Perhaps not all that surprisingly, Part II of Jean-Michel Cousteau's "Ocean Adventures" series picked up where Part I left off last week. We find Jean-Michel and the rest of the crew of Searcher about 1000 miles from Honolulu, way out in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands. The team is exploring the islands, diving the reefs, interacting with experts, and explaining the status of the oceans. The status, in brief: the farther from human interference, the healthier the oceans. Consequently, as Cousteau voyages farther into the Island chain, he hopes to find increasingly healthy marine life.

Personally, I found this episode more engaging than last week's. As might be expected, where Part I asked a lot of questions, Part II attempted to answer them. Moreover, Cousteau finally reached his destination -- miniscule Kure Atoll -- 1200 miles from mainland Hawaii. What he found there, I think, surprised even him.

The first stop the team makes is Laysan Island. Around the turn of the 19th Century, Laysan had been prized as a source of guano. Over the years, hundreds of people, attempting to harvest the inches-deep layer of bird-guano on the island, managed to change the island's ecology drastically. They cut the trees, and they introduced rabbits, which destroyed the vegetation. Today, a few USFW workers live in tents on the island, revegetating it and serving the bird population there, trying to restore the island to its former glory. However, the island is so vulnerable to damage from visitors and invasive species, that certain precautions must be taken prior to anyone actually stepping foot on the island. Among those precautions include first DEET-ing and then freezing all the clothes that touch the island. It's a rigorous process, but Cousteau and the others willingly comply, in order to see the hundreds of thousands of birds on the island, and to give Blair Mott, the expedition's chief diver, the chance to dive Lake Laysan, the island's 12-foot-deep briny lake. Of course, the team also gets to dive in the ocean waters surrounding Laysan Island, and the footage is remarkable. What's also remarkable, though, is the unbelievable amount of garbage that either washes in on Laysan's shores or is carried in by birds trying to feed their young. Remarkable...and devastatingly sad.

After Laysan, the crew heads to Pearl and Hermes Atoll, which was named for two ships that wrecked there decades ago. Immediately, the team dives on the wreck of the SS Quartette. If you ever doubted that fish were attracted to wrecks, seeing this footage would certainly change your mind. After a few obligatory dives, the group heads to nearby Southeast Island, which is covered with invasive plant species. A few volunteers live on this island, documenting the species' encroachment and attempting to discover how to turn it back. Thereafter, the group does a night dive -- where they face ripping currents and uncooperative equipment -- but also encounter Galapagos sharks. The following day, they dive again, testing some specialized underwater communication systems that Cousteau and his team have invented. Amazingly, at 60 feet, the water temperature is still 78 degrees! They descend to 174 feet, and the equipment works perfectly.

The next stop is Midway Atoll, famous for its role in WWII, and known for some amazing scuba diving and the 2 million birds that reside there. On a tour of the island, the team learns that each year, birds carry over 150,000 pounds of plastic to the island. Moreover, due to the way the world's currents move, 80 tons of fishing line and longline washes up on the shores of the island. The team takes some time to scour the reefs for nets. The hulking pile of nets that sits on the shore of Midway is among the most depressing images I have ever seen.

Finally, the team reaches tiny Kure, an island with a population of exactly 1. Dread-locked researcher Cynthia Vanderlip lives on the island, studying spinner dolphins and the local monk seal population that pups there. Vanderlip -- who may be the most fit woman on the planet! -- explains the history of the island, and further explains that the monk seal population is so critically endangered, that the mere act of observing them might contribute to their degradation. (Mr. Heisenberg, please meet Mr. Darwin.) The team also makes some astounding dives around the island. Originally, they came seeking pristine reefs and abundant fish stocks. Happily, they got what they were looking for. The marine life in the area -- far, far away from human interference -- is thriving. In fact, I think Cousteau was surprised by how healthy and vibrant the underwater ecosystem was.

After nearly 1200 miles (one way), and more than 300 dives, the crew of the Searcher returns to Hawaii. In a voice-over, Cousteau explains that while Nature is resilient, it can't compete with the deluge of garbage and the unceasing human pummeling it receives. The good news, though: Cousteau discovered thriving reefs, and abundant fish life on his trip. Wistfully, he hopes for the day when humans understand how important it is to care for the oceans. Moreover, it's possible, he thinks, to restore the oceans to their former status. Not only is it possible, however, it's also incumbent.

I really enjoyed this episode: the underwater footage was devastatingly beautiful; the message was clear ("Hey, People, stop polluting the planet!"); and the ending was hopeful. Evidently, Cousteau recently screened Part I for President Bush and many other world figures. Hopefully, they also got the message. Did you watch? What did you think?

BTW -- the next episode, Sharks At Risk, premieres July 12.