EXPEDITION CANADA TOUR

This is an archived website.
Please visit www.angusadventures.com for current information.

Experience the adventure of tackling a hurricane in a rowboat, cycling across vast continents and trekking through the world’s coldest inhabited place in the first human powered circumnavigation of the earth.

Colin Angus and Julie Wafaei take you on their 43,000 km journey by rowboat, bicycle, foot and ski, completing what Outside Magazine and many others have called “one of the last great expeditions”. The goal of their expedition and this tour is to show just how far you can take non-motorized transportation and to promote no or low emission transportation to combat climate change.

The Show

The Expedition Canada Tour is a speaking tour that will also premiere the documentary "Beyond the Horizon". The two hour show includes a speaking presention by Colin and Julie, followed by a viewing of the 55 minute documentary. Colin's two previous films have already won 8 awards, including the Best Adventure Film at the Telluride Mountain Film Festival.

You will also have the opportunity to win some great prizes, including:

Grand Prizes:
1 Norco Performance VFR 4 Bike (value $650.00)
1 Helly Hansen "Vinter" Jacket (value $450.00)
(draw at the end of the tour)

Door Prize:
1 Helly Hansen Lifa Long Sleeved Crew (value $45.00)
(draw every show)

The Expedition Canada Tour is presented by Helly Hansen with assistance from Norco Performance Bicycles, Mountain Equipment Co-op and Truestar Health.

Dates and Locations
For additional information on any of the shows please contact your local hosts and theatres. If you still have questions contact us directly at tour@expeditioncanada.com.

