North to the Golden Gate

The whales’ journey takes them right up the coast of California, where the hustle and bustle of human activity is a stark contrast to the peace of the Mexican desert. Nigel takes a boat into the Santa Barbara channel to catch up with the grays as they swim past, and meets some even larger whales–humpbacks–putting on an awe-inspiring acrobatic display. A little further out are the Channel Islands, protected havens for a huge variety of animals, both above and below the waves. Nigel plunges underwater to swim in the forests of kelp, and on the island of Santa Cruz, he is led on a merry dance by a unique and diminutive fox. Continuing north, the whales and the presenter pass Big Sur, an incredible landscape home to an extraordinary creature - the Californian condor. Like the grey whales, this rare bird came back from the brink of extinction thanks to conservation efforts. Traveling across the Golden Gate Bridge to the far north of the State, Nigel finishes his Californian adventure in Redwood National Park, among giant trees that have been alive since the time of Ancient Rome.