Wallace Clark, 1926-2011

[Quandary]

Some of you who used the earlier copies of the ICC cruising directions or read the articles in YM on cruising around Ireland and the West Coast of Scotland might remember the writings of Wallace Clark, who died last week in his mid eighties. He was a great advocate of adventurous cruising under sail and pioneered the use of many now familiar anchorages.
His son, the journalist Miles Clark, who died many years ago, used to be another cruising pioneer using the same family yacht; writing frequently for YM in its old crinkly cover days about exciting places from the West Coast to Russia, which he circumnavigated. I have kept YM May 1987 because of the cover picture of their ketch Wild Goose moored comfortably alongside a remote heather clad rock outcrop at Clas Uig, Islay; I still await the opportunity to recreate it.
The family had for generations been prominent in the linen industry with water powered mills at Upperlands in the middle of Northern Ireland (the mills are closed but the layde and turbines now generate green electricity for the village). Wallace developed his love of the sea during service in the Navy toward the end of WW2. Many of his adventures were in the 12 oared birlinn 'Aileach' (which he commissioned from Colin Moodie, based on a stone carving at Rhodel) exploring the old routes around N. Ireland and Scotland and as far as the Faeroes. He was a navigator on Severins curragh 'Brendan' on it trip to Iceland, and even earlier, recreated Columbas rowing trip from Ireland to Iona. In recent years he supported his friend Iain Oughtreds effort to reintroduce competitive sea rowing with the easy to build skiffs which are appearing in all the coastal villages around Scotland.
A life lived well!

 

[dylanwinter]

life well lived - well written obit

A well written obit there Quandary - he would have been well satisfied with that. I hope he managed to keep sailing well on into his eighties

Dylan

 

[oldvarnish]

I knew him and thanks for posting this. A hugely accomplished sailor and a gentleman, as was Miles. I rcommend Miles' biography of the Smeetons - High Endeavours

 

[alan_d]

His son, the journalist Miles Clark, who died many years ago, used to be another cruising pioneer using the same family yacht; writing frequently for YM in its old crinkly cover days about exciting places from the West Coast to Russia, which he circumnavigated.

Struggling with the thought of circumnavigating Russia. Could you provide more details?

 

[Quandary]

Circumnavigating Russia

If you Google 'Miles Clark' you will find details in his obituaries.
He did it in 1992, the year before his death, briefly the route was Arctic, White Sea, Russian canals and rivers, Black Sea and home via the Mediterreanan. From memory, the boat he used, 'Wild Goose' was a ketch, about 40' which was a big boat at that time. It would have taken some planning and I have never heard of anyone repeating the trip.
When he was about 12 he wrote to his godfather, Miles Smeeton to ask for advice regarding a transatlantic trip he was planning. His godfathers response was encouraging, responding 'I have no doubt that you are well capable of it' His book on the Smeetons is still highly regarded. It is difficult to understand why such a talented individual leading such a full life decided to end it.
There is a lot of very good reading from 20 to 50 years ago when magazines like Yachting Monthly had real adventure stories to publish and I think there is perhaps a good book to be written about the maritime adventures of the Clark family, there is plenty of source material in their own writings.

 

[SAWDOC]

Thanks for posting Joe,

Wallace was a great man and an inspiration to us lesser mortals. His account of how he lost his boat entering his home port on the Bann left a deep impression on me, particularly for his lack of ego in the account. May he rest in peace.

"Sailing around Ireland" is still a very worthwhile read.

I thought it was his son Miles rather than himself who sailed with Tim Severin? I may be wrong on that.

 

[maxwell macleod]

Wallace Clark

Having just written Mr Clark's obit for rhe Independent may I add a couple of relevent items to this thread.

His book The Lord of the Isles voyage is well worth chasing

Sailing round Russia, equally so.

Those interested in the new rowing skiffs would be well advised to Google
Scottish Coastal Rowing.

Best


Maxwell

 

[Tranona]

Wild Goose was originally Wild Lone II, designed by Maurice Griffiths for himself and built by Harry King at Pin Mill in 1935. She is a 36ft yawl and MG kept her for a couple of years before selling her to somebody in Scotland and replacing her with a new design, Lone Gull, which was the very opposite in style to Wild Lone, being heavily influenced by shoal draft yachts he saw during a long visit to the east coast of US.

A sister ship to Wild Lone, but sloop rigged instead of yawl called Jorrocks II was built in 1937 and was in the same ownership on the east coast until the 1980's. As already noted Wild Lone spent the rest of her life in the Clark family until she sank a few years ago entering Portrush (I think) but has now been rebuilt and is run by a trust of some sort.

More details in MG's books, particularly "60 years a Yacht Designer".

 

[jamesjermain]

Some of you who used the earlier copies of the ICC cruising directions or read the articles in YM on cruising around Ireland and the West Coast of Scotland might remember the writings of Wallace Clark, who died last week in his mid eighties. He was a great advocate of adventurous cruising under sail and pioneered the use of many now familiar anchorages.
His son, the journalist Miles Clark, who died many years ago, used to be another cruising pioneer using the same family yacht; writing frequently for YM in its old crinkly cover days about exciting places from the West Coast to Russia, which he circumnavigated. I have kept YM May 1987 because of the cover picture of their ketch Wild Goose moored comfortably alongside a remote heather clad rock outcrop at Clas Uig, Islay; I still await the opportunity to recreate it.
The family had for generations been prominent in the linen industry with water powered mills at Upperlands in the middle of Northern Ireland (the mills are closed but the layde and turbines now generate green electricity for the village). Wallace developed his love of the sea during service in the Navy toward the end of WW2. Many of his adventures were in the 12 oared birlinn 'Aileach' (which he commissioned from Colin Moodie, based on a stone carving at Rhodel) exploring the old routes around N. Ireland and Scotland and as far as the Faeroes. He was a navigator on Severins curragh 'Brendan' on it trip to Iceland, and even earlier, recreated Columbas rowing trip from Ireland to Iona. In recent years he supported his friend Iain Oughtreds effort to reintroduce competitive sea rowing with the easy to build skiffs which are appearing in all the coastal villages around Scotland.
A life lived well!

Thank you for this post, marking the passing of a real gentleman and one of the modest greats of sailing. I knew Wallace slightly but admired him hugely. Of course, I knew his son, Miles well as a colleague on YM. He was also a remarkable man with a great future ahead of him which was sadly not to be fulfilled.