Research boat named 'Sharkwater' to honour late filmmaker
theweathernetwork.com
Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 4:35 PM - A research and expedition vessel was christened 'Sharkwater' this week in Florida to honour the late Rob Stewart, director and environmental activist behind the award-winning documentary of the same name.
Stewart went missing on January 31, 2017, while on a dive near Islamorada in the Florida Keys, prompting a widespread search that spanned several days. Stewart's body was recovered on February 3 at a depth of about 70 m. The fatal last dive was part of production of Sharkwater: Extinction, a follow-up to the 2006 Sharkwater film.
He was 37. Funeral services were held in February in Toronto, where hundreds of mourners showed up to pay their final respects.
Stewart's ground-breaking 2006 documentary Sharkwater examined the impact of the global shark hunt and fin trade, and its impact on the ocean ecosystem. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and won dozens of awards, as did his 2013 documentary Revolution.
The ceremony to christen the new vessel took place on July 27 in Fort Lauderdale - below are some photos from the day, which included Stewart's family:
The Weather Network was invited down to Mexico to be a part of the documentary filming, and witness first hand some of the marine life Stewart spent his life trying to protect. As part of the experience, Mark Robinson was able to speak with crew members about Stewart's life and legacy. Watch the three-part series here, which includes spectaular footage from beneath the water.
