OAM to Richard Nossiter, first Aussie Circumnavigator

by Sail-World Cruising on 16 Jun 2010 In 1935 a father and his two sons set off from Sydney harbour in ‘Sirius’, on a two year odyssey to sail around the world. They were the first Australians to venture from our shores and circumnavigate the globe in a yacht. This historic voyage is recognised by the awarding of The Medal of The Order of Australia (OAM) in the general division to the only surviving member of the crew.

Richard (Dick) Nossiter was one of the sons and the navigator of the boat, and it was recognised on the Queen’s Birthday public holiday 14th June. This coincides with Dick’s 100th birthday on 22nd June this year.

Dick will be celebrating this milestone on his birth date, 22nd June, with approximately 40 family and friends including the current owner of Sirius, at his home in Cardiff, Newcastle where he resides and cares for himself and his cat.

The voyage, on the Sirius, a purpose built 53ft staysail schooner, was many years in the planning. The only communication was a one-way receiving radio used for time signals. They went via the Suez Canal and returned via the Panama Canal, which is today recognised as the accustomed route for circumnavigating cruising sailors.

Their arrival home into Sydney Harbour was covered by Movietone News and this footage, with sound, is available to day from the National Film and Sound Archives in Canberra(ID 49394-01).

Harold Nossiter, Dick's father and the skipper of the yacht, wrote two books on his voyage, which was recognised as the first circumnavigation by an Australian yacht.

About Richard Nossiter, DSC, OAM:
Richard grew up on the Lane Cove River, cruising and racing his father's yacht Utiekah II, with his three brothers. During World War II he was on loan to the Royal Navy, serving overseas from 1940-46, in command of Corvettes. He was awarded the DSC for bravery during convoy work to Murmansk in Russia. During his life he did six Sydney to Hobart Races, served as a Lane Cove Council Alderman and as Deputy Mayor. He is currently the longest serving member of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. He was widdowed two years ago after 67 years of marriage to his wife Nancy.

At the age of 25 he played a crucial part as the navigator in an historic voyage undertaken by his father, Harold Nossiter snr, and one of his 3 brothers, Harold Nossiter jnr. Because of the approaching milestone of his 100th birthday, several people expressed the need for recognition by the Australian Government for this historical feat while one of them is still alive.

One of Dick’s sons, Tim Nossiter, nominated him for an Order of Australia award. This has been accepted and recognized by the awarding of The Medal of The Order of Australia (OAM) in the general division and will be made public on the Queen’s Birthday public holiday, 14th June 2010.

Dick, on the eve of his 100th Birthday is very fortunate as he has all his faculties although rather frail on his legs. His mind is as sharp as ever, remembering the smallest details from very early childhood.

The Voyage of the Sirius:

Harold Nossiter snr was an eminent yachtsman of his day and had always dreamt of a world circumnavigation. Nearing retirement in 1935 his dream was realised with the launch in February in the presence of about 300 spectators on Sydney Harbour of his yacht Sirius, purpose designed and built for the voyage. As crew he decided to take the two eldest of his four sons as they had been sailing and racing his previous yacht, Utiekah II, with him since childhood. On Sunday 14th July 1935, two days after his retirement, they slipped the mooring at their family home in Northwood on the Lane Cove River and commenced this historic voyage.

Sailing out of Sydney Harbour and heading north the voyage took them via New Guinea, Bali, Singapore and Langkawi. Then on to Colombo, through the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean before arriving in Plymouth on 2nd June 1936.

They spent three months in the UK and it was during this time that owner/skipper Harold Snr, wrote “Northward Ho”, the first of two books he wrote documenting the voyage. The other book, “Southward Ho” was written during the voyage home. He mainly wrote the books as he understood the historical nature of their voyage, he had a perspective of history and wanted the voyage documented. Both books were published in the UK and the USA.

They weighed anchor and departed Cowes on 17th September 1936 to return to Australia. This was to be the ‘dream run’ as it would be virtually all downwind sailing following the trades back home, unlike the cold headwind bash they had through most of the Red Sea and Med.

They crossed the North Atlantic and transited the Panama Canal on 12th December 1936 into the Pacific Ocean and homeward bound. From Panama they sailed on to Cocos, the Galapagos Archipelago and then came the longest leg of the voyage, three thousand miles to the Marquesas.

The next leg to the Tuamotu Archipelago was to be the most taxing as far as navigation goes due to very low lying atolls, reefs and dangerous currents. Dick, who was the navigator aboard, proved his skills yet again and safely navigated them in and out of this dangerous Archipelago. Harold snr, wrote in the first chapter of his books, “ The younger, Dick, gladly welcomed the chance of seeing the world and at my suggestion studied navigation with a view to obtaining a yacht master’s certificate. In October, 1933, he sat for that examination and passed brilliantly”.

Dick’s Yacht Master’s Certificate was the second (002) such certificate to be awarded in Australia.

They sailed on to Sydney via Tahiti and Bora Bora in the Society Group, to the Cook and Tongan Islands. The final journey home proved to be the toughest. Naturally in a voyage of this length storms are to be encountered but ironically the severest one occurred within 120 miles of Sydney, less than a day’s sail away, with force twelve winds from the south west. They were hove-to for three days and when the storm abated they set sail for Sydney and home, dropping anchor in Watson’s Bay at 7pm on 20th May 1937 having logged 28,000 miles in the twenty-two month voyage and with Sirius earning her place in maritime history as the first Australian yacht to circumnavigate the world. The following morning, after pratique and customs clearance, they weighed anchor and under full sail with a southerly wind sailed back up Sydney Harbour to a wonderful welcome with ferry boats tooting and people waving from the shore, arriving at their mooring in Woodford bay, Northwood at 9.30am.

The sail up the harbour and at their mooring in Woodford Bay was covered by ‘Movietone News’. This footage is available today as Dick donated a copy to the National Film and Sound Archives. It’s only a 45 second grab but has sound with Harold Nossiter snr speaking. Its ID number is 49394-01.

Sirius Today:

Sirius is still afloat today and is in outstanding condition thanks to the current owner, Simon Morris, a recently retired British Airways pilot residing in Thailand where he keeps the vessel, sailing and racing her regularly. Simon has travelled extensively researching her full history which can be viewed on his web site at www.sirius1935.com. He has met with Dick and his brother Harold, when he was still alive, on a couple of occasions and will be attending Dick’s Birthday celebrations.