The final leg of the expedition was to explore the underwater world of the reefs on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Peter Mieras and his wife Kathy Johnson went out by boat to more exposed areas of the enchanting island world of Barkley Sound. Peter has been running the diving center "Rendezvous Dive Adventures" with his wife Kathy Johnson for nine years. A great partner, because he knows exactly what special features can be found in the various places and how best to dive them. Peter's in-depth knowledge of the creatures that live here and the opportunity to constantly observe them in their natural habitat also make him very interesting for scientists. Peter is in close contact with Dr. Robert Dunbrack from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, among others. This involves a very interesting phenomenon: in the months from July to September, there are increased sightings of sixgill sharks here. Sixgill sharks actually live in the deep sea, at depths of over 2000 meters. But for some reason, these primitive animals come to shallower waters during this period. The scientist is on the trail of this reason. All the data Peter can provide the scientist with is of course extremely important and interesting. Of course, I hope to be lucky enough to meet a "Six Gill Shark" here with Peter and Kathy. On the second day it actually happens! Just five minutes by boat from Sudd Island, our Robinson Island! Shortly after diving down, I watch three chimaeras with fascination and look for Peter to point them out. to point them out to him. However, he excitedly waves me over and points to a rock - holding his right hand vertically above his head - the sign for a shark! And then it emerges from behind the rock - a six-gill shark almost 3 meters long! With very calm and slow movements, it moves along close to the bottom. For almost three minutes we can approach the animal at a very short distance. The shark shows no signs of nervousness. Even though the shark's movements looked very calm, I needed almost half the air supply in my bottle to keep getting into position for a good (photo) shot. Pictures documenting this unforgettable moment were the reward! Adult sixgill sharks reach a body size of over five meters, our specimen was a young male, which we could recognize by its already well-developed claspers (external sexual organ). The previously encountered chimaeras are also actually inhabitants of greater depths that are inaccessible to divers. They are also increasingly encountered here between July and September. The suspicion that there must be a connection to the sixgill shark is almost inevitable - but there is no evidence of this at present! Reasons for its appearance in these shallow waters could be mating or a special constellation of the food chain. However, a verifiable result is still pending... The diversity of life on the reefs of Barkley Sound is also overwhelming. Especially in the macro area, the crevices in the rocks and between the kelp plants are teeming with life. Starfish, nudibranchs and anemones grow two sizes larger here than anywhere else in the world. We encounter an incredible number and variety of nudibranchs here. Their size ranges from a few millimetres to the size of an eggplant! The important and still well-developed coastal zones with their seagrass meadows and intertidal zones also form the basis for a unique and equally enchanting and wondrous world of the open sea. It is now mid-August and the salmon are gathering off the coast of British Columbia. By mid-September they will be swimming the rivers deep into the forest. For them, the cycle of life and death will come full circle. They will be food for the animals of the forest and provide important nutrients for its plants - right down to the smallest lichen on one of the mighty trees of life! The forest will provide the young salmon with their nursery before they begin their incredible journey from the clear rivers back into the vast ocean. The cycle and the miracle of life begins all over again. A miracle that consists of an unimaginably complex chain of important, even the smallest elements that we humans are still far from understanding in their entirety...