:42:51,831 is closely co—ordinated with the tidal cycles. 360 00:42:52,000 --> 00:42:57,314 The half moon in November. It's the time of small tides. 361 00:43:01,960 --> 00:43:04,236 Christmas Island in the Pacific. 362 00:43:06,040 --> 00:43:09,317 Strange happenings are afoot. 363 00:43:15,560 --> 00:43:18,598 It's one of only a few nights each year 364 00:43:18,760 --> 00:43:21,753 when female Christmas Island crabs 365 00:43:21,920 --> 00:43:25,470 risk heading down towards the sea. 366 00:43:27,480 --> 00:43:30,359 They number in tens of thousands 367 00:43:30,520 --> 00:43:35,720 and all of them are laden with hundreds of eggs. 368 00:43:37,960 --> 00:43:40,270 They have to shed them into the ocean 369 00:43:40,440 --> 00:43:43,194 if the eggs are to develop into baby crabs. 370 00:43:47,560 --> 00:43:49,472 But these are land crabs 371 00:43:49,640 --> 00:43:53,839 and they can neither swim nor breathe underwater. 372 00:44:03,760 --> 00:44:05,956 There's a great risk of drowning. 373 00:44:06,120 --> 00:44:11,434 That is why they pick the smallest tides, to minimise the danger. 374 00:44:37,800 --> 00:44:40,520 The eggs will develop far offshore. 375 00:44:40,680 --> 00:44:43,434 And, in exactly one month's time, 376 00:44:43,600 --> 00:44:48,834 a swarm of baby crabs will return, again choosing the perfect tide. 377 00:44:55,400 --> 00:44:58,757 Whether it's the daily or monthly cycle, 378 00:44:58,920 --> 00:45:02,880 tides are the rhythm of the ocean — 379 00:45:03,040 --> 00:45:04,633 its pulsing clock. 380 00:45:04,800 --> 00:45:07,520 For every tide brings opportunity 381 00:45:07,680 --> 00:45:10,752 to marine life somewhere in the world. 382 00:45:14,280 --> 00:45:18,718 Now, a spring tide is flooding the shallows, 383 00:45:18,880 --> 00:45:21,111 and hunters are on the prowl. 384 00:45:21,280 --> 00:45:24,273 A small group of bottlenose dolphin 385 00:45:24,440 --> 00:45:26,636 are working their way inshore 386 00:45:26,800 --> 00:45:31,192 to start a quite extraordinary hunting campaign. 387 00:45:56,360 --> 00:46:02,231 After one successful pass, the dolphin move off to start again. 388 00:46:02,400 --> 00:46:06,394 One animal peels off from the group and swims in a circle, 389 00:46:06,560 --> 00:46:12,670 stirring up the mud and driving the mullet towards the other dolphins. 390 00:46:14,160 --> 00:46:19,474 It's a remarkable team effort and it's extremely effective. 391 00:46:25,480 --> 00:46:28,120 The dolphin will feed like this 392 00:46:28,280 --> 00:46:33,833 for as long as the tide grants them access to the shallows. 393 00:47:18,960 --> 00:47:20,758 Eventually, 394 00:47:20,920 --> 00:47:25,551 the falling tide will force the dolphin to leave the flats 395 00:47:25,720 --> 00:47:31,159 and the mullet will be safe once more, until the next high tide. 396 00:47:32,320 --> 00:47:38,112 Because, in the ocean, every turn of the tide 397 00:47:38,280 --> 00:47:43,116 spells the difference between life and death somewhere.