BRITISH COLUMBIA
Courtenay	Wednesday, October 4, 2006 7:00 - 9:00 pm (doors at 6:30 pm) Palace Theatre 397 5th Street, Courtenay tel: 250- 334-9848 SOLD OUT at 450 and almost 300 turned away! Thanks to our home town for being such a great crowd. Tickets: Valhalla Pure Outfitters, 219 5th St., Courtenay; tel: 250-334-3963 Palace Theatre, 397 5th Street, Courtenay; tel: 250- 334-9848
Kamloops	Saturday, October 28, 2006 7:00 - 9:00 pm (doors at 6:30 pm) Clock Tower Theatre Thompson Rivers University Tickets & Information: (on sale now) City of Kamloops Parks, tel: 250-828-3400
Kelowna	Spring 2007 We're very sorry not to be able to visit Kelowna this fall and we will be making a special visit in the Spring. Thanks to all the Kelownites who have contacted us and we look forward to seeing you in the new year!
Nanaimo	Thursday, October 5, 2006 7:30 - 9:30 pm (doors at 7:00 pm) The Port Theatre 125 Front Street, Nanaimo Thanks Nanaimo for such a warm welcome! Port Theatre Ticket Centre: 250-754-8550
Osoyoos	Sunday, October 29, 2006 7:00 - 9:00 pm (doors at 6:30 pm) Sonora Community Centre 6505 68th Ave, Osoyoos Tickets & Information: (on sale date ) Sonora Community Centre 495-6562
Penticton	Thursday, November 2, 2006 7:00 - 9:00 pm (doors at 6:30 pm) Cleland Community Centre 325 Power Street, Penticton Tickets & Information: (on sale now) City of Penticton Parks, Bob Pope: 250-490-2436 or e-mail: bob.pope(at)penticton.ca
Port Moody	Saturday, October 21, 2006 7:30 - 9:30 pm (doors at 7:10 pm) The Inlet Theatre 100 Newport Drive, Port Moody SOLD OUT! Thanks to Port Moodites for being such an enthusiastic crowd. Tickets: Port Moody Arts Centre, 2425 St. John’s Street (at Kyle St), Phone: 604-931-2008
Vancouver	October 18, 19, 25 & 26, 2006 8:00 -10:00 pm (doors at 7:30 pm) Hollywood Theatre (Wednesday, Oct. 18 & Thursday, Oct. 19) 3123 West Broadway, Vancouver; tel: 604-738-3211 Thanks Vancouverites for filling the house! If you missed the first 2 shows you can still catch us at the Denman Place Cinema. Denman Place Cinema (Wednesday, Oct. 25 & Thursday, Oct. 26) 1737 Comox Street, Vancouver; tel: 604-683-2201 Tickets: (on sale now) Mountain Equipment Co-op, 130 West Broadway, 604-872-7858 The Helly Hansen Store, 2025 W 4th Ave, 604-730-5576 Hollywood Theatre, 3123 West Broadway, 604-738-3211 Denman Place Theatre, 1737 Comox Street, 604-683-2201
Victoria	Thursday, October 12, 2006 7:30 - 9:30 pm (doors at 7:00 pm) Thank you to a phenomenal crowd and full house! Alix Goolden Performance Hall 907 Pandora Ave, Victoria; tel: 250-384-7469 Tickets: Mountain Equipment Co-op,1450 Government St., tel: 250-386-2667 Ocean River Sports, 1824 Store St., tel: 250- 381-4233
ALBERTA
Calgary	Wednesday, November 8, 2006 Calgary Zoo 1300 Zoo Road NE, Calgary Tickets: Calgary Zoo Guest Relations: 403-232-9300
Canmore	Saturday, November 4, 2006 7:30 - 9:30 pm (doors at 7:00 pm) Canmore Collegiate Auditorium 1800 8th Ave, Canmore Tickets: (on sale now) Advantage Travel World 1 - 702 Main Street, Canmore tel: 403-678-9335
Edmonton	Friday, November 10, 2006 7:30-9:30 pm (doors at 7:00 pm) Royal Aberta Museum 12845-102nd Avenue, Edmonton Ticket includes admission to Wild Alberta Gallery following show. Tickets: (on sale now) Track 'N Trail, 10148-82 Ave, tel: 780-432-1707 Mountain Equipment Co-op, 12328 – 102nd Ave NW, tel 780-488-6614
MANITOBA
Winnipeg	tba
SASKATCHEWAN
Saskatoon	tba
ONTARIO
Oshawa	Tuesday, November 21, 2006 7:00 - 9:00 pm Northview Branch of the Oshawa Public Library For information contact: Oshawa Library 905-576-6040
Ottawa	Wednesday, November 22, 2006 7:00 - 9:00 pm (doors at 6:30 pm) Nepean High School Auditorium 574 Broadview Ave., Ottawa Presented by Nakkertok Cross-Country Ski Club For information contact: Sinjin. email: ottawa.show@magma.ca Tickets: (on sale Oct 15th) Mountain Equipment Co-op, 366 Richmond Road, 613-729-2700 Trailhead, 1960 Scott St., 613-722-4229
Toronto	Spring 2007 We will be presenting in Toronto when Colin's book "Beyond the Horizon" is released in March 2007. Location tba.
Waterloo	Friday, November 17th, 2006 7:30 - 9:30 pm (doors at 7:00 pm) Humanities Theatre, Hagey Hall, University of Waterloo Tickets available at: (on sale now) Theatre Box Office, Hagey Hall, UW, tel: 519-888-4908 WPIRG, SLC 2139, UW, tel: 519-888-4882 Adventure Guide, 382 King St. N, tel:519-886-3121 Princess Cinema, 6 Princess St. W, tel:519-885-2950
QUEBEC
Montreal	tba
Sherbrooke	Friday, November 24th, 2006 7:30 - 9:30 pm (doors at 7:00 pm) Centennial Theatre, Bishop’s University, 2600 College Street Tickets available at (on sale Oct. 5) Theatre Box Office, Bishop’s University, tel: 819- 822-9692
NEW BRUNSWICK
Fredericton	tba
Moncton	tba
NOVA SCOTIA
Halifax	Thursday, November 30, 2006 7:30 - 9:30 pm (doors at 7:00 pm) Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, 1675 Lower Water St. Tickets available at: (on sale date tba) The Trail Shop, 6210 Quinpool Road, tel: 902-423-8736

Schools: Colin and Julie are also presenting at schools in the communities they visit. If you are a teacher and interested in seeing if they can present at your school please send a note to tour@expeditioncanada.com.

Become Involved
Would you like to have Colin and Julie present in your community?

You can contact the team to inquire about hosting a presentation in your community.  If you are a member of a club with an interest in adventure or film, a librarian, or otherwise involved in organizing events you may be able to bring this event to your community.

For more information, please see our Host a Presentation FAQs.

FILMS, BOOKS & PRESENTATIONS

Expedition Canada was filmed using a 3 chip Sony PD170 camera and smaller “stunt” camera.  Over 100 hours of film have already been captured, which will be produced into a multi-part television series and 1 hour documentary.  Colin is also detailing this expedition in his third book, Beyond the Horizon, which will be published by Random House in the Spring 2007.

Previous Books & Films

Colin has been leading expeditions for over 14 years and has produced four other books and films based on his journeys. His films have won numerous awards in international film festivals and have been shown on National Geographic. His books are sold in several countries and his latest one was a national best seller.

Awards and recognitions to date include.

