Stories with adventurer Julie Angus
Julie Angus ‘97 is the first and only woman to row across the Atlantic Ocean from mainland to mainland over the course of five months. Angus, accompanied by her fiancé Colin, braved four cyclones, encountered great white sharks, fished for survival, and swam with animals. Why? For the purpose of examining the natural world through exploration.
Angus is a molecular biologist, adventurer, writer, and filmmaker. She has a combined honours degree from McMaster University and a graduate degree in molecular biology from the University of Victoria. Before becoming an adventurer, Julie studied and developed treatments for heart disease, cancer and genetic ailments.
During the worst hurricane season in history, she spent five months rowing unsupported across 10,000 km of unforgiving seas, reaching shore in 2006 and completing her dream.
She has explored over 35 countries, including cycling and rowing some 20,000 km through many of them. Angus received National Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year Award for 2007 and has been lauded for her work on environmental awareness. She has written for publications including The Globe & Mail, National Post and enRoute. Her photography has appeared in Outside Magazine, explore Magazine, Reader’s Digest and National Geographic Adventure, among others. Her book, Rowboat in a Hurricane, which details her row across the ocean and the changing state of our oceans, is a national bestseller and her newest book Rowed Trip, which she co-wrote with Colin on their 7,000 km rowing journey from Scotland to Syria.
“The best piece of advice someone has given me is the importance of baby steps,” says Angus. “No matter what monumental project we take on, it starts with a single step, and then we just need to keep going on step at a time until we reach the end. This way we avoid getting overwhelmed by the magnitude of an endeavour. Breaking it down into manageable milestones makes the seemingly impossible possible.”
The Alumni Association is hosting a talk with Julie Angus on August 22 at McMaster Innovation Park. Following the lecture there will be hosting a special reception to honour longtime volunteer and two-time McMaster Alumni Association President, Ken Hall, on his recent honorary degree.
