Men and women from the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) led the 4000-strong Combined Navies Parade along George Street, a day before ships that took part in the International Fleet Review start to leave.
Ships' crews from countries including Indonesia, India, the United Kingdom and the United States took part in the march to the Town Hall, where they were met by Governor-General Quentin Bryce. Petty officer William Heppinger, 28, from New Jersey, was one of the sailors representing the US Navy cruiser USS Chosin in the parade.
"It was fantastic," he said. "It was a really good time for us because there was a lot of energy (from the crowd)."
The ship's visit to Australia also allowed PO Heppinger to visit his Australian high school exchange partner, who lives in the Sydney suburb of Campbelltown, for the first time in 12 years.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
The sailors were joined by RAN veterans and cadets in front of a crowd of people of all ages, many with links to the services, as a fly-past of RAN helicopters roared overhead. Peter Chapman, 72, and his wife Beverly, 71, travelled from Bathurst in NSW to see the parade because of their son, a former RAN warrant officer.
"We have a son, Peter, who served in the navy for 25 years and we thought we had better come down and support them," Mr Chapman said. Prince Harry was among the many spectators who came to see the 40-strong international gathering of warships and 16 tall ships in Sydney Harbour over the past week.
The tall ships will be the first to sail out from 11am (AEDT) on Thursday to start the 2013 Sydney Auckland Tall Ships Regatta, followed on Friday by the warships from 7.30am.
