Well Rounded By Lynn Martel Mar 1, 2007

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Adventurer and author Colin Angus

 

At 19, Colin Angus sailed across the Pacific Ocean, mostly solo. With similarly audacious partners, he’s rafted the Amazon River from the Andes to the Atlantic, and the Yenisey River from Mongolia to the Arctic Ocean. Last May, the 35-year-old resident of Courtenay, B.C., returned to Vancouver after 720 days and 43,000 kilometres of walking, skiing and cycling across Siberia, Europe and North America, and rowing across the Bering Sea and Atlantic Ocean. In doing so, he completed the first human-powered circumnavigation of the globe in history. Beyond the Horizon, his book chronicling the trip, hits shelves at the end of the month ( $29.95; randomhouse.ca).

 

At what point did you think, “This seemed like such a good idea from my couch”?

After the first few days, we [fellow adventurer Tim Harvey joined Angus for half the journey] were overwhelmed. Our bikes were really heavy, and it was my first time using this mode of transportation [in a distance challenge]. I was thinking, “We’ve still got 43,000 kilometres to go, and this is the easy part. We’re on paved roads!”

 

Which section was most challenging?

Rowing across the Atlantic [with fiancée Julie Wafaei]. What made it hardest was the psychological aspect of the two of us being alone for five months, and the physical aspect of rowing and rowing and the monotonous food. But it was also the most enjoyable. We had this whole ecosystem under our boat: barnacles attracted small fish, which attracted bigger fish like the dorado—which we ate. Then there were dolphins, turtles and sharks. You looked overboard and watched a nature documentary.  

 

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