A CFB Esquimalt naval supply ship will leave home Monday morning and head south of the border to work with the U.S. Navy.HMCS Protecteur will rendezvous with HMCS Algonquin and HMCS Ottawa to take part in an annual task group exercise, which will enhance the crew’s ability to operate as a bi-national team, said Lt.-Cmdr. Nathalie Garcia, navy public affairs officer.Protecteur, which will be gone for two months, will work alongside the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, and Algonquin and Ottawa will join the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group for the training mission in southern Californian waters.The ships will work together to face a number of evolving maritime warfare scenarios they could encounter during future combat or humanitarian assistance missions.Algonquin is now on its way to the area after sailing with a multinational contingent near Central and South America since early last month. Ottawa is nearing the end of a three-month operational training and goodwill tour to such ports as Australia.The three Canadian ships will also participate in naval celebrations in San Diego, as part of their deployment.emccracken@vicnews.com