	Best Adventure Film Telluride Mountain Film Festival – Yenisey: River of Extremes
	Jean-Marc Boivin Award Dijon International Festival of Adventure Films – Amazon: Source to Sea
	Best Film, Water Division Slovakian Mountain Film Festival – Yenisey: River of Extremes
	Judge's Special Prize Kendal Mountain Film Festival – Yenisey: River of Extremes
	Shortlisted for Best Adventure Book Banff Mountain Book Festival – Lost in Mongolia
	Best Amateur Film Waterwalker Film Festival – Yenisey: River of Extremes
	Best-selling Canadian Non-Fiction Book (#6 ) Quill and Quire – Lost in Mongolia

"Lost in Mongolia" by Colin Angus (Random House, 2003)

The Nile, the Amazon, the Yangtze, and the Mississippi have all been voyaged from source to sea. But one mighty river remained: Russia’s Yenisey. Lost in Mongolia is the incredible, frequently hilarious true story of how an intrepid (some would say crazy) trio conquered an awesome river in one of the world’s most remote regions.

Two years after their historic descent of the Amazon, Colin Angus and two buddies were scrambling up the northeastern slopes of the 13,000-foot Mt. Otgon Tenger in Mongolia to begin their 5,500-kilometer journey down the Yenisey River, hoping to become the first group to run the longest unchallenged river in the world. With nothing but kayaks and a rubber raft, they journey through Outer Mongolia and the Siberian Outback to the Arctic, fighting against searing heat waves, flashfloods, dehydration and an encounter with the Russian Mafia. Then, when Colin gets separated from his partners after a freak capsize and has to live alone for twelve days without supplies or clean water, things get really interesting.

Written with disarming humor and unexpected insights into a little-known culture, Lost in Mongolia is a rollicking and engrossing tale of a perilous journey.

From Kirkus Reviews: (assigned the book a star for unusual merit) You'd think he would have learned from his Amazon misadventure, but humorously intrepid river runner Angus (Amazon Extreme, 2002) is back on the wildwater, this time following the mighty Yenisey. Thirty-five hundred miles long, running from Central Asia to the Arctic Ocean, the Yenisey (with its unruly tributaries the Selenge, the Ider, and the Moron) is no shrinking violet. Why would a person take it on after nearly dying, many times, while rafting the Amazon? Says Angus: "In spite of the pain, the rot, the smell, the arguments, the gunshots, and the altitude sickness, I had never felt so alive and engaged." It's this bracing clarity before the squalid and the sublime that makes Angus so pleasurable a companion. He and his two friends know what they're doing, but this is still a seat-of-the-pants operation: risk is part of the deal—on the upper river in particular, with its great sucking whirlpools and punishing whitewater—but willful stupidity is not (except for the time Angus gets separated from his companions for nearly two weeks, with only a kayak, a lighter, and his khakis). Hardship is everywhere, from biting insects to tempests to the "terrible time wading through chest-deep snow." On the other hand, Mongols and Russians are everywhere, and the most common words heard are "come and eat and drink with us!" The three young men eagerly comply, getting to see a cross-section of the riverside population: a few days with a mob man in Bratsk, an afternoon in a bear-fat-illuminated banya with a hunter-gatherer, a period of sharing a teepee with a Nenet family above the Arctic Circle. Even the lower river, typically a languid phase, is full of vim as they row around the clock to get to the ocean before the river freezes solid and the quest to be first down the fifth-longest river in the world thwarted. Godspeed, Colin Angus, and may there soon be another river to fire your hapless exuberance and your readers' good fortune.

"Amazon Extreme" by Colin Angus (Random House, 2002)

To a trio of twenty-something adrenaline junkies, it sounded like an irresistible challenge: tackle the Amazon with nothing more than a rubber raft between them and fate. But when Colin Angus, Ben Kozel, and Scott Borthwick embarked on their fantastic voyage in September 1999, just climbing to the river's source nearly killed them.

Beginning with the dehydration that nearly did the adventurers in as they hiked the Andes to the river's source, Amazon Extreme is a breathtaking account of the daily challenges, dangers, and triumphs experienced over the course of this five-month expedition. With no money to speak of and inaccurate, fifty-year-old maps to guide them, this intrepid trio manages to persevere through violent rapids, guerilla gunfire, mosquito-infested drinking water, and numerous bouts of sickness. But in spite of several near-death experiences, including one particularly terrifying moment when their raft is toppled in the raging white water, Angus's crew finds a reverence for the compelling beauty that makes this region so renowned. Amidst the hardship are moments of pure pleasure, from graceful dolphins and lush forests to the intriguing, gracious people who've made their homes along the riverbank.

An inspiring tale of courage and exploration, this is the story of three guys who truly went off the deep end, and one who came back to write a riveting recollection of it.

