Around the world training cruise

Today was another beautiful day in the Bay Area; typical California sunshine and mild temperatures.  It was a beautiful day for a cruise.  But not the normal ferries that cruise the San Francisco Bay and beneath the Golden Gate Bridge.  Or even the ferry that carries tourists to Alcatraz Island, the one time federal prison.  Today was a day to take in a much rarer sight.  Three Japanese military training ships--Kashima TV 3508, Yamagiri TV 3513, and Sawayuki DD 125--had docked at Pier 27 and were open to the public for tours.

It was not so crowded, as it was a Monday morning and barely publicized in the local news.  Still, quite a few Japanese people and curious others climbed aboard to see what an actual Japanese military vessel was like.

Unfortunately, this ship was not open to the public.

Most of the crew members and staff could barely speak English but everyone was so very nice and welcoming.  I hope that they enjoyed visiting our city for a few days and that their training  will help them to become upstanding and proud military officers.  It was a fun day to meet with them all.