Without Rob, none of this would exist.

Before the vessel. Before the fieldwork. Before the voyages—there was Rob.

Rob Stewart was a kid from North Toronto with a quiet intensity and a deep connection to the sea. He was the one who first took me below the surface. The one who showed me how perspective shifts when you slow your breathing and settle into the underwater world. Through him, diving became more than a skill. It became a direction.

Rob believed that when people truly saw the ocean, they would care for it. Sharkwater carried that idea far beyond the dive community. It invited people to look closer and stay engaged.

The roots of Expedition Audacity trace back to those early days. Rob helped shape the path that eventually became this work. After his passing, the sense of responsibility he inspired continued to guide the journey.

His influence travels with us—in the samples collected, the students mentored, and the stories documented along the way.

Rob, you are remembered often and with gratitude.

— Captain Red