Sailing Officer

“Nordlys” “Nordlys”

The Southport Yacht Club has a small number of members whom have a membership of more that 50 years. Jim Murphy joined the club in 1963 (57 years) when the club a small red brick building had a total membership of 387. Jim & Nancy were successful business people and loved their boating and in 1964 Jim purchased his first boat “Jenny Lyn” a half cabin wooden clinker hull 18’6ft, and after a couple of years Jim sold her and acquired another vessel “Binda” Jim commenced navigation events and was outright points winner of 2 Goodwill Cups in 1966-1967 and in the late 60’s Jim sold “Binda”. Being without a boat for some, In 1976 Jim brought a 14mtr hard-chine timber bridge deck cruise called “Nord Sjarna” (Danish for North Star). But after 4 years in1980 he parted with “Nord Sjarna” with the happy memories of good time’s on board with family and friends going North each winter as far afield as Lizard Island & Princess Charlotte Bay. By late 1983 Jim said “We are going to build another boat” That decision was the beginning of “Nordlys” she was built by Nelson Raebel at Walkers Boat Yard, Cabbage point. the laying of the keel was in March 1984. she was a hard-chine 16.2mtr spotted gum timber hull, 5mtr beam with a-draft of 1.7mtr’s weighed in at 32 tonnes, 2 Oregon masts and powered by a 6 LxB Gardiner, 7.5 Generator and all the latest in electronics, fuel capacity 4,500 lt. and 4,000 water.. The launching party was on December 12 1984, at the Walkers Yard. Jim informed the many guests attending the launch “I name thee “Nordlys” and bless all who sail in her” as she slipped gracefully into the water. Maggie Yule’s thank you not read “Great party from the Billy Tea to the Champagne”. The first extended cruise we left the Southport Yacht Club on 26th April 1986. around the top end for Perth for the preliminaries in 1986 and the final in 1987 of the Americas Cup. There were 13 challengers and 6 Aust yachts.and the atmosphere was terrific at the Fremantle Yacht Club . We were away for 11 months steamed 9,444 nautical miles 1308 engine hours when we arrived back in Southport. In 1988 we slipped our moorings again and headed South to Sydney for the 200 year Bicentennial Annervesary of Australia. Many guest came aboard from as far as USA. Jim said it was a fabiouslous day on the Sydney Harbour on Australia day Jan 26th 1988 with Tall Ships and thousands of boats all shapes and sizes with, like our selves, lots of people on board having a good time. After the trip around Australia, following Sydney for the Bicentennial celebrations, it was a case of Jim said “Oh, hum.what are we going to do now” “We might as well go to the Med”. Nordlys set sail for around the World cruise the day after the Southport Yacht Clubs Sail past-day on the 3rd September 1988. With some friends aboard headed up the Eastcoast destination Darwin Jim’s plan was to leave there on the 1st November. Well the big day arrived although there was some delay in receiving their cruising permits from the Indonesian Council but on the day of departure the permits arrived and we steamed out of Darwin on the 31st October. With visiting various countries on route, Nordlys passed through the Equator at 04:30 on the 2nd Dec 1988. On 16th March 1989 Nordlys dropped anchor in the receiving basin in preparation to proceed through the Suez Canal, there agent was “Prince of the Red Sea” We pick up on one of the highlight of Jims round the World cruise with some friends from the Gold Coast were aboard, on April 23 1990 we arrived at Cannkkale hoping to get information regarding boats going to ANZAC Cove for the 75th Anniversary of the landings at Gallipoli. Jim could not get any approval for a private boat to attend the services, a security measure because Maggie Thatcher PM of the UK and Bob Hawke PM of Aust. the President of Turkey, plus other dignitaries, would be attending the various commemorations. Jim decided we would go regardless we scheduled are time table to be at there on 25th April making sure we would be there for the memorable occasion. On April 24th under cover of darkness, we slipped into ANZAC Cove, expecting to be challenged - but no problems Nordlys quietly moved into shallow water, dropped anchor and lights out. (Sounds like something from Clive Cussler).

There were 16 naval ships on anchor, three were Australian vessels. Next morning we headed for the shore, under the cover of darkness again, for the dawn service. The beach was patrolled by Turkish soldiers “This is it” we thought, expecting to be turned away- but no they assisted us getting out of our dinghy. We hurried up the beach before any awkward questions could be asked. we mixed in with the big crowed and saw the old diggers arrive, being assisted from buses, frail old men, the last of the ANZAC’s. this was an experience we are glad to share, for it will never be repeated, as the ANZAC’s will have quietly faded away- but not the memory. We heard Bob Hawke give the dawn service and the bugler play the Last Post, by this time it was daylight and the Nordlys was conspicuous in ANZAC Cove amongst 16 Naval ships. We piled back into the dinghy and made haste on our way. Nordlys continues her journey around the world and after 52,000 nautical miles and 7,968 engine hours consuming 24,000 imperial gallons of diesel and crossed 50 countries, had Nordlys slipped 7 times through the journey, and Jim said the best day was off Cape Moreton, and the most

memorable day was at ANZAC Cove. Following some of the brief summery of some of the highlights-: : At the time Nordlys was the first SYC boat to circumnavigate the Globe. : The SYC 50 year book “Fifty Years On” page 92 a double page spread of Nordlys taken in Alaska. : November 93 issue of the SYC Broadsheet devoted a page of “Welcome Home Nordlys”. : In the bottle section at Main Beach a photo of Nordlys on the bulkhead. The book produced by Jim, “Nordlys Around the World” reads 92 pages of excitement of the voyage of Nordlys a must read if you are a cruiser. In 1996 Jim decided to sell Nordlys after 12 years traveling to many foreign lands and distant seas, met lots of great people logged up 62,000 nautical miles with out breakdowns, pirates, or health scares. October 2 1997 Jim turned 70 and on the 6th Nordlys left SYC under a new owner.