Henri Du Plessis and Helen Bamford
5 October 2008
It might have seemed a breezy spring day in Cape Town but the Cape of Storms was too much for the mighty American aircraft carrier the USS Theodore Roosevelt.
Around 4 600 sailors had to cool their heels on board in Table Bay on Saturday because the ship was unable to launch her liberty boats after the swell snapped one of the ship's accommodation ladders.
The sailors desperately wanted to come ashore and traders in the V&A Waterfront were looking forward to the rush, but the sea had other plans as swells of up to 3m rolled into the bay.
It also meant that a contingent of demonstrators at the Waterfront, protesting against the ship's visit, because it is nuclear powered, did not come face to face with any of the American sailors.
The Roosevelt anchored off Cape Town late on Friday, while its escort, the cruiser USS Monterey, docked at the V&A Waterfront.
The two ships, a core part of the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, were invited to stop over by the South African government and navy.
The purpose of the visit was "to reinforce relationships, increase interoperability and address maritime issues" of importance to both countries' navies, said Lieutenant Brian Badura, assistant public affairs officer of the US Sixth Fleet.
It was important for the US Navy to develop and strengthen ties with countries along the coast of Africa and the US Navy saw South Africa as the main power on the continent, he said.
In a statement issued earlier, Admiral Mark Fitzgerald, Commander, US Naval Forces Europe said: "Our nations share a mutual interest in safeguarding the maritime environment, which plays a critical role in today's global economy."
Security at sea was essential for the world economy, as up to 90 percent of the world's traded goods were transported by sea. The US Navy also wanted to offer any help it could to combat piracy, illegal fishing and drug smuggling.
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