Mount Maunganui man sailing solo from New Zealand to Wales in two-year mission

Mount Maunganui man Iwan Thomas is about to set sail on his 32-foot yacht on an epic two-year mission, travelling solo to his home country Wales. Along the way, he plans to deliver water filter straws to remote islands, such as Fiji, to help people access safe drinking water. Megan Wilson reports.

Four and a half years ago, Iwan Thomas had the money saved to buy a house.

Instead, “I spent all my money on a boat”.

The 43-year-old has been living on his boat in Tauranga since, learning how to sail and taking up jobs repairing and delivering boats.

It has all been in preparation for his two-year voyage, on which he will leave in May.

Iwan Thomas is leaving Mount Maunganui in May 2024 aboard his boat, Betty, named after his late grandmother, for a two-year sailing trip back to his home country of Wales. Photo / Alex Cairns

Thomas told the Bay of Plenty Times he had surfed all his life and loved the ocean.

“I grew up in Wales next to the ocean and I’ve always fished.”

After leaving university, Thomas said he travelled the world, surfing in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and America.

He spent time living in Australia before moving to Mount Maunganui 13 years ago.

Thomas said he had the money saved to buy a house but felt it was a “big commitment” to live in one place.

He bought his yacht - a Westsail 32 - in Whangārei and sailed it back to Mount Maunganui with a friend.

With no prior sailing knowledge or experience, Thomas started learning how to sail which he said he had done “really quickly”.

Iwan Thomas onboard his yacht Betty, ahead of his two-year mission. Photo / Alex Cairns

As he became more confident, he signed up to do some deliveries, helping sail boats from New Zealand to Tahiti and Australia.

Thomas said he was installing irrigation on orchards when he quit his job. He started a new job building boats and then got another job repairing boats and helping with deliveries.

He said he had no mortgage and the cost of living could be “quite cheap” - apart from when things went wrong on the boat.

Thomas said he enjoyed the “freedom” of living on a boat and having “no neighbours”.

Setting sail for Wales

Thomas said he wanted to do the two-year trip “while I still feel able and young enough”.

“I feel that life is very precious and you don’t know what’s happening with the world. Covid came around and that stopped everyone travelling.”

Thomas said his first stop would be Fiji.

“Once I’m up there, I’ll just be island hopping until I pretty much get to Australia.”

From Australia, he planned to go to Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and then perhaps Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

His route from there depended on the war in Gaza.

He said the “shortest, easiest route” would be through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal and into the Mediterranean.

The alternative would be going around Africa which would be “a heck of a lot longer”.

Thomas said he was most excited to “see how I react when situations aren’t going that well” such as rough weather and “not seeing anyone for a while”.

Thomas said his trip was self-funded and he had been saving for 20 years.

But he said he could stop and work repairing boats if needed.

Thomas said he was doing final repairs on the boat, maintenance, and making the most of being close to shops, facilities, and “skilled” workers and friends.

He said his yacht was “self-sufficient” with a fridge, freezer, solar and gas. A “water maker” on board would give him an “unlimited supply” of fresh water.

Thomas named his yacht after his grandmother Betty, who left him some money in her will which helped pay for it.

He would sail the boat back to her county - Pembrokeshire - where his family were.

“I’m hoping that they’re all going to be there to welcome me into my local harbour when I get there.”

Delivering CleanSip straws

Thomas said he was in a “privileged” position to do the trip but he wanted to “help out” along the way.

While researching, he found out about CleanSip straws - a straw with an inbuilt water filter - which he described as being “straightforward” to use for people struggling to access safe drinking water.

He said they weren’t a “long-term solution” but they could supply people with fresh water in “emergency situations.

“You put these things in a puddle or a river .. and suck through it.”

Thomas said he planned to deliver the straws to remote islands such as Fiji.

He said the straws cost about $15 each and he hoped to raise enough money to take 500 straws.

At the time of writing, he had raised about $1500 through a GoFundMe page.

“Even if I went with half of that, as long as I can help on the way around.”

“Every dollar helps” and all money donated would go towards the straws, he said.

Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.