An intrepid scientist—National Geographic's 2007 Adventurer of the Year—observes the changing ocean while rowing across the Atlantic.

In 2005-06, Julie Angus rowed 10,000 kilometers across the Atlantic Ocean, becoming the first woman in the world to travel from mainland to mainland in a rowboat. She was accompanied by her fiancé at the time, Colin Angus, who was completing a round-the-world expedition using human power only.

The 145 days they spent rowing across the Atlantic offered Julie Angus, a trained scientist, a rare perspective on the ocean. The slowmoving boat attracted barnacles, fish, turtles, sharks, whales, and birds, which Angus was able to document. Despite this abundance of life, she also saw signs of the devastation of the sea. The sharks that she should have seen most abundantly, oceanic whitetips, were not in evidence at all.

During the journey, the couple was hit by four cyclones, including two hurricanes. The boat was hammered by ten-meter waves, and Angus likens the experience to riding a barrel down never-ending waterfalls for four days. Rowboat in a Hurricane is a gripping adventure story of a woman's difficult and courageous journey with her partner in a cramped vessel. More important, it is a unique record of an amazing ecosystem, its fascinating inhabitants, and the many threats they face.

Categories