The BEST episodes written by Mike Slee
#1 - North Sea Wall
Megastructures - Season 2005 - Episode 10
A historic and present look at Holland's efforts to hold on to their precious land from floods as a result of rising sea levels and climate changes. After a storm in 1916, the Dutch began a labor intensive construction of a Barrier Dam in 1923, stretching 30 km in length. It resulted in the reclamation of 165,000 ha of new land, and creation of a fresh water lake. However, in 1953, a combination of a hurricane and high spring tides caused the North Sea waters to force through the barrier and flood the Dutch coastline, resulting in the loss of over 1,800 lives and 47,000 livestock. The disaster resulted in Holland's creation of the 'Delta Project'. Costing billions of dollars, the project began in 1958. The project consisted of the construction of concrete dams, steel sea walls and retractable floodgates. Environmental considerations also led to the construction of the storm surge barrier in the Eastern Scheldt, one of the biggest in the world. It consists of 2 floating gates built on special docks. The vast gates are controlled by a computer system that allows the gates to be kept open but closes when a flood is imminent. Also presented are current emergency plans that include allocation of certain areas of land to be flooded during worse case flooding..
Watch Now:Amazon
#2 - Golden Gate Bridge
Megastructures - Season 2005 - Episode 1
In 1906, an earthquake of magnitude 7.9 rocked San Francisco. An earthquake of similar or greater proportions is expected to occur in San Francisco again, and soon. The episode takes a look at the efforts that are being made to retrofit and strengthen America’s most recognized bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge, before the next big earthquake happens. It also gives a brief history about the construction of the suspension bridge, and the people who were involved in its construction.
Watch Now:Amazon
#3 - Shackleton's Whisky
National Geographic Documentaries - Season 2011 - Episode 68
Ernest Shackleton is one of the iconic figures of the 'Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration'. His expeditions and personality have left an indelible mark on the icy plains of Antarctica and in our conscience. Recently archaeologists unearthed an unusual legacy - his secret stash of whisky! His booze was found under the hut he built over 100 years ago, during his greatest expedition, Nimrod. Shackleton's Whisky is the story of the discovery, analysis and replication of Shackleton's precious liquor and his forgotten expedition, Nimrod.
#4 - Drain the Ocean: WWII
National Geographic Documentaries - Season 2016 - Episode 15
World War II left the greatest-ever number of ships and submarines hidden beneath the waves. Now, as the oceans drain, each vessel reveals its secrets through new data-based 3D reconstructions. From the Arizona in Pearl Harbor's shallows, whose destruction brought America into the war, to Nazi supership, the Bismarck, and its mysterious end three miles down; from the flaming merchant ships secretly torpedoed by U-boats off tourist beaches of the USA, to the covert inventions of the Allies' costly D-Day beachhead, and lastly to the troopship Leopoldville sunk with the needless deaths of 400 soldiers hushed up - Drain exposes the truth.