On their way into Santa Barbara, the Golden Rule encountered a large oil spill, about 8 miles long and 3-1/2 miles wide. The crew called the Coast Guard to report the spill, and found that it was already under investigation. It was not yet known whether it was a so-called "natural seepage," or whether it was a remnant of a much larger May 19 oil spill.
"This is a reminder of one of the roles for the Golden Rule," said crew member Helen Jaccard. "Aside from promoting a nuclear-free world, we can bring attention to environmental threats to our oceans."
The Golden Rule and her crew will depart Santa Barbara on Friday morning and are expected to arrive in San Diego on Saturday evening or Sunday morning. They are eager to meet with Japanese American groups at the VFP national convention, whose theme is "Peace and Reconciliation in the Pacific."