Week 11 for NORTHLAND brought our departure from Gaeta, Italy, but it was a quick transit to Algiers, Algeria. The transit gave the crew a little time to conduct some training, including navigation, a machinery space fire, and man overboard drills. It was good practice for the many drills we will be conducting on our way home!

Pulling into Algiers was quite the experience. The security provided by the Algerian military was probably the best we’ve seen and they greeted us at the pier with a military band and honor guard in Full Dress Whites. The first day was extremely busy as some of the crew visited an Algerian Military Museum, CDR Austin made official calls on officials of the Algerian Navy and Coast Guard, and the rest of the crew prepared for a reception on the flight deck that evening. The reception was attended by foreign military personnel, members of the Algerian Parliament, members of the American embassy and several foreign ambassadors. The food was great and everyone enjoyed their evening onboard NORTHLAND thanks to the hard work of the crew.

The following day, part of the crew was able to visit the area of Tipaza. Tipaza was at one time a Roman city and the area is filled with beautiful ruins overlooking the ocean. The tour group was able to walk through much of the ruins, which still have many original artifacts scattering the ground. The more valuable and important artifacts have been removed from the site and are housed in a nearby museum, which the group was given the opportunity to explore. After walking the ruins and museum the group was able to do a little shopping and sampled the local cuisine.

Another group of crewmembers were given the opportunity to play the Algerian Navy’s soccer team. The game was played in the Algiers Olympic stadium and while NORTHLAND put up a good fight, the score was a bit lopsided at the end…in favor of the Algerians.

After the tour to Tipaza and the soccer game, almost half the crew attended an elegant formal reception and dinner hosted by the Algerian Navy and Coast Guard. The food, service and hospitality were outstanding. We enjoyed a multi-course meal of traditional Algerian cuisine accompanied by a live band that played traditional Algerian music. The cultural exchanges and friendships made that evening left a lasting impression on everyone.

The week concluded the following morning when we departed Algiers. The morning was filled with exercises with the Algerian Coast Guard, including Tactical Signaling, Formation Steaming and an Alien Migrant Interdiction Operation demonstration onboard NORTHLAND. Our visit and interaction with the Algerian Navy and Coast Guard strengthened the foundation of friendship, cooperation, and good will that was established by the Coast Guard Cutter BEAR last year during their visit.

With several thousand miles of steaming ahead of us, a transit through the Straits of Gibraltar, and one more port call for fuel and food we are mission complete and looking forward to seeing our loved ones in a couple of weeks. We’ll see you all soon!

The welcoming party of Algerian military awaiting our arrival on the pier

CDR Austin and LCDR Lane enjoy a lunch onboard NORTHLAND with our Algerian Coast Guard counterparts.

Some crewmembers stopping to grab some food and relax at the museum in Algeria

ETC Williamson and OSC Beckom getting a bite to eat at the museum

ENS Fawcett & ENS Hitzel in Algiers

EM3 Campbell, ET1 Wynne & MK3 Moore stop to rest during the museum tour.

NORTHLAND’s crew departing from their tour at the Algerian Military Museum

ET1 Deocampo with our Algerian escorts

NORTHLAND in full dress ship for our reception in Algiers

SN Session working the hat table during the reception

CWO Brown and EMC Harvey chat with our guests during the reception

YNC Harris and LT Skiles enjoy their time at the reception.

Some members of the crew enjoying the reception hosted by the Algerian Navy & Coast Guard.

NORTHLAND’s soccer team joins the Algerian Navy soccer team for a picture after the game.

The group on the Tipaza tour

Some of the ruins at Tipaza

One of the local fishing boats seen during out transit out of Algiers.

SN Bush with the display at the Algerian Military Museum

One of our new shipmates, FN Beers, working the dessert table.

GM2 Delahoussaye, our resident bartender, at the reception

The tower of martyrs in the city of Algiers

ENS Tillman with our trophy after the soccer game.