Golden Rule Project: Sailing for Peace in a Time of War

By Helen Jaccard
Jane Addams Branch
photos by Gerry Condon

In 1958, four Quakers sailed Golden Rule from California towards the Marshall Islands in an effort to interfere with nuclear weapons tests. Revitalizing their project, Veterans For Peace led a rebuild of the Golden Rule from 2010-15, and has since been sailing up and down the West Coast, to Hawai’i and back. We have held hundreds of events to educate people about nuclear issues, and what individuals can do to prevent nuclear war.

San Diego

In January and February, we visited San Diego.  Thanks to the San Diego VFP chapter, we had a COVID-safe indoor event, online and outdoor presentations, and we took dozens of people sailing!

We commemorated the first anniversary of the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons’ entry into force, and scattered the ashes of our long-time skipper, Wil Van Natta.

Deported Veterans

Captain Chris Appleton sailed Golden Rule to San Diego and Ensenada. He remarked, “Previous to this, I was, like most Americans, completely ignorant of this largely forgotten and conveniently overlooked group of outrageously wronged veterans. We spent three days in Ensenada meeting and sharing meals with them after going on day sails in Ensenada Bay.

Heroically, these vets have remained organized to help and keep track of each other, and to agitate from afar for the US government and President Biden to make good on their promises to make an effort to repatriate these veterans.”

For Captain Chris Appleton’s complete report, see the Golden Rule News, Spring 2022 at  tinyurl.com/GRNewsSpring22

“Golden Rule: A Journey For Peace”

The trailer for the new documentary "Golden Rule: The Journey for Peace" is out! This film tells the story of the historic Veterans For Peace sailboat, its mission to stop nuclear weapons, and the sail back from Hawai'i to California.  We are really looking forward to seeing the entire documentary—SOON!

Thanks to crew member and filmmaker Nolan Anderson and his production team.

Great Loop

From September 2022 through December 2023 the Golden Rule will sail around the Eastern United States, a route called the “Great Loop”, on a mission to educate the rest of the country about how they can help stop the possibility of nuclear war.

Schedule: bit.ly/GRStops 
Map: bit.ly/GRGLMap

For further information, including about volunteering or crewing, send an email to Helen Jaccard at vfpgoldenruleproject@gmail.com.