120 Year Old Yacht Visits St Helens
We at St Helens Marine Rescue are privileged to escort another princess of the seas to St Helens. This time it is Heartsease (pronounced Hart Seas), a vessel built in 1897 in New Zealand. ‘Heartsease’ is named after a New Zealand wild flower. It is 47 feet long with an enormous mast. Skipper Peter is delighted to stop over at St Helens to replenish and rest over.
We escorted her into Georges Bay and will do the same on her departure this Thursday on the top of the tide. Skipper, Peter Repaja, is totally chipper with the wonderful waters of Georges Bay and the hospitality of the best place in North Eastern Tasmania.
Newport’s Peter Repaja and yachting partner Alex Gilmour were forced to dock their yacht Heartsease at Bermagui on the south coast of NSW, on voyage to Hobart.
They were aiming for Hobart’s famous Wooden Boat Festival — held at Constitution Dock every two years.
The skipper said the trip across Bass Strait had been challenging. “There were fairly high winds and confused seas,” he said. “We’re currently tied up near Constitution Dock and now we are relaxing — drying ourselves out.”
“This yacht has beautiful and majestic lines,” he said. “She has a clipper bow and a counter stern. Heartsease always turns heads.”