Golden Rule peace boat update

By Helen Jaccard, Disarm/End Wars Issues Committee

The newly restored Golden Rule historic nuclear abolition/peace boat returned to Humboldt Bay October 16 after her journey to San Diego for the Veterans For Peace National Convention.  I crewed and was the primary spokesperson for the entire journey. WILPFers and other women were key to the success of the voyage.

The historic sailing vessel Golden Rule sailed a victory lap around Humboldt Bay on October 16, 2015.  She is on B dock at the Eureka Public Marina for restoration and repair through the winter. Contact us to go sailing!

Humboldt Bay is her home port, where five years ago she was discovered underwater with two huge holes in her side.   She was lovingly restored by Veterans For Peace with dozens of volunteers and hundreds of donors.

Arriving on the Golden Rule were Captain Ed Fracker of King Salmon and crew members Michael Gonzalez of Trinidad, David SanGiovanni of Eureka, and Helen Jaccard of Seattle.  Other crew members included Jan Passion of Pleasant Hill, Dave Robson of Baltimore MD, A.J. (Skip) Oliver of Sandusky OH, Ron Kohl and Allen McAfee of San Diego, Machai St. Rain of Chapel Hill NC, and Nelson Camp of Southampton PA.  The time spent in transit, sailing with supporters, and public speaking was intense and non-stop!

Our first stop was the Veterans For Peace National Convention in San Diego.  During the three week visit, we sailed two or three times per day almost every day.

The transit to Long Beach had two women crew members, myself and Machai St. Rain.  Machai bicycled to San Diego from San Francisco on a peace tour, with the message, “Peace is Possible!”  Her ground work helped to get WILPFers involved for the journey north.

Our co-presenter in Long Beach was Jessica Reynolds Renshaw, who was 14 years old in 1958 when her family took the baton from the Golden Rule and completed the journey to the Marshall Islands to stop atmospheric nuclear weapons testing.  The Reynolds family also sailed their boat, the Phoenix of Hiroshima, to Russia to influence the USSR to stop their atmospheric nuclear testing program.

WILPF played a huge role in the success of this trip!  First of all, the Humboldt Bay Branch made a donation and made “baggie wrinkle” for protecting the sails from the rigging lines – Gay Gilchrist led that effort.  Jane Addams Peace Association also made a donation before we left Humboldt Bay.

Sheila Goldner of the Long Beach Branch arranged for a talk at Sepulveda Unitarian Universalist Society “The Onion” in North Hills and came to other events in Southern California.  We stopped in Long Beach, Santa Monica, Marina del Rey, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obisbo (Morro Bay), Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz, San Francisco Bay, Ft. Bragg (Noyo Bay), and finally back home to Eureka (Humboldt Bay).

The visit to Santa Cruz was truly amazing! WILPF member Marcia Heath helped me connect with the Manifesting Peace program to discuss the Hague 100th anniversary events.  Mathilde Rand hosted our captain, Ron Kohl. Jane Doyle gave me a ride to the cluster meeting in Santa Clara where I saw so many of the California WILPFers.  Sherry Conable took us to see the Collateral Damage sculpture, arranged for our dinner at India Joze’s and helped us in many other ways. Patricia Schroeder helped too, and we had a blast with “D” Nunns!   WILPF Santa Cruz greeted us, held a potluck, and really helped us feel welcome!

The story of the trip, with pictures, is available in our newsletter.  Feel free to download it, or email Helen.jaccard@gmail.com if you’d like a nice printed copy.

For more information visit the Golden Rule site.

PHOTO:  Golden Rule peace boat   Credit: Jeff Merrick