Julie 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, reaching shore in 2006 and completing her dream. Throughout this challenge, she and her fiancé, rowed through 4 cyclones, encountered great white sharks, fished for survival, and swam with animals that accompanied them across the ocean.
Julie is a molecular biologist, adventurer, writer, and filmmaker. She has a combined honours degree from McMaster University 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, before focusing completely on examining the natural world through exploration.
She has explored over 35 countries, including cycling and rowing some 20,000 km through many of them. Julie received National Geographic's Adventurer of the Year Award for 2007 and has been lauded for her work on environmental awareness. She has written for publications including The Globe & Mail, National Post and enRoute. Her photography has appeared in Outside Magazine, explore Magazine, Reader's Digest and National Geographic Adventure, among others. Julie's book, Rowboat in a Hurricane, which details her row across the ocean and the changing state of our oceans, is a national bestseller and her newest book Rowed Trip, which she co-wrote with Colin on their 7,000 km rowing journey from Scotland to Syria, will be available in September 2009.
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