Living Waters, the newest production from Illustra Media, will explore remarkable evidence for intelligent design revealed in the lives of aquatic animals including dolphins and humpback whales. Discovery Institute fellow Paul Nelson recently went out for a first-hand look.

Whale watching is a popular California pastime, and one of the finest rigs in the world is owned and operated by Dave Anderson, owner of Captain Dave’s Whale and Dolphin Safari. His boat has a unique "eye-pod" viewing area underwater, allowing visitors to look eyeball-to-eyeball at the whales and dolphins.

With Illustra’s film crew, Dr. Nelson went out with Captain Dave on the boat last Saturday to see the marine mammals close-up, and was not disappointed: two humpback whales made an appearance, along with dozens of dolphins. Producer Lad Allen directed photographer Jerry Harned, who (below) used the Red Epic II Camera for a shot of Paul watching the dolphins. Nelson previously appeared in Unlocking the Mystery of Life, Darwin’s Dilemma, Metamorphosis and Flight: The Genius of Birds.

Anderson compares the coast of Southern California to the Serengeti for the number and variety of large mammals — among them, the giant blue whale, largest animal that ever lived, bigger than the most massive dinosaurs. In summer, the waters off Dana Point are often filled with the largest population of these giants. Most residents are unaware of the rich habitat right off their coast. Going to an aquarium around here, Anderson remarks, makes as much sense as going to Africa to watch lions in a zoo.

Due out in mid 2015, Living Waters will be the third in Illustra’s "Design of Life" series. It will include cutting-edge animations of the dolphin’s echolocation apparatus — possibly the most detailed visualizations of this system ever made, according to Lad Allen. Amazing recent findings about dolphin echolocation will be revealed in the production. This film will also be the first Illustra documentary to use drone cameras, providing unprecedented views of swimming creatures in action from high overhead.

Dave Anderson, producer of an award-winning DVD on dolphins and whales, is a strong supporter of Illustra’s work in popularizing ID, and will appear in the film along with Paul Nelson, Tim Standish, Richard Sternberg, and others.

Next time you’re down in Southern California, plan to go on one of Captain Dave’s Dolphin Safari expeditions out of Dana Point Harbor. He runs great trips all year; you’re almost guaranteed to see some marine mammals, and perhaps you’ll be rewarded with a really spectacular "mega-pod" of hundreds of dolphins leaping into the air. You’ll gain a new appreciation for these spectacular examples of intelligent design.