“An adventure isn’t defined by where you start and finish, it’s defined by everything that happens in between”

European Adventurer of the Year Mark Agnew broke two world records on his latest expedition. Mark and his teammates, The Arctic Cowboys, became the first group to kayak the Arctic’s Northwest Passage under human power in a single season – an incredible achievement. Yet for Mark, expeditions are more about enjoying the journey than winning awards. We catch up with him to find out what he’s learned over a lifetime of adventure.

Have you always wanted to be an adventurer?

My mum and dad were adventurers and as a family we were outdoorsy. The idea of camping, hiking, using a compass and sailing was normal to me. There was an emphasis on doing interesting things.

Which three adventurers, alive or dead, would you invite to a dinner party?

So many adventurers would be interesting, it’s hard to choose! Somebody I’d really love to invite is a lady called Jeanne Baret. She was the first woman to sail around the world in the 1800s. Then it would have to be Roald Amundsen, who’s been on an expedition to the Northwest Passage too. I’d also choose Robert Falcon Scott who was beaten by Amundsen on another race to the South Pole, to find out about his experience.

What compels you to go on adventures?

Initially, I saw my adventures as being driven by the competition part, the idea of setting world records. Then I failed a couple of my first big adventures. I failed to row the Atlantic twice and I was devastated, but I started to reevaluate. I realised I’d lost sight of what I wanted – to be completely immersed in nature and to share those experiences. It’s about camaraderie with teammates, having shared experiences and a shared goal. Adventures are about enjoying the journey, not the outcome.

How do you choose which adventures to go on?

I came across a book called Life Story Research in Sport by Kitrina Douglas and David Carless. There’s a bit of psychology in there about why people do sports. There are three reasons – performance, discovery and relationships. I use that framework to pick my adventures.

How do you mentally and physically prepare for your expeditions?

The mental and physical preparation is intertwined. I view my physical training as getting comfortable being uncomfortable. You get stronger because you get better at silencing the voice that’s telling you you’re tired, to give up. Outside the gym, you practise in rough conditions, and you get better at sitting with the discomfort. Whether you’re stressed, scared or overwhelmed, you validate those feelings and realise they’re a normal reaction. Then you turn your attention to the problem and focus on a solution.

In the Northwest Passage, I really enjoyed some of the most difficult, stressful, near-death experiences! I enjoyed them because I built up to them. I kayaked more and more difficult situations while training, until the situations in the Northwest Passage were only incrementally more difficult than the situations in training.

How did you approach the Northwest Passage expedition?

A lot of people who’ve tried to complete the Northwest Passage by human power and kayak have started at the Beaufort Sea. This point is further south, so the sea ice breaks up earlier. We started at the northeast end in Baffin Bay. It meant we’d finish further south, giving us more wiggle room as winter snapped at our heels. At the beginning there was lots of ice. On night one we were trapped offshore and spent 15 days waiting for the ice to move!

Did you have any memorable encounters with wild animals on the expedition?

We had so many encounters with polar bears in the first half of the expedition, where there was sea ice. It was such a privilege to see them plodding through the wild. But other times they’d be right in our camp. Generally, they were scared of us. A noise or flare would send them away. But one polar bear wouldn’t leave. We stood there screaming and shouting and it just wouldn’t leave. After about ten minutes, the bear just turned and left, occasionally stopping to look at us. It was crazy!

What other challenges did you encounter on the Northwest Passage?

There was one day when these two huge bits of ice started moving towards us. My teammates Jeff Wueste and Expedition Leader West Hansen were in one kayak and got out the way, but me and our other teammate Eileen Visser didn’t. There was a sickening crunch as the ice pressed against our kayak, moving with all the force of nature. By a miracle it pinched our kayak and lifted us up instead of crushing us, so we could jump out onto the ice. All the team say that was the best day of the expedition. The epic wrestle through ice, polar bears, narwhals, and an amazing sunset. We could have died several times, but we were like, “wow, that was a great day!”.

How did the weather impact the expedition?

One of the biggest challenges was when the weather was borderline acceptable. We would kayak in the sun but not if there was a storm. There would be disagreements in the team if the weather was borderline. Some thought it was too dangerous, and some didn’t. It was challenging on days the weather wasn’t simple.

What have been your greatest challenges on adventures as a whole?

Planning expeditions is much more difficult than you’d think. I planned the Northwest Passage expedition from 2020, for three years. There were many obstacles! I only want to do adventures as a team, as camaraderie is so much a part of it. I’ve had people drop out on many occasions. Getting sponsorship is also a challenge.

Can you tell us more about the concept of ‘stayventures’?

This is where I want to go with my adventuring. I want to do a big adventure in the UK. I’m so happy to see more people doing micro adventures in the UK, but there’s this misconception that you do micro adventures at home and bigger adventures abroad. What about doing bigger adventures in the UK? There are some amazing places here that rival anywhere in the world.

Have you got any stayventures coming up?

I’m looking for sponsorship to cycle between the seven natural wonders of the UK – Loch Coruisk and The Cuillins, Pistyll Rhaeadr, the Jurassic Coast, Wastwater, Dovedale, The Needles and the Giants Causeway. Another adventure I’m motivated to go on is the South Downs or North Downs Way. I’m going to go there with my dad and do the route by bike.

What lessons have your adventures taught you?

I would say a big lesson has been to focus on the journey. An adventure isn’t defined by where you start and finish, it’s defined by everything that happens in between.

Image credits

Header image courtesy of The Arctic Cowboys, image 1 courtesy of West Hansen, image 2 courtesy of The Arctic Cowboys, image 3 courtesy of Matt Jones, image 4 courtesy of Mark Agnew, video courtesy of The Arctic Cowboys, image 5 courtesy of Matt Jones.

Dennis Maps is one of the leading map printers in the world, producing more than two million maps and charts every year. We offer comprehensive pre-press services, large format print solutions using both large format litho printing and large format digital print technologies, plus specialised map folding and map finishing techniques.