This tropical city gave visiting sailors and Marines a warm welcome as Australia, the United States and Canada prepare for Tandem Thrust 2001. Sailors and Marines aboard the USS Juneau, an amphibious assault ship from Sasebo Naval Base, anchored here for the past four days. Carrying 420 crewmembers and 900 Marines, the ship arrived here Thursday as a large crowd waited alongside the pier, and the MacKay North State High School marching band played American and Australian tunes. Servicemembers were in just about every pub and restaurant during liberty, and a MacKay Police Department spokesman said Monday afternoon that the American visitors' behavior has been excellent with no law-breaking incidents reported. Even though it's the beginning of winter here, it's still warm enough for outdoor activities.
Winter here is much like summer in central and southern Japan.
A favorite diving spot for visitors is Bushy Atoll near The Great Barrier Reef, known for shipwreck dives and reef dives. Almost everything is a bargain for servicemembers since the U.S. dollar is about twice the value of an Australian dollar. Tuesday morning, the Juneau left MacKay Harbor en route to the Shoalwater Bay Training Area. An invasion rehearsal is planned for Wednesday.