Amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) arrived in Victoria, British Columbia, for a scheduled port visit April 12.

The port visit gives Sailors an opportunity to visit a new country and to gain memorable experiences from right across the U.S. border.

"This visit helps to demonstrate the continuing commitment the U.S. has to our longstanding and important relationship with Canada," said Cmdr. Ben Miller, Pearl Harbor's commanding officer from Mobile, Alabama.

"The U.S. and Canada share not only a border, but common interests in regional and global security. In addition, the port visit gives the crew of Pearl Harbor a chance for some rest and relaxation away from homeport and the opportunity to engage in partnership-building activities with our Canadian counterparts."

Joint interagency and international relationships strengthen the ability to respond to crises and protect the collective maritime interests of the U.S. and its allies and partners.

"This port visit represents that coveted opportunity for U.S. Sailors to represent their service and country proudly," said Command Master Chief Jason Ortega, from San Antonio.

"This is another great opportunity for our Sailors to build memories and visit a new place to tell their families about. This is also a valuable time for our Sailors to decompress and show the roughly 30 brand-new Sailors their very first port visit. These are the memorable times that stand out in a Sailor's mind over the course of a career."

While in Victoria, Sailors will be able to experience historic Victorian architecture such as the Craigdarroch Castle, British Columbia Parliament buildings and plenty of outdoor activities including walking through Butchart Gardens, Fisherman's Wharf Park and touring the Fisgard Lighthouse.

"I think it'll be a good place to visit because I've always wanted to see Canada," said Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Austin Pethtel. "I'm excited to meet the people there and put a face to the country."

Pearl Harbor recently completed a 7-month deployment to the Indo-Asia-Pacific and Middle East. The ship is currently in a sustainment phase, preparing for an extended maintenance availability.

Pearl Harbor is a Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship, part of U.S. 3rd Fleet. The ship is named after the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th, 1941.

U.S. 3rd Fleet leads naval forces in the Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary for an effective global Navy. Third Fleet constantly coordinates with U.S. 7th Fleet to plan and execute missions that promote ongoing peace, security, and stability throughout the Pacific.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Expeditionary Strike Group 3, visit http://www.navy.mil/.