Two years ago, Vancouver artist Paul Burgoyne suffered a devastating loss when his boat, the Bootlegger, was shipwrecked off the west coast of Vancouver Island. Among the lost items was his camera, containing cherished photos from his journey and family moments.

In May, during research dives off Aguilar Point, B.C., students from Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre—Tella Osler and Beau Doherty—alongside Diving and Safety Officer Siobhan Gray, made an incredible discovery. They found Burgoyne’s camera resting 12 meters underwater.

Remarkably, the camera’s 8 GB Lexar Platinum II memory card was still functional, preserving precious images despite the harsh marine environment. Professor Isabelle M. Côté of Simon Fraser University noted that various marine species had made the camera their home, a testament to life’s resilience.

Côté shared one photo online—a family portrait from the recovered images—in hopes of identifying the owner. Luck favored the search when a Bamfield coast guard member, who had rescued Burgoyne during the original shipwreck, recognized him in the photo.

The reunion between Burgoyne and his long-lost photos is now imminent. Reflecting on the recovery, Burgoyne expressed newfound respect for modern electronics, marveling at how the tiny memory card survived years underwater.

The shipwreck brought back vivid memories for Burgoyne, including the peaceful moment before disaster struck and the sudden chaos when his boat’s autopilot malfunctioned. The camera had captured these final moments, freezing the story in time.

Among the recovered photos were deeply personal images, such as a family gathering to scatter his parents’ ashes at Lake of the Woods and a video of the stormy seas that ultimately claimed his boat.

This extraordinary recovery highlights not only the durability of technology but also the unpredictable ways life and memories can endure—even from the depths of the ocean.