The ocean covers more than 70% of our planet and is home to an incredible diversity of life, landscapes, and stories. From intimate looks at marine wildlife to films exploring the people and communities working to protect our oceans, these stories offer a chance to see the natural world from a different perspective — and often, they’re what first sparks someone’s connection to the sea.
We’ve gathered our favorite ocean documentaries and nature series, from brand-new releases to the classics that shaped how a generation sees the ocean. Whether you’re planning your next expedition or just want to feel a little closer to the water tonight, here’s what we’re watching.
Recent Releases
Ocean Dreams (2026)
Ocean Dreams travels from the fjords of Norway to the coral reefs of Raja Ampat and the remote waters of Bikini Atoll, highlighting extraordinary marine life and the people working to protect these ecosystems. Along the way, the film explores how ocean habitats can recover from decades of human impacts, offering a hopeful look at what is possible when nature is given the opportunity to heal. Narrated by Shailene Woodley, the film is a visually immersive celebration of ocean life and conservation.
Ocean with David Attenborough (2025)
A new ocean documentary that explores Earth’s seas at a critical tipping point. It blends sweeping cinematic underwater footage with a hopeful message about recovery and regeneration. From coral reefs to kelp forests and open ocean systems, it emphasizes how quickly marine ecosystems can rebound when given protection.
A Life Illuminated (2025)
A deep-sea exploration documentary following marine biologist Edith Widder as she investigates bioluminescent life in the ocean’s darkest depths. Widder is a pioneering scientist who developed the “e-jelly,” a device that mimics bioluminescent distress signals to attract deep-sea creatures without traps or bait. Her innovative approach has led to the discovery of new species, including the first-ever footage of a giant squid in its natural habitat. It’s both scientific and cinematic, revealing an almost alien world just below the surface.
Sea Lions of the Galápagos (2025)
A Disneynature Earth Day release follows Leo, a young Galápagos sea lion, as he grows up alongside his mother and learns to navigate life in one of the world’s most remarkable island ecosystems. From playful encounters and swimming lessons to learning how to find food and eventually striking out on his own, Leo’s journey offers an intimate, character-driven look at survival, discovery, and the interconnected wildlife of the Galápagos. This is a great watch for the whole family.
Galápagos scene: A sea lion lounges on the beach with rugged cliffs behind it. ©Ecoventura
Our Oceans (2024)
A five-part global docuseries narrated by Barack Obama that follows Earth’s five ocean basins. Each episode explores how currents, climate systems, wildlife migrations, and human activity are all deeply connected across the planet.
Ocean Films, Documentaries & Series
Secrets of the Whales (2021)
Narrated by Sigourney Weaver and filmed over three years across five whale species, this series goes deeper than many whale documentaries by exploring whale culture, not just biology. It examines how whales pass learned behaviors, dialects, and even rituals from one generation to the next, much like human communities do. Orca families use specialized hunting techniques found nowhere else, beluga “megapods” gather to socialize, and sperm whales communicate in distinct clan dialects. Rather than treating these behaviors as simple curiosities, the series presents them as evidence of complex cultures beneath the surface. The result is a fascinating look at whales as intelligent, social beings with their own histories, traditions, and ways of communicating.
Blue Habits Series (2019–2020)
This award-winning short docuseries was filmed across Oceanic Society’s “Five for 50” expeditions in Baja, Palau, Trinidad, and Raja Ampat. Each episode examines key issues in ocean conservation, such as plastic pollution, sustainable seafood and tourism, and climate change. These films stand out because they translate everyday human choices into real ocean impact, grounding global issues in specific places and lived experience.
- Blue Habits | Episode 1: Palau – Follows how a small island nation is confronting a problem it didn’t create, from reef cleanups to policy shifts, offering a ground-level look at what plastic pollution actually costs a marine ecosystem day to day.
- Blue Habits | Episode 2: Baja – Explores how whale-watching and responsible tourism can fund conservation instead of undermining it, when done with the right guardrails and community buy-in.
- Blue Habits | Episode 3: Trinidad – Looks at the tension between food security and reef health, and what a sustainable seafood model looks like when a community’s livelihood depends on getting it right.
