Voyage of the Scotia 1902-04

William Speirs Bruce, 1867-1921

William S Bruce at camp in 1899

A chance encounter with the Prince of Monaco at Tromso in 1898, on the return of Andrew Coats's steam-yacht Blencathra to that port after a sporting trip in the Barents Sea, led to William Bruce's invitation to join the Prince's yacht Princesse Alice, both on an immediate reconnaissance voyage, and on a longer hydrographical survey expedition to Spitzbergen, planned for the following year.

During the expedition the ship foundered on a submerged rock in Red Bay, and Bruce was given the task of establishing this emergency camp ashore.

Eventually, after many unsuccessful attempts over a period of several days, the holed ship was refloated, and was able to return to Tromso for temporary repairs, before proceeding homewards to Havre.