An East Kilbride couple have told of their dramatic rescue at sea after their boat ran aground off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

Steve Mackay, a former St Brides High School pupil, and his partner Elizabeth Anne Jamieson, from Westwood, were in the Gulf filming a documentary kayak4kuwait as part of the K20 Expedition.

The pair followed three kayakers who paddled more than 2300 kilometres in 90 days from Kuwait to Oman to highlight sea pollution and its impact on the marine environment.

However, Steve and Elizabeth Anne, both 45, ended up getting more than they bargained for in treacherous seas when their ship, The Katherina, struck rocks off the coast off the UAE.

They led the evacuation from the listing ship, plunging into rough seas, and were eventually picked up by the UAE military and coastguard.

The drama didnt end there as their second yacht, The Aquarius, was battered for weeks by storms in the Gulf.

Even then there was further drama when rigging on the yachts mast snapped and the boat had to limp back to the nearest port.

Steve, who is a documentary-maker and cameraman, met Elizabeth Anne when he helped organise and film a fundraiser.

He was director of photography during the three-month expedition, which began last November, while Elizabeth Anne acted as camera operator.

However, after just five days aboard The Katherina, events took a dramatic turn.

It was absolutely terrifying, Steve said. There were moments I questioned if I was going to make it out alive.

We obviously realised we had struck rocks but panic really set in when the ship began to list. Its not until youre in that situation you know how youll react.

Initially, Elizabeth Anne and I drank coffee on deck and remained calm but once we started feeling the ship listing and heard the crashing of dishes and fridges toppling over inside as we were waiting to be rescued, I definitely felt the fear.

Elizabeth Anne probably handled it better than me. One of the crew knelt on deck praying. Even the coastguard didnt know what to do until we took the decision to jump into the sea.

When it was clear we were going down, Elizabeth Anne jumped into the rough seas first, swimming through diesel and wreckage, and I followed, before we were picked up and flown to Qatar.

A huge salvage operation resumed the following morning without success and within days The Katherina was torn apart by unforgiving seas just before Christmas.

Steve said: It was emotional leaving the boat behind as it becomes home and a part of you. She was a beautiful yacht.

The whole experience was extremely emotional, not to mention humbling. But I would be lying if I said it wasnt also a little exhilarating.

Having been rescued and checked over by medics, the East Kilbride couple, along with the rest of the expedition, regrouped and boarded The Aquarius early in the new year.

But having survived one dramatic experience, the couple couldnt believe it when they ran into trouble once again.

Steve said: Our hearts were in our mouths when the wires holding the mast started snapping and the mast became loose.

It could have gone either way. I was standing there filming and could not believe we were in this position again.

This time we were facing storms, deep water, no VHF radio and the life-jackets were under the mast in the crew quarters.

We all froze but somehow the captain steered the ailing yacht back to port. Again we were very, very lucky.

One of the group was swept out to sea when filming underwater and had to swim a mile to shore in dangerous currents to survive.

The documentary, which has now been released, saw Steve and Elizabeth Anne explore the coastline from cityscapes, mountains, beaches, deserts, mangroves and come across an abundance of wildlife and marine life along the way.

And they were welcomed by everyone from village folk to dignitaries during the expedition.

Steve said: It was an amazing experience and one we wont forget in a hurry being on a sinking ship wasnt part of the plan but Elizabeth Anne and I are just so thankful it wasnt much worse.

The expedition and documentary have generated so much interest that there are now proposals for a TV series in Alaska or the Amazon and I am looking for investors and sponsors for what would be another amazing project designed to help safeguard the environment for generations to come.

To get involved in Steves project, call 07793 009998.

Excerpt from:

Drama on the high seas: East Kilbride couple reveal dramatic rescue after boat sinks in Gulf - Scottish Daily Record