Local marine scientist Dr Zoleka Filander features in the breathtaking series OceanXplorers, which premieres on National Geographic (DStv 181) on Wednesdays at 19:00 from August 21, 2024, offering viewers an unparalleled ocean science adventure.

The series is a science-driven documentary that showcases the thrill and drama of exploration, featuring an elite team using groundbreaking technology and equipment to gather information, and capture unprecedented imagery of life below the surface.

Filander goes into great detail about her duties as a marine scientist, her experience working with professional team members, and creating the series.

“My work as a deep-sea researcher entails developing deep-sea-orientated projects and research projects, implementing them, and packaging that information into a sort of output that can advise our minister in South Africa. I work for a national department ministry in South Africa. It is very diverse, as is the ocean. My portfolio is very diverse. It ranges from the administration of kicking up a project to being out in the field, but also writing up.”

“I also do a lot of outreach work, taking the ocean to people, and that speaks a lot to the documentary and what the documentary really, essentially is. I also do some guest lecturing. I mentor. So its quite broad, but essentially my job entails looking at which animals live on the seabed, why they might be there, why it might be influencing their occurrence in a particular area, and how those animals sort of vary as you move along the South African maritime domain, the ocean,” she said.

The OceanXplorer in icy water off Svalbard. (National Geographic/Mario Tadinac)

Providing further insights into the experience of filming, Filander said: “It took us just over six months to film; that’s me thinking on top of my head. But to actually plan the series itself took years in the making. There was a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that went into the documentary, and I like to see it as a love letter from everybody who was involved in the ocean. We are following the pathways and the journeys of these charismatic animals, and they are helping us tell the story about how dynamic, interconnected, and absolutely inspiring the ocean is. So, it was quite a lot and very exciting, also challenging all the things that go into exploration.”

According to Filander, the six-part documentary effectively conveys the essence of ocean exploration and what it's like to set out in search of something, stumble onto something unexpected, and then find a way to return to your original goal.

“The ocean is such a huge environment, and each day, several of us go out there trying to pick up information that can help us draw a more holistic picture of how it operates, and how we can continue to get the services that the ocean gives us. So, there are definitely a lot of wow moments, a lot of firsts for science, and just really, once again, colouring those grey areas and making us understand this environment much better.”

Speaking about her experience in working with those skilled people made her integrate easily into moving around the vessel.

“One thing I always do when I get on a new vessel is walk around until I get lost and find myself again. It took me longer than usual on the OceanX, but, yes, it is fitted with everything—that’s anything that you would need. The people are amazing, welcoming, and always eager to share their knowledge.”

Saturday Star

anita.nkonki@inl.co.za