Wild Wednesdays: Canadas top outdoor jobs; #1 Adventurer Colin Angus, 35, Courtenay, B.C. Last May, Angus completed a 43,000-kilometre, 720-day human-powered circumnavigation of the globe. This year, hes relaxing with a six-month, 6,500-kilometre honeymoon with his new wife Julie Wafaei. (They got married in August.) The pair plan to travel from the Angus clan homeland of Scotland to Wafaeis ancestral home, Syria. Of course, as with any of Anguss notorious expeditions, theres a hook-theyre travelling using custom-made rowboats that can be towed behind bikes. What he loves about his job Im not letting go of the crazy ideas I had as a child, he says. Im most fulfilled when Im exploring. And-as he shows off his almost complete, hand-built, custom-designed rowboats-its obvious he also loves coming up with original adventure ideas and then actually pulling them off. What he doesnt love about his job Guerrillas, mobsters, violent whitewater, collisions with freighters, hurricanes-and other things that have nearly killed him. Also grumpy border guards. Best moment Nothing compared to touching the totem pole in Kitsilano, B.C., to complete the first human-powered circumnavigation. It was a moment Id been thinking about for years, he says. It was a truly fulfilling accomplishment. A close second: when his latest book, Beyond the Horizon, was on the national bestseller list. Right stuff required You cant go into adventuring saying youre going to do it as a job, Angus says. Its like hockey. You go in loving it as a sport and then see where it takes you. For it to become a full-time job requires a diverse skill set, including writing, photography, filmmaking, public speaking, business management skills and the ability to self-promote. And while anyone could theoretically attempt any of Anguss adventures, it takes a certain mindset to survive riding a mountain bike across Siberia in the middle of winter or rowing the Atlantic through a hurricane. But dont despair: You can toughen yourself up, Angus says. You just have to practise being miserable and youll eventually build up a stamina for discomfort. Show me the money Dont expect any money up front. Even after several successful adventures, films and books, Angus has to wait until he gets home to get paid. Through book deals, films, sponsors, presentations and corporate speaking he makes from $40,000 to $50,000 a year.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 15:44:49 +0000
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