need directions.
Excuse me, can you direct me
to the naval base in Alameda?
It's where they keep
the nuclear vessels.
Nuclear vessels.
- Excuse us...
- We are looking for nuclear vessels.
Can you tell me
where the naval base is in Alameda?
Hello, we are looking
for the nuclear vessels in Alameda.
- Can you help us?
- Where is the Alameda naval base?
- Where are the nuclear vessels?
- Across the bay in Alameda.
That's what I said, Alameda.
Excuse me.
Excuse me, would you mind
stopping that noise?
Excuse me, would you mind
stopping that damn noise?
- Admiral, may I ask you a question?
- Don't call me Admiral.
You used to call me Jim.
What's your question?
Your use of language
has altered since our arrival.
It is currently laced
with more colourful metaphors.
- "Double dumb-ass on you."
- The profanity?
That's the way they talk. Nobody pays
any attention unless you swear.
- Look at the literature of the period.
- For example?
The works of Jacqueline Susann.
The novels of Harold Robbins.
"The Giants".
The next showing of "The World
of Whales" begins in five minutes.
Here I go.
Good morning, I'm your guide
this morning. I'm Dr Gillian Taylor.
I'm assistant director
of the Maritime Cetacean Institute.
The Cetacean Institute
is the only museum devoted to whales.
We have a great deal to offer,
but that is small compared
to what we don't know about whales.
One commonly held misconception
is that whales are fish.
They're not.
They're mammals like you and me.
Warm blooded, breathing air and
producing milk to nurse their young.
- Do whales attack people?
- No.
Most whales don't have teeth,
they have a gum-like tissue
that strains tiny shrimp for food,
and that is the limit of their hostility.
Unfortunately, their principal enemy
is far more aggressive.
- You mean man?
- To put it mildly.
Men have always harvested whales
for a variety of purposes,
most of which can be synthesised.
100 years ago, using hand-thrown
harpoons, man did plenty of damage.
But that is nothing compared to what
he has achieved in this century.
Mankind has hunted whales
to the brink of extinction.
Virtually gone is the blue whale,
the largest creature on Earth.
Despite all attempts to ban whaling,
there are still countries and pirates
currently engaged in the slaughter
of these creatures.
Humpback whales, once numerous,
now number about 10,000 specimens.
Those that are taken
are no longer fully grown.
In addition, many of the female whales
are killed with their unborn calves.
To hunt a species to extinction
is not logical.
Whoever said the human race
was logical?
If you'll follow me, I'll introduce you
to the institute's pride and joy.
This is the largest
seawater tank in the world.
It contains the only
two humpback whales in captivity.
They are mature humpbacks
weighing 45,000 pounds each.
They wandered into San Francisco Bay
as calves and were brought here.
We call them George and Gracie.
It's perfect.
A male and female in a tank.
We can beam them up together.
Beautiful, aren't they?
And extremely intelligent.
If you'll follow me, please.
Despite all they're teaching us,
we have to return them to the open sea.
We simply don't have enough money
to feed them two tons of shrimp a day.
- How soon?
- Soon.
It's too bad, because
they're really quite friendly.
I've grown quite attached to them.
Now here's a much better way to see
George and Gracie. Underwater.
What you're hearing is recorded
whale song, sung by the male.
He'll sing anywhere
from 6 to 30 minutes.
In the ocean, other whales will
pick up the song and pass it on.
The songs change every year.
We don't know their purpose.
Are they a navigational signal?
Are they part of the mating ritual?
Or is it pure communication
beyond our comprehension?
Frankly, we just don't know.
Maybe he's singing to that man.
What the hell?!
Excuse me, wait right here.
Excuse me, please.
- What were you