Crossroad of the Caribbean Few outsiders were permitted to visit Cuba when the Cousteau team was greeted by a people and music that reflect a rich Afro-Latin heritage. They learned much about this intriguing island and why its waters are so abundant with marine life. The main island's long, meandering coastline is broken by coves and surrounded by tiny islets, marshes, mangroves and shallows. These waters are perfect as nurseries for Cuba's welter of marine life.
Crocodiles seek out unsuspecting prey.
Dolphins, manta rays and splendiferous tropical fish flash through the water. Calypso 's divers descended to a coral garden where the variety of species made it evident that the reef was unspoiled. From Calypso 's bridge, a huge school of fish was spotted and the film team raced to document a vast herd of bonito tuna feeding on anchovies. At the center of the school, a whale shark, the largest fish in the ocean, sank vertically in the fish-laden water just enough to gulp large amounts that it filtered out through its hundreds of tiny teeth. Divers swam alongside the gentle giant, documenting this strange feeding behavior for perhaps the first time.