For the last three years, documentary filmmakers Yvonne Drebert and Zach Melnick have been exploring the underwater world of the Great Lakes using a cutting-edge underwater drone, or ROV. Being able to dive to the greatest depths and film for hours at a time has allowed the husband-and-wife team to capture never-before-seen footage of the lakes’ most elusive species. But it's not just fish on their radar: in June of 2023, Drebert and Melnick discovered the wreck of the steamer Africa, lost in 1895. Canadian Geographic broke the story, which went on to receive international media attention.

Join these freshwater explorers and their ROV, “Kiyi,” for the story behind Africa’s discovery, and a “sneak peak” at their upcoming documentary All Too Clear. See how quadrillions of tiny invasive mussels have re-engineered the Great Lakes at a scale not seen since the glaciers. Organisms of all kinds — from the tiniest plankton to the largest fish — are vanishing, creating vast biological deserts. From dazzling shallow water worlds that look more like the Caribbean than the Great Lakes, to the wreck of Africa completely entombed in mussels, All Too Clear explores the freshwater world as you’ve never seen it before.

About Yvonne and Zach

Producer Yvonne Drebert and director/cinematographer Zach Melnick are the founders of Inspired Planet Productions. From their home on the beautiful Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula in Ontario, they've created more than 40 hours of nature and history documentary spanning two decades, including the 2021 Canadian Screen Award-nominated series, Striking Balance. Driven by a profound concern for the global decline of freshwater ecosystems, Drebert and Melnick have embarked on a dedicated mission into the underwater world. Using state-of-the-art ROVs, they immerse themselves in rarely seen aquatic environments, capturing extraordinary wildlife behaviours, and even discovering the occasional shipwreck. Their mission is threefold: to inspire the public, deepen scientific understanding, and enlighten decision-makers about the freshwater ecosystems we all depend on.

Admission for this event is pay-what-you-can. Your donation helps the Royal Canadian Geographical Society put on more insightful public programming like this.