The Golden Rule peace boat and her intrepid crew of volunteers are currently in Santa Cruz, on the central coast of California, after making port calls in San Diego, Long Beach, Marina del Rey/Santa Monica, Santa Barbara, Morro Bay/San Luis Obispo, and Monterey.
In Santa Cruz, as at many other stops, the Golden Rule was welcomed enthusiastically by community members, including Veterans For Peace and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). At a Tuesday morning welcoming event and press conference, the mayor of Santa Cruz presented the Golden Rule crew with a proclamation on behalf of the city. That evening Helen Jaccard, the first woman to crew the Golden Rule, spoke at an event organized by WILPF.
The following morning we were delighted to see an extensive article on Page 2 of the local paper, the Santa Cruz Sentinel, accompanied by a beautiful color photo of the Golden Rule and the headline “Boat and Her Crew Want to End Nuclear Weapons.” Radio interviews on both AM and FM radio also helped get the word out and many folks turned out to tour the boat and to go out sailing with us in Monterey Bay. We raised about $1,000 in donations.
The crew were well fed in Santa Cruz. On Monday, local activists took the crew out to dinner. On Tuesday, India Joze,a gourmet restaurant in downtown Santa Cruz, treated us to a wonderful feast. On Wednesday, our official Santa Cruz visit culminated with a great potluck dinner on the deck of Aldo’s restaurant, overlooking the Santa Cruz Harbor and the Golden Rule.
High winds and rough seas have forced us to delay our departure from Santa Cruz for a few days. But neither the Golden Rule nor her crew are complaining. Next stop will be San Francisco Bay, where the Golden Rule will be spending nearly three weeks. We are looking forward to making even more friends and to continue sailing for a nuclear free world.