Ep 2. Sea Gypsies

Beyond Survival With Les Stroud is an adventure reality TV series where renowned survival expert and filmmaker Les Stroud takes on various challenging situations around the world in an attempt to showcase how to survive them. In season 1 episode 2, Les Stroud travels to Southeast Asia, where he meets the sea gypsies.

The episode is named Sea Gypsies, and it starts with Les Stroud arriving in Borneo, a large island located in the Southeast Asian archipelago. Les informs the viewers that he is there to meet the indigenous sea gypsies, also known as the Bajo people. The Bajo people have lived on the ocean for thousands of years, and Les is interested in learning their survival techniques and how they have been able to sustain themselves for so long.

Les introduces the viewers to his guide, a Bajo man named Hajji, who will help him navigate the waters and introduce him to the Bajo people. Hajji takes Les to a small fishing village where he meets a Bajo family who have invited him to stay with them for a few days. Les is amazed by the simple living conditions of the Bajo people, who survive on a diet of fish, rice, and vegetables.

Les spends his first day with the Bajo family learning how to fish using traditional methods. He is fascinated by the Bajo people's knowledge of the ocean and how they can read the tides and weather patterns to find the best fishing spots. Les also learns about the Bajo people's unique relationship with dolphins. The Bajo people believe that dolphins are spiritual creatures and often swim with them when fishing.

On the second day, Les joins the Bajo men on a journey to collect sea cucumbers, a delicacy in Southeast Asia. Sea cucumbers are considered a luxury item and are highly sought after in the region. Les is amazed by the Bajo people's ability to free dive to depths of over 20 meters without any diving equipment. The Bajo men are able to collect large quantities of sea cucumbers, which they will sell at the local market.

The third day is spent with the Bajo women, who teach Les how to make jewelry from seashells and sell them at the local market. Les is impressed by the women's creativity and skill at making beautiful pieces of jewelry out of simple seashells.

Throughout the episode, Les also learns about the challenges that the Bajo people face in modern times. Overfishing, pollution, and deforestation are all threats to the Bajo people's traditional way of life. Les also witnesses how the younger generation is slowly moving away from their traditional way of life in search of modern amenities.

The Sea Gypsies episode of Beyond Survival With Les Stroud is an eye-opening experience for viewers who get to witness the Bajo people's unique way of life. Les Stroud highlights the importance of preserving indigenous cultures and how we can all learn from the Bajo people's amazing survival techniques. This episode showcases how the sea is both a provider and a challenge for the Bajo people, and how the ocean is integral to their way of life.