- Blue Habits | Episode 4: Raja Ampat – Documents one of the world’s most biodiverse reef systems and the pressures — warming water, extraction, tourism — testing its resilience in real time.
Our Planet (2019)
A sweeping global series that connects ecosystems across continents, revealing the remarkable biodiversity that makes our planet so extraordinary. Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, Our Planet pairs spectacular wildlife footage with a closer look at how climate change, habitat loss, and other human pressures are reshaping these ecosystems.
- Episode 4: Coastal Seas explores the remarkably productive waters along our coastlines, from kelp forests and coral reefs to the wildlife that depends on these rich ecosystems.
- Episode 6: The High Seas ventures into the vast open ocean, following species that spend their lives far from shore and revealing the interconnected food webs that sustain life across the high seas.
Sharkwater: Extinction (2018)
Rob Stewart’s follow-up to Sharkwater takes his investigation even further, traveling around the world to expose the illegal shark-finning industry and the global trade driving shark populations toward extinction. Stewart documents the people working to protect sharks while investigating the policies, fisheries, and international markets contributing to their decline. Released after Stewart’s death, the film also serves as a continuation of his conservation work and his commitment to changing the way the world sees sharks.
Chasing Coral (2017)
A team of divers, scientists, and photographers set out to document coral bleaching in real time, capturing some of the most devastating time-lapse footage ever filmed of a reef dying. It’s the film that made coral bleaching visible to a mainstream audience for the first time, and it remains one of the clearest, most urgent cases for why reef protection can’t wait.
Blue Planet II (2017)
A follow-up to the award-winning 2001 series The Blue Planet, Blue Planet II takes viewers beneath the surface to explore the incredible diversity of life in the world’s oceans. Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, the series journeys through coral reefs, kelp forests, open oceans, and deep-sea environments, revealing remarkable animal behaviors and little-seen marine habitats
TEDTalks | Ocean Wonders
Explore the ocean through the eyes of marine scientists, explorers, conservationists, and storytellers in this collection of TED Talks. The playlist covers everything from remarkable marine species and unexplored underwater environments to ocean exploration, climate change, and the challenges facing marine ecosystems. With talks ranging from fascinating scientific discoveries to inspiring conservation stories, it’s an easy way to learn something new about the ocean in a short amount of time.
The Odyssey (L’odyssée) (2016)
This biographical drama tells the story of legendary ocean explorer, filmmaker, inventor, and conservationist Jacques Cousteau, following his early expeditions, the development of his groundbreaking underwater exploration technology, and his journey to bring the wonders of the ocean to audiences around the world. It offers a fascinating look at the man behind some of the most influential ocean films of the 20th century. The film is available to watch for free on YouTube.
For an even deeper dive into Cousteau’s work, you can also find many original episodes of The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau on YouTube, including footage from some of his pioneering expeditions.
Mission Blue (2014)
This documentary follows oceanographer and Oceanic Society board member Dr. Sylvia Earle’s campaign to save the world’s oceans from threats such as overfishing and toxic waste.
Live Feeds
There are an incredible number of live wildlife and nature feeds available online. They’re perfect for putting on in the background, taking a break from the news, or simply seeing what wildlife is up to in real time. Here are a few of the ones we’ve been enjoying:
Monterey Bay Aquarium
The Monterey Bay Aquarium offers several live cameras featuring some of its most popular residents. Watch sea otters float and forage, jellyfish drift through the water, and penguins go about their day.
Coral City Camera
Take a live look beneath the surface of Miami with the Coral City Camera, an underwater camera streaming from an urban coral reef in Miami, Florida. The camera offers a fascinating window into the marine life living alongside one of the country’s largest cities, from colorful reef fish to visiting rays, manatees, and other marine wildlife.
Explore.org LiveCams
Explore.org’s collection of live wildlife cameras spans an impressive range of ecosystems and species.
Disclaimer: Oceanic Society is not affiliated with any of these companies or organizations. Content has been previewed by Oceanic Society but we cannot make guarantees about the content, information, or products listed.
