Julie Angus writes with clear-eyed humility about accomplishing a feat that most people wouldn’t dream of attempting: rowing 10,000 kilometers across the Atlantic Ocean. I like that in a person. Angus’ 5-month voyage with explorer fiancé Colin Angus in a 21-foot long rowboat was rife with danger. In their tiny vessel, the rowers weathered three hurricanes, were nearly mowed down by a tanker, and had an unnerving encounter with a great white shark. They rowed 18 hours a day and took turns sleeping in a closet –sized cabin. They developed gnarly dreadlocks; the sea was their bathtub and toilet. A lot of couples, and I’m not naming names, wouldn’t last 5 days in that environment (for some of us, 5 hours would be a stretch). Yet instead of driving the Anguses apart, the hardships simply cemented their love. (They got married soon after returning to Canada). Though most adventure lit doesn’t place the story in a broader social context, Angus is eco-conscious, and muses about the declining health of the seas without being too earnest or preachy. Despite the rough conditions and monotony of life at sea, Angus’ ability to laugh at herself—and her fiancé—brings an aspect of joie de vivre to the adventure that I found irresistible. Review by Kali.
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