If at first you don’t succeed...

GLOBETROTTER . . . Frank Rothwell traces his journey up to the polar ice caps and back.

AN intrepid local explorer has completed a dangerous voyage to the polar ice caps - despite cancer almost putting paid to his seafaring ambitions.

Hollinwood businessman Frank Rothwell (62) finally completed his 20,000-mile trip last month, despite several problems - including prostate cancer and a kidney stone, that forced him back on to dry land several times.

The brave Oldhamer started his epic trip four years ago intending to complete the voyage within 12 months. This summer he finally completed the last 8,000 miles.

Frank is set to join fewer than 100 small boat navigators who have navigated the North-West Passage through the Arctic Ocean.

Frank said: “I got the idea from a bloke in the pub; it was something I wanted to do straight away.

“It’s quite easy to do adventurous things with a guide or someone helping you. What I did is more testing than Everest as there’s more risk involved; but I could do it myself.”

The father of two was first forced to delay his trip when his business, Another Level Car Parks, won awarded a major contract.

Then in 2010 he sailed from Antigua to Seattle before receiving the that he had cancer. He returned home at Christmas for surgery and the trip was stalled.

In June this year he began the voyage again, sailing from Seattle to Dutch Harbor in Alaska before crossing the ocean north of the US and Canada.

At Cambridge Bay in Canada he developed a kidney stone — and had to be flown 1,500 miles to hospital to have it removed. The delay meant the boat faced a long wait for the ice to recede from the North West Passage so they could pass through in the specially-built 50ft yacht.

Frank, who has previously sailed round the world, added: “Even a few weeks ago while we were waiting at Nome, Cambridge Bay and Gjoa Haven for the ice to clear ahead I wondered whether we would complete the adventure in one season. I definitely thought it wasn’t going to happen this year.”

Along the way he saw the Northern Lights, icebergs the size of Wembley Stadium, whales, sharks, dolphins and polar bears.

After 14 weeks away he returned home last week, sailing past Greenland to northern Scotland.

The globetrotter is glad to be back at home with his wife Judith.

He said: “She said I looked older... but I said she hadn’t changed a bit. It’s good to be home. I had satellite phone on the boat so I spoke to my wife every day — that was part of the deal of me going — but yes it is really nice to be back.

“I was definitely glad to sleep in a proper bed again!”


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