The Long Voyage of a Medal

A Story That Began Earlier

Some things are not meant to arrive in a straight line. When Noel and I were awarded the Tall Ships Australia and New Zealand Medallion – personal achievement, it was first shared with us over Zoom by Julie Porter co-owner/Skipper SV Rhona H – Hobart’s Oldest and Tallest operating Tall Ship. It was a proud moment for both of us, and one that I wrote about at the time. If you read that earlier piece, you will know how much this recognition meant to us and to the wider SisterShip Training community. What I did not know then was that the medal itself would take on a journey of its own before finally reaching us (it’s taken more than a year!)

A Name, A Coincidence

The medal began its passage with Julie and was then entrusted to Sarah Parry, Skipper of Windward Bound, who carried it north from Hobart. And here is where the story takes a turn that still makes me smile. My name is Jackie Sarah Parry. Close enough to cause confusion, and certainly close enough to feel like more than coincidence. Two Sarah Parrys, both Skippers, connected by one small medal making its way up the coast.

Zigging and Zagging

As often happens in maritime life, timing had other ideas. We zigged. She zagged; schedules shifted, and the simple handover never quite came together. Instead, the medal found its way into the care of Chris Bingham, a volunteer with Mission to Seafarers in Eden and someone who has spent most of his life in the maritime industry. Chris is one of those people who carries experience with him, steady, capable, and always willing to help.

A Dockside Moment

When we finally met him, he told the story of how the medal reached him. “I was a bit worried,” he said, laughing. “Sarah threw the medal from Windward Bound to me on the dock… and my catching skills aren’t that great.” It is an image that stays with you. A medal that had already travelled by sea, suddenly airborne between two mariners, before landing safely in the hands of someone who understood its importance.

Held in Safe Hands

Chris kept it safe for months. No fuss. No expectation. Just care.

Six Months On

Meanwhile, Noel and I continued our own pattern of movement. Work, weather, and life kept us moving in different directions. More zigging. More zagging. Nearly six months passed before everything finally aligned and we found ourselves sitting down with Chris for a simple coffee in Eden. No ceremony, no crowd, just a quiet moment where the journey of this small but meaningful object came to rest.

What It Means

Holding the medal then felt no different to when we first received the news. The same sense of pride. The same humility. Because this recognition was never just about Noel and me. It reflects the people around us. The students who step aboard and trust the process, the mentors who give their time, and the community that continues long after a course ends.

Gratitude

To Julie Porter, thank you for the nomination and your belief in what we do. To Sarah Parry of Windward Bound, thank you for carrying the medal north and becoming part of this story in such an unexpected way. And to Chris Bingham, thank you for your care, your humour, and for being exactly the kind of person this industry relies on. It was a pleasure to finally meet you. Another reminder that maritime is, at its heart, a community where people look after one another and take pride in passing things safely from hand to hand.

A Journey Worth It

This medal has now travelled from Hobart up the coast, changed hands more than once, and even flown briefly through the air on a dock in Eden. It took the long way around to reach us. Somehow, that feels entirely fitting.