To not know whether the ocean really has a 'midnight zone'

[Chumpster]

I've heard about it a lot on Octonauts, but is it real? Does anyone know?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blue_Planet

If you can get this - do. It's amazing, especially episode 2 'The Deep'. A bit old for pre-schoolers, but my DS (6) loves it and it is fantastic to watch.

DH and I love Octonauts. We assume DD thinks it's ok.

I was listening very closely and Capt. Barnacles is a Yorkshire man polar bear. The odd vowel sound slipped through and I went "aha!"

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Captain Barnacles is voiced by the same guy who does Aleksander Meerkat. Simples.

Dd was going on about the twilight zone, and midnight zone in the ocean the other day, she's been watching a kids TV show about it. Kratts creatures seasquwatch episode.

Noblegiraffe - there's a bit of worthwhile triva! Wonder what his "real" voice is like?

He's Simon Greenall who played Michael in "I'm Alan Partridge" (the Geordie ex Army guy.). I thought I could here a bit of Scottish in Cpt Barnacles, but as Simon Greenall is from the Cumberland area it's probably a short vowel northern thing.

I wonder if he did the Geordie lobsters as well?

DS1 (5) loves the Octonauts. I'm pretty impressed with them too - especially when they came up with the fish-with-the-massive-name (aka the reef triggerfish)!

I will admit that before I knew better there's been a couple of creatures on there that I scorned as being obviously completely made up because some things aren't real (vegimals, Octopod/warp drive issues) and I assumed some of the creatures were also made up.

DS2 loves the vegimals. He wishes they were real.

Fans here too (does it show?! )

Just wanted to add, The Works has Octonauts books in atm for 99p each :)
The only one I suggest flicking through to check for suitability first is "Sea of Shade" - gorgeous pictures, weird story - the rest are all episode-based (Decorator Crab, Giant Squid etc)

If it's on the Octonauts it must be true.

The original books have made up sea monsters in them, like the "only lonely monster" and as above the "sea of shade" is an odd little story. But they are great!

daughter showed me some octonauts last night - my first ever trip into the midnight zone. it was ok, but the best bit was grandaughter (14mo) deciding to sit next to me on the sofa for a few minutes.

urban thank you for the BBC link, I found it fascinating (so I at least am glad the OP posted this!)

We went to a talk by a marine biologist who spends his life tracking whale sharks; our 3 year old watched the whale shark episode of octonauts the next day. Scarily accurate.

But am I the only one who feels a but uncomfortable that the rabbit sits there eating carrots next to the giant carrot animal things?

I think the animal stuff on Octonauts is pretty good. Their attitude to Health and Safety and their diving safety is somewhat more suspect.....

Living
Cap' is on a bit of a power trip, most episodes, but is a likeable chap.

Oh and if anyone is after Octonaut books they usually have loads on the Book People with lots of money off.

elfycat - you are right. Slapping a pair of ear defenders over the top of your diving helmet is not going to protect you at all from a snapping shrimp.