The course seemed straight forward. They would start at the town of Camana, located on the western coast of Peru, and hike through the Andes to the continental divide. From there, they would raft the Apurimac which feeds into the Ucayali River and then into the Amazon and continue straight to the Atlantic Ocean. This is the story of all the things that could and did go wrong along the way. From near death by dehydration to near drowning by rapids, Angus takes the reader on a wild, breathtaking adventure.

Included is interesting historical background on the Amazon and the mystery and mythology surrounding this awesome river. As Angus recounts, there have been many explorers who leave in search of finding the true source of this river to return with only a possible theory. The question has yet to be answered.

The very direction in which the river flows has a fascinating tale. With only about 100 miles separating the Amazon from the West Coast, prehistoric findings have revealed some evidence indicating this river may originally have emptied into the Pacific Ocean. In the words of the author, "as the two tectonic plates under the continent collided, they caused enough geological dislocation to reverse the drainage pattern."

Deadly snow storms at altitudes of 17,000 feet, treacherous rapids beating against boulders, hot, insufferably humid weather and violent rebels with semi-automatics lining the river banks are only a few of the things these relatively unprepared explorers encountered. This trip was filled with experiences most people would only want to read about. Angus gives us the chance to do just that. His descriptions are honest, disgusting, exciting, scary, and funny. From beginning to end, Angus offers a great read.

From Library Journal: Tales of dangerous sea trips, hostile desert treks, impossible escapes from doomed aircraft, and other stories of derring-do generally hold armchair travelers' interest. Those that rise above the rest seem to have one thing in common: the personalities of the adventurers become just as important as their quests. In this unforgettable journey, three young, reckless and rambunctious men - including Angus who sailed around the world at age 19 and writes this work with Vancouver Sun journalist Mulgrew - set out to find the source of the Amazon River and then sail their raft all the way to where the river empties into the Atlantic Ocean with incredible force. From the first page, we are caught up in their wild travels: our throats are dry when dehydration threatens their lives, we feel a trickle of fear when the men hide from terrorists, and we are witness to constant bickering, personality clashes, and plain old testosterone eruptions. Sure, the information about the Amazon is fascinating, but what lingers is the sensation that we have completed they voyage with the authors. This is adventure writing at its best.

Amazon: Source to Sea (60 minutes)

Allow yourself to be transported along the length of the Amazon River. It begins in a world of ice, snow and granite high in the Andes. Its surging waters cascade through immense chasms many times larger than the Grand Canyon before finally entering the steamy Amazon Basin. All this is portrayed in the documentary Amazon: Source to Sea which follows adventurers Ben Kozel (Australian), Scott Borthwick (South African) and Colin Angus (Canadian) as they attempt to be the second team ever to run the Amazon's full length. During the course of this five month, seven thousand km journey, these adventurers almost die of thirst in a desert looking for the source, are pummelled by class VI whitewater and are shot at by Peruvian guerrillas. And all of it was captured on film.

Recording the voyage on film created a unique series of challenges. Colin’s Sony handheld camera was stolen twice, recovered only by luck and persistence. In whitewater sections, all gear would be soaked or lost if not well-secured: the raft flipped six times, and on 32 occasions crew members were catapulted into the river. Ben, Scott and Colin each have have stories of near-death by drowning - but according to Angus, he carefully manages risk.

“I don’t do anything I think is suicidal,” says Angus. “I’m not a huge risk-taker, although I don’t conceive risk the same way as most do.”

Evidently not. Fatalities had cut short the only previous attempt to raft their chosen route. Only a team of kayakers with ground support in 1986, and later a mysterious man on a hydrospeed (a high-tech boogie board) had finished alive, while four expeditions of the Apurimac-Amazon since 1956 had ended with fatal or crippling injury.

That worried me a bit” said Angus. We’d always scout the river when we could, and portage if we had to, because we’d never seen rapids like these before. They were definitely around the limit of human navigability.”

Luckily for fans of adventure cinema, the crew made it safely home to produce a film packed with all the adrenaline, humour and creativity it took to navigate a steady flow of unexpected challenges.

Watch the trailer on Quicktime. (Quicktime can be downloaded for free here.)

 

The Yenisey River Expedition (60 minutes)

Although the Yenisey is the fifth largest river on the planet, it is a mystery to most. In the year 2001, Ben Kozel, Tim Cope, Remy Quinter, and Colin Angus became the first people ever to run this mighty river's full length. Flowing through Mongolia and Siberia, the Yenisey courses through a world of steppeland, boreal forests, and tundra. The team's film The Yenisey River Expedition (Banff Mountain Film Festival award winner)covers more than just their ordeals - it offers an insightful view into the heart of Siberia. Russian Mafia, indigenous Nenets living in tepees and huge rapids weave together to recreate the team's journey through this haunting land.