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Whidbey Island, 22nd MEU enjoy port visit in Cannes

Photo By Rachael Leslie | Sailors currently deployed aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island...... read more read more

CANNES, AIN, FRANCE

07.08.2011

Courtesy Story

U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet

By Petty Officer 1st Class Rachael L. Leslie,
USS Whidbey Island Public Affairs

CANNES, France - Deployed sailors and Marines aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island wrapped up a five-day port visit in Cannes, France, July 8.

The ship arrived in Cannes July 3, just in time to celebrate Independence Day with French dignitaries and local members of the Navy League and French navy during a memorial ceremony honoring fallen American aviators of a B-24 Liberator that was downed during World War II.

The deployed sailors and Marines also had the opportunity to take a variety of Morale, Welfare and Recreation tours while visiting the historic city. Tour options included wine tasting in the countryside, visiting a medieval village, touring a historic castle, tobogganing in the French Alps, cliff-diving in the Verdon Canyon - France’s equivalent of the Grand Canyon - and taking a day trip to Monaco, one of the wealthiest cities in the world.

“The tours were made possible because of the hard work of the MWR committee, as well as Michele Felizzola, who was our tour coordinator while in Cannes,” said Lt. Giancarlo Bertaina, Whidbey Island’s “Fun Boss” in charge of MWR activities. “The tours that were offered provided an exciting and historical perspective of the French Riviera. Sailors and Marines were able to get out and enjoy the region and learn about the French people and culture.”

Several of the tours brought participants 2-3 hours away from the port in Cannes, providing them with a chance to relax and see a bit of the rolling countryside, or experience first-hand the natural beauty of the Alpine Mountains.

“The scenery was unreal,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Chris Koch, quartermaster, from St. Petersburg, Fla. “The tour guide we had was great too, and knew everything there was to know about the areas we visited.”

The Verdon Canyon and Alpine Village tours provided participants with the opportunity to indulge in their adventurous sides with cliff diving into the man-made Sainte Croix Lake, nestled at the bottom of the nation’s deepest canyon, or tobogganing down the slopes at Valberg, one of the most popular ski resorts in the Southern Alps.

“The cliff diving was a little scary, but I’m very glad I did it,” said Koch. “The beauty of the lake and the Verdon Canyon far exceeded my expectations. I’ve never seen anything like it!”

Some chose to take advantage of the day trip to Monaco, which began with a tour of La Perfumia Fragonard, a perfume factory in which the participants learned about the history of perfuming and the process of developing a new perfume. Next, the group moved on to Monaco, where they were given a brief guided tour of the area.

“The most enjoyable portion of the entire tour was walking through and learning about the history of the area,” said Staff Sgt. Timothy Ward, from Idaho Falls, Idaho. “The local citizens were extremely friendly and helpful and made the entire experience worthwhile.”

After the initial tour, the group broke up to explore on their own. Some chose to tour the historic sights of the “Old Town” Monaco, beginning with the changing of the guard ceremony outside Prince Rainier's Palace. Others opted to spend time in “New Town” Monte Carlo, which is famous worldwide for its casinos, palaces, villas, luxury shops, flowered terraces, and rare plants.

“Many of us chose to attend some of the local casinos to indulge in the gambling,” said Ward. “The tours were organized, priced fairly and a great learning experience. I would encourage any Marine or sailor to attend the tours so that they experience more of the countries.”

The Whidbey Island is deployed as part of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility.