On route to RIMPAC, a multinational maritime exercise that takes place in the north Pacific Ocean and is held every two years by the Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, the USS Nimitz dropped anchor near Esquimalt Harbour for a friendly visit to the city of Victoria, which it last visited in 2007. This visit was planned by both the U.S. and Canadian Navies and is one of many manifestations of the collaboration between these two nations. This visit provided an opportunity for both navies to continue to foster and sustain the cooperative relationship that is critical to ensuring the security of North American coastal waters and passage ways and the overall security of the world’s oceans. The USS Nimitz also planned a stopover in Nanoose Bay, where it will participate in various trials and tests at a Canadian military test range.
The USS Nimitz, based in its home port of Everett, Washington, is named after Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, commander-in-chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet during the Second World War. It is the lead ship of America’s largest class of aircraft carriers and the first commissioned nuclear powered ship of its class. This impressive feat of engineering can hold up to five thousand crew members, carry ninety helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft and is twenty-three stories high. Community outreach programming saw USS Nimitz sailors participate in various sporting events with their Royal Canadian Navy counterparts and volunteer at a senior citizen’s home and serve lunch at a downtown Victoria shelter.
Additionally, Consul General Anne Callaghan shared hosting duties with Rear Admiral Mewbourne at a reception on board the Nimitz, which was attended by several distinguished figures from the U.S. and Canadian Navies and the city of Victoria. The reception conveyed the message that the United States and Canada are important allies and partners in defense, and that our mutual defense partnership affords each of us greater security.
Please click here to view photos from the ship’s visit to Victoria.
