Week five started with NORTHLAND's departure from Cape Verde en route Rota, Spain approximately 1500 miles to the north. The day after we departed, we rendezvoused with the USS BARRY (DDG 52), an Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer, which had just left West Africa and was also bound for Rota. During the transit, we conducted a Passing Exercise which provides each ship the opportunity to conduct training that is difficult or impossible to do without another ship present. We were able to exercise our underway replenishment skills by conducting "leap frogs" which are alternating approaches made within approximately 120 feet of each other. This maneuver requires precision ship handling and replicates the approach we would make if we were going alongside an oiler to refuel at sea. On BARRY's final approach they treated us to a "broadside" of water balloons. While we were caught off guard with YNC Harris taking the brunt of two balloons, we would later even the score.

Training continued with the BARRY conducting a mock boarding onboard the NORTHLAND with their Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) team. NORTHLAND provided an unfamiliar platform to test the team's skills in searching a vessel for unaccounted for personnel. Several NORTHLAND crewmembers dressed in civilian clothes and played the role of a merchant vessel's crew. NORTHLAND's boarding and law enforcement experts observed the entire exercise and both crews gained some valuable experience and knowledge on each service's boading practices and procedures. After the mock boardings, we swapped several crew members between the two ships to provide an additional avenue for training and learning. We gained some invaluable assistance from a BARRY crewmember, IT1 Poe, as he spent most of the night fixing a communications problem with our technicians. CAPT Giglio hosted the BARRY's Commanding Officer and Operations Officer for dinner, exchanged plaques and then just as they were about to return to their ship, we caught BARRY off-guard. During the crew transfer, BM1 Gabe Gervais had arrived on BARRY with a Coast Guard Ensign (flag) secreted away in his back pack. After getting familiar with the layout of the 466 foot combatant, BM1 Gervais managed to sneak up to BARRY's signal bridge with the ensign in tow. Just as BARRY's CO stepped out on to NORTHLAND's flight deck, BM1 Gervais raised the Coast Guard Ensign for all to see, declaring the ship "his" for a brief moment. Everyone had a good laugh. Both ship's exchanged their service's ensign which were flown from each ship during the transit.

Training continued as we transited north. NORTHLAND crewmembers refreshed their tactical signaling skills practicing flashing light (yes, back to the future with Morse Code!) and radio telephone drills that involve encoding and decoding signals that are passed over the radio. We developed a Search and Rescue exercise and again provided a platform for BARRY to conduct a Rescue and Assistance (R&A) drill. During the R&A drill, NORTHLAND pretended to be taking on water in After Steering and the BARRY sent over a team with a dewatering pump to dewater and conduct repairs. The three days of training proved to be an outstanding opportunity for both ships to capitalize on the unique capabilities of the other to improve their professional knowledge and experience.

Our stay in Rota turned out to be very pleasant. It provided a cheap opportunity for the crew to call home and catch up with family and friends. It also provided a Navy Exchange so that crewmembers could resupply after a month away from home. For morale, the crew went out on the town, played some softball and went on tours of The Rock of Gibraltar, and the towns of Ronda and Arcos. While at Gibraltar several crewmembers befriended one of the over 250 apes that call the "Rock" home. Next week will see NORTHLAND transiting the Straits of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea for the second leg of our deployment.

SN Rosteck is instructed to sit down and face outboard as the Barry Boarding team climbs aboard.

DC2 Matousek, SN Lheureux, and GM3 Bushman are escorted by Navy BTM's to the fantail for questioning.

SN Iulo and SN Degener playing softball during the first evening in Rota.

MK1 Moore stretches before taking the field.

NORTHLAND crewmembers dress up to role play during the mock boarding.

NORTHLAND crewmembers pose at the top of the Rock of Gibraltar.

NORTHLAND crew look over Gibraltar from the top of the 'Rock'.

NORTHLAND raises the CG Ensign on the USS BARRY.

BM2 Montejano is forced to the deck during the Navy's mock boarding.

USS BARRY makes its approach for UNREP training.

USS BARRY makes its water balloon assault on NORTHLAND.

CWO Roberts and LT Skiles enjoy dinner in Rota.

NORTHLAND makes an approach on USS BARRY for UNREP training.

LT Skiles and DC2 Hall enjoy the softball game and BBQ during the first evening in Rota.

MK2 Fleming and DC2 Matousek pose with a Gibraltar Ape.