Episode 208: Mark Agnew, There Will Be Headwinds

Episode 208 of The Adventure Podcast features writer, adventurer and father, Mark Agnew. Mark is a self-confessed failed adventurer, at least he was, until he became one of the first people to kayak the entire Northwest Passage under human power. This is the second time Mark has been on the podcast. The first was not long after he’d come back from this major expedition, and it’s always fascinating to learn what’s changed in someone’s mind after time has gone by and they’ve had time to reflect. Matt and Mark cover some of the same ground in this episode, but it’s clear that Mark is looking at things differently now. In this conversation, Mark opens up with rare honesty about failure, redemption, and the shifting tide of ego. They discuss the year long court case hanging over him and the expedition. He talks about fatherhood, about needing adventure and feeling guilty for needing it. About rethinking what success looks like, and learning to pursue experience, camaraderie, and meaning, rather than just the finish line. This is a conversation about discomfort, doubt, and quietly rebuilding your inner world. It’s about how adventure can hold a mirror to who we are, and how the version of us that emerges on the other side isn’t always who we expected to become. For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast. Support this show . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You can listen to Episode 208: Mark Agnew, There Will Be Headwinds online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Episode 208: Mark Agnew, There Will Be Headwinds is an episode from The Adventure Podcast by The Adventure Podcast.

This episode is 1:41:12 long.

This episode was published on Aug 12, 2025.

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