This film is an episode from an American travel documentary series, “Expedition!”, that aired on television between 1960-1961, and hosted by famed explorer John D. Craig. The footage is borrowed from a Russia Pacific Institute research group (likely the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences aka Shirshov Institute of Oceanology ) doing research in two very different marine environments.

Close on shot of host John C. Craig, removing a diving helmet (:06-:43). Title card (1:27-1:40). Host is seated at desk. He stands and talks to camera. Photos from the expedition of film projected behind him, final image is a map of the North Pacific and the Sea of Okhotsk (1:41-2:29). Shot of Soviet research vessel A-488 at sea.It looks like a trawler. Assistant passes film camera to the camerawoman, who is in the observation chamber or diving bell. Chamber shut. Captain of ship addresses camerawoman Nina Yryschina. (2:30-3:01). Chamber is lowered into the sea, seen from various angles (3:02-3:22). Murky shot of chamber lowering deep into sea (3:23-3:28). Camerawoman observing the sea floor (3.29-3:40). Footage of different kinds of sea life; sea squirts, a large bass and smaller fish. Bass catches a smaller fish (3:41-4:17). A second bass arrives and fights the other bass in competition for prey. They butt each others’ sides (4:18-4:57). Close-up on a group of three small squid, a group of unidentified striped fish swim past the camera (4:58-5:22). Close-up on a shell. A hermit crab emerges, then crawls into a new shell. A moving sponge reveals self to be a hermit crab in an atypical shell, followed by another well camouflaged crab (5:23-6:06). Two crabs fight (6:07-6:35), then several Japanese clams propel selves along the seabed (6:36-6:51). A plankton net is lowered into the water, then raised to decant water sample into a jar (6:52- 7:28). A female scientist enters lab and places sample of sea water under the microscope. Macro photography of contents of the water show huge amount of life, followed by isolated shots of specific life forms (7:29-8:41). Two SCUBA divers with oxygen rebreather units explore a coral reef, with an underwater camera (8:42-9:19). Shots of coral reef, including macro footage of coral polyps (9:20-9:51) and sea anenomes (9:52-10:10). More shots of divers navigating the reef, interspersed with shots of a puffer fish (10:11-10:40). Divers observe several sea cucumbers, featuring footage of them. Macro shot of a starfish. (10:41-11:12). A diver picks up a Kamchatka crab and carries behind him as he swims (11:13-11:42). A hard-hat diver submerges and begins to rapidly fill his collecting bag, bagging a catfish (11:43-12:54). Large octopus swims past camera, floats along the sea bed (12:55-13.27). Octopus wraps itself round observation chamber (13.28-13:37). Captain addresses skin divers, and they dive into the water with harpoons (13:38-13:56). They address hard helmet diver or hard hat diver in sign language then shoot octopus (13:57-14:24). Exterior shot of observation chamber, then macro shot of starfish stuck to glass (14:25-14:42). Host addresses camera again, with image of fur seal colony behind him (14:44-14:59). A map demonstrates route taken by research crew. Shot of research boat motoring ahead. Whales surface and cameraman takes footage (15:19-16:06). Footage of violent waves, then of surf spraying onto crew over side of vessel. (16:07-16:33). Shot of snow-clad volcano. Lookout climbs to gauge ship’s position (16:34-16:56). Row boat arrives at destination, and crew bring equipment ashore, several falling into water in process. Shots of fur seals diving into water throughout (16:57-17:45). Cameraman sneaks up and films a sea otter playing in the sea, a fish in its mouth. Otter dries self on shore (17:46-18:38). Crew lands in another location, and climb a steep hill (18:39-19:14). Long shot panning over massive fur seal colony (19:15-20:02). Closer footage of the fur seals, showing family units (20:03-21:38). Fighting breaks out amongst males (21:39-22:01). Chaos ensues and hundreds of seals jump into sea (22:02-22:20). Seals play in surf and underwater shots of them catching fish (22:21-22:46). Shots of female seasons with their pups, and of pups practising swimming in shallow surf (22:47-23:43). Electic shots of the colony and individual seals. A flock of birds leaves the island (23:44-24:04).

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com