BY MICHAEL VASQUEZ[email protected]
Port Everglades will be bustling with activity Monday morning for the start of Fleet Week — an annual event that brings U.S. Navy sailors from around the world to the shores, and bars, of South Florida.
The vessels coming to Port Everglades include two U.S. Navy ships, a submarine, a Coast Guard cutter and a Canadian ship. The first to arrive — the USS Forrest Sherman, a guided missile destroyer — is expected to drop anchor at around 7:30 a.m.
Those looking for a good spot to watch the ships’ arrival have two to choose from: South Beach Park (1100 Seabreeze Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale) or John U. Lloyd Beach State Park (6503 N. Ocean Dr. in Hollywood).
The ships will bring more than 1,000 sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen to Fort Lauderdale and surrounding areas.
About 5,000 people are expected to tour the vessels during their weeklong stay in South Florida — a mixture of local JROTC members, Boy and Girl Scouts and selected VIPs.
The deadline to register for such tours has already passed, but there are other opportunities for the public to get a taste of Navy life.
Among them:
Monday night’s free ”All Hands on Deck” Fleet Week kickoff party at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino near Hollywood. The party starts at 6 p.m. and will include a dating game at Center Fountain, a swimsuit competition, a Navy Band concert and a patriotic fireworks salute.
Starting Tuesday, the public is also invited to Fleet Landing South Florida, an educational exhibit that includes a Navy flight simulator and sailors on hand to explain the missions of their ships and the military.
The exhibit is located at the southeast corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Northeast 26th Avenue, next to the Galleria mall.
Lt. j.g. Chris Hwang, a spokeswoman for Fleet Week, said the assorted events — which also include community-service efforts like blood drives and hospital visits — offer sailors a good time, but also the chance to share their experiences with the public.
”A lot of these sailors, they get very excited to talk about what they do, because it’s very different than the 9-5 job,” Hwang said.
Sailors also tend to spend money during their time in town, according to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The bureau estimates each sailor will spend about $125 per day, for a total combined economic impact of at least $625,000.
”It’s mostly for food and entertainment,” said Ellen Kennedy, a spokeswoman for
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