Who says love can’t be found at a bus stop. Julie Angus and Colin Angus met while waiting for public transit in 2003, and since then have combined their passion of exploring the world using human-powered modes of transportation. They jointly received National Geographic’s 2007 Adventurer of the Year award and are best-selling authors who have collectively written five books published around the world. Their films have been aired on National Geographic Channel, CTV Travel and others.
Through exploration and adventure Julie and Colin strive to motivate others to lead active and environmentally-sustainable lifestyles. Their work with Healthy Heart and Active Communities, two organizations dedicated to conveying these ideals to youth, has enabled the team to reach out to students around the world.
Colin rowing on the Atlantic Ocean
Watch Colin on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos
Colin Angus completed the first human-powered circumnavigation of the world when in 2006 he cycled into Vancouver after 43,000 km of travel. During the course of two years he rowed across the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, trekked and cycled through 16 countries, endured winter in Siberia and searing heat in the tropics.
Colin has made a career exploring remote parts of the world and sharing his adventures through bestselling books, films and presentations. He has navigated the Amazon and Yenisey Rivers from source to sea, sailed the South Pacific Ocean, and rowed thousands of km in waterways around the world. He has co-produced four documentaries which collectively won ten awards at international festivals including the Dijon and Telluride Festivals of Adventure Films. His work is published in numerous publications including the Globe and Mail, Reader’s Digest and Cruising World.
Outside Magazine listed Colin as one of the top 25 “bold visionaries with world changing dreams” for his work in promoting lifestyle changes to help the environment. Colin and Julie continue their efforts in promoting zero-emissions transportation as a healthy way to maintain a healthy world.
Julie Angus is the first and only 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.
