Ex-Motherwell man Iain’s epic 15,000-mile voyage

Sep 29 2011 Hamilton Advertiser

A FORMER Lanarkshire man has fulfilled a lifelong ambition by sailing 15,000 miles to return to the place he grew up – and to look up old school friends.

Ex-pat Iain White left his current home in Melbourne, Australia, in March last year aboard his 42ft sailing yacht, Scot-Free in a bid to achieve his dream of returning to his Lanarkshire roots.

After trip which took the 65-year-old industrial designer through the pirate hotspots of the Indian Ocean, the Suez Canal, and Mediterranean, he finally tied up in Troon in July.

His arrival in the Ayrshire town was much to the relief of his 87-year-old mum Mary and his children Elizabeth (26), and 27-year-old Douglas, who all reside Down Under.

Iain lived with his parents Mary and Dick, a Merchant Navy officer, in Viewpark Road, Motherwell, before they moved to Canderside Toll when he was 14.

He attended Knowetop Primary and Dalziel High and obtained a degree in industrial design at Glasgow School of Art.

He explained that after leaving college, he began to get itchy feet, adding: “When I was growing up, I was always keen on canoeing and I got into dinghy sailing.

“I first contemplated a circumnavigation in 1968 after graduating and even bought a set of plans for a 25ft Folkboat with the intention of building one and sailing it to Australia.

“Mum denies all knowledge of those plans which were left in her care when I emigrated two years later, boatless but obviously without losing the ambition – which went underground.”

Family and work commitments meant that his sailing ambitions stayed on hold for 40 years.

They were rekindled in 2003 when he parted with 25,000 Australian dollars (£16,000) for a down-at-heel 17-tonne yacht berthed at Melbourne docks.

He then spent 125,000 Australian dollars (£80,000) and almost eight years restoring and re-fitting the boat before sailing it from Melbourne to Darwin in March last year.

He left the Northern Territories capital in July for his epic journey travelling with assorted crew – among them his daughter for a short time – who helped him during the trip.

Iain’s route took him up to Singapore, Thailand and – after stopping off at Sri Lanka – into the dangerous waters of Somalia, a hotspot for pirates.

Iain was mindful of the risks and took precautions, keeping with three other boats as they crossed the Indian Ocean and then joining a flotilla of 14 crafts as they sailed into the even-more-dangerous Gulf of Aden.

Iain added: “The pirate issue didn’t really impact on us because it was always happening many miles away.

“However, on one occasion, as we were going through the pirate zone and dropped anchor off the coast of Eritrea, a fishing boat pulled up nearby with what seemed to be four thugs on board.

“They turned out to be Eritrean fishermen and we ended up having a wonderful night with them.

“They were poor but it was their country. They recognised us as strangers and gave us what they could. It was very humbling.”

After passing through the Suez Canal and Mediterranean, Scot-Free hit trouble in the waters off the coast of Portugal in June.

“It was the only time I got twitchy,” said Iain. “We were battling against a northerly wind of 40 knots and a strong current. The weather was horrendous. with four- or five-metre seas.

“It took us a month to travel 500 miles when, normally, I can sail 150 miles in 24 hours.”

The weather relented, the wind became lighter and Scot-Free made it across the “lumpy seas” of the Bay of Biscay then up the east coast to Britain and on to Troon.

Iain is now staying with pals and planning trips next year around the Hebridean islands and across to Europe in Scot-Free.

He plans to return to Australia in mid-October but, for the time being, intends spending time on dry land and meeting up with former school pals.

The man who celebrated his 65th birthday sailing in the Suez Canal said: “I would recommend it. Everyone has got to do it. It restores your faith in human nature.

“The people we met in Eritrea and Sudan had virtually nothing but what they had they would share with you. It was astounding friendliness.”

l Old school friends can contact Iain on 07741088428. To read more about his epic trip, go to www.scotcruising.wordpress.com.