The MV SIGNA has reached a significant milestone on its way to the Australian Wooden Boat Festival, with the crew successfully arriving in St Helens on the northeast coast of Tasmania after 38 and 3/4 hours at sea. 

The crew departed Bermagui at 6am on Wednesday, 29 January, and made it to St Helens on Thursday, 30 January, at 8:45pm local time.

While the weather was generally manageable, the crew faced some challenges, including sloppy seas from 6am on Thursday and strong currents that slowed their progress. 

Despite these setbacks, they reached St Helens - though, due to their late arrival, they were unable to be guided into the shallow waters of the port. Instead, they spent the night at a swing mooring.

Sandra Hansen, wife of the project’s leader John Hansen, shared the update via Facebook, saying, “It was a long journey, and they had a drink or two to celebrate before getting some much-needed rest.”

The following morning, Friday, 31 January, the crew made their way into St Helens at 10am greeted by a stunning, clear day. John described the location as “beautiful” and mentioned they were looking forward to a well-earned break.

John reflected on the long stretch at sea, saying, “It’s a bloody long way, and it was totally black out there at night. We had to dodge a lot of oil rigs, but thank God for technology - it’s been a lifesaver out here.”

With no set timetable for their return journey, the crew is now focusing on taking shorter hops and enjoying the journey at their own pace. “We’ll take it easy for a bit, maybe do some fishing tomorrow, and then head to Wine Glass Bay and Bruny Island before making our way to Hobart,” says John.

The view of St Helens from the SIGNA, must have been a great sight! Source: Sandra Hansen.

The next leg of the journey is entirely dependent on the weather. The crew may spend an extra day in St Helens to relax and fish before continuing south. After that, their plan is to head to Wine Glass Bay and Bruny Island, where they have a mooring arranged. 

The final destination is Hobart, where the MV SIGNA is due to arrive at Constitution Dock by Thursday, 6 February, at 11am to register for the Australian Wooden Boat Festival.

Stay tuned for further updates as the SIGNA crew makes their way to Hobart!