Julie Angus is the first woman to row across the Atlantic Ocean from mainland to mainland. During the worst hurricane season in history, she spent 5 months rowing unsupported across 10,000 km of unforgiving seas. Throughout this challenge, she and her partner rowed through 4 cyclones, encountered great white sharks, and fished for survival.
Julie is a molecular biologist, adventurer, writer, filmmaker, and motivational speaker. She has two undergraduate degrees with honours from McMaster University (Biology and Psychology) and a graduate degree in Molecular Biology from the University of Victoria. She spent over a decade studying and developing treatments for heart disease, cancer and genetic ailments.
She has been lauded for her work on environmental awareness and has written for publications including The Globe & Mail, National Post and enRoute. Her photography has appeared in Outside Magazine, Explore Magazine, Reader’s Digest, National Geographic Adventure and The Guardian, among others. Julie’s book Rowboat in a Hurricane, which details her Atlantic row and the changing state of our oceans, is a national bestseller. Julie and Colin’s most recent book,Rowed Trip, is co-written and covers their rowing and cycling journey from Scotland to Syria.
Imagine surviving a hurricane with nothing more than a rowboat to shelter you. When Julie and Colin set off on a quest to become the first to row across the Atlantic from mainland Europe to mainland North America this was not what they anticipated. But soon they realized that to succeed they’d not only need to deal with adversity and uncertainly, but embrace it and use it as an opportunity to grow and prosper. Julie and Colin share techniques to deal with changing environments including altering our perception, preparing for the unexpected, assessing risks, and improving communication.
Julie and Colin deliver an engaging and entertaining account of the two years they spent circumnavigating the globe by human power, focusing on strategies they used to foster teamwork. It doesn’t get more stressful than living, eating, and working within the confines of a rowboat for months on end and this dynamic duo will share their strategies for fostering harmonious and productive dynamics. They dissect the essential components of effective teamwork including conflict resolution, motivation and communication.
Rowing across the Atlantic Ocean seemed impossible at times, yet through goal setting, managing risk, perseverance and dealing with the unexpected, including two hurricanes, Julie and Colin crossed 10,000 km of open ocean. By juxtaposing the difficulties they faced to the challenges in our business and personal lives, Colin and Julie offer an insightful and entertaining perspective on how to overcome our fears, learn more about ourselves, and set goals that help us reach our ambitions.
