‘Golden Rule’ Peace Boat To Lead Flotilla Around Alcatraz

On Wednesday, August 20, the historic Golden Rule peace boat, a national project of Veterans For Peace, will lead a flotilla of Bay Area boats around Alcatraz and on to the Chevron oil refinery in Richmond, displaying signs for peace and justice. “We will sail for peace and humanity. We will sail for an end to nuclear weapons and support for the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons,” Veterans For Peace (VFP) wrote in a recent news release.

The flotilla will rendezvous on the east side of Alcatraz at 4:30 p.m. and circle the island from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m before sailing to the Chevron refinery for a “sail-by” protest from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Veterans For Peace is protesting Chevron’s business interests that are allegedly fueling environmental destruction and fueling the conflicts in Israel and Palestine. “We are Sailing for a Nuclear-Free World and a Peaceful, Sustainable World!” VFP writes.

Golden Rule is a 34-ft wooden ketch. She sailed her first protest mission in 1958 when, under the operation of “A Legacy of Sailing for Peace,” the crew set out to disrupt US nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands — sparking an international movement to end nuclear weapons testing. After sinking in a gale in Humboldt Bay in 2010, the boat was raised and restored by a coalition of veterans, Quakers, and boat lovers, and relaunched in 2015 as a national project of Veterans For Peace. Golden Rule has since sailed more than 22,000 miles across the US, Hawai’i, Canada, Mexico and Cuba, in opposition to militarism, nuclear destruction, and environmental collapse.

Today, Golden Rule and her crew carry messages of peace that encompass the multitude of issues facing humanity across the globe. “We are Sailing for a Nuclear-Free World and a Peaceful, Sustainable World! We will sail for an end to US complicity in the starvation and genocide of Palestinians. We will sail for an end to illegal ICE raids in our communities. We will sail for environmental justice. We will sail in solidarity with one another. And we will have fun while we are at it!” the press release continues.

Golden Rule arrived in San Francisco Bay on Tuesday for a monthlong mission to share the message “No more nukes. No more war. The future is ours to reclaim.” The message will be shared throughout the ship’s tour of several Bay Area ports. Each port visit will include public sails, film screenings, community dialogues, and peace actions.

The schedule for the August 20 flotilla is as follows:
2 p.m. – Gather at Richmond Marina, prep boats, orientation, and banner-up
3–4:30 p.m. – Sail to Alcatraz
4:30–5:30 p.m. – Circle Alcatraz in protest flotilla
5:30–6:30 p.m. – Head to Chevron for protest sail-by
6:30-7 p.m. – Sail by Chevron Refinery in Richmond
7:30 p.m. – Return and cleanup

“Several boats are already signed up, but we need more. Please join us on August 20, and bring your boat if you can!”

Bay Area boats are invited to join the flotilla. For more information visit vfpgoldenruleproject.org or contact Michelle Marsonette at [email protected] or (541) 971-9077

The Golden Rule’s August Bay Area schedule will include stops at:

• San Francisco (Aug. 5–7)
• Alameda/Oakland (Aug. 9–13)
• Berkeley (Aug. 14–18)
• Richmond (Aug. 19–22)
• San Mateo (Aug. 23–26)
• San Francisco (Aug. 27–29)

“Golden Rule carries a message for all generations: that peace, disarmament, and justice must be charted together,” Golden Rule project manager Michelle KanoeLehua Marsonette said. “We are sailing for peace at home and peace abroad.”