Voyage of the Scotia 1902-04

People of the Expedition

Andrew Coats on his yacht Blencathra

In 1898 Andrew Coats of Ayr, a member of the wealthy Paisley thread-making family, planned a sporting trip to the Barents Sea in his steam-yacht Blencathra. Dr. H R Mill was to have accompanied the yacht to make scientific observations, but was eventually unable to go, and duly recommended Dr. William Bruce as a suitably-qualified substitute.

This chance opportunity proved to be very beneficial to Bruce, introducing him not only to the Coats family, who were to give generous support to his Scottish National Antarctic Expedition of 1902-04, but also to the land of Spitzbergen, where he was to spend much of his future time.

This photgraph shows Andrew Coats on the main deck of Blencathra, probably during the 1898 trip.