Golden Rule Project - 2015

6-20-15

The Golden Rule was the very first of the Nuclear Protest Peace Vessels to go to sea in 1958. A crew of anti-nuclear weapons activists set sail aboard her in an attempt to interpose themselves and the boat between the U.S. Government and its atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons in the Marshal Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

The crew made it to Hawaii and they were arrested and jailed.

After this the Golden Rule had several owners.

The neglected boat sank in a storm right off the Zerlang & Zerlang Marine Services in Humbold Bay.

Today, at 12:30 PM we left for the marina to pick up Kitty, the daughter of Albert Bigelow the captain of the Golden Rule when they tried to enter the nuclear test area in the Marshal Islands.  

Kitty had gone on the Internet and found accommodation for two nights on a sail boat in the marina. Her two daughters preferred staying at the Eureka Inn.

We arrived early at the Zerlang Boat Yard, and so did many other people. Women were decorating the boat with flowers and streamers.

The Golden Rule was still sitting on a carriage, on rails.

At 3:00 PM the speech making started. Leroy, owner of Zerlang & Zerlang Marine Services, and a big benefactor of this project, told the story how he lifted the boat from the bottom of Humboldt Bay and was ready to burn it because of the shape it was in.

When he investigated and learned the history of the boat he changed his mind and the restoration started.

The president of “Veterans for Peace” came next and gave the reason while they stepped forward and adopted the boat, and helped refurbishing it.

Relatives of the original crew also made remarks.

Chuck Dewitt, the coordinator of the refurbishment, was honored. He spent a lot of hours on the project, and came many times to Doris’s house when Doris applied for Grants.

Kayaks, sail boats, motor boats, the Port District Fire Boat and a small tug boat were waiting for the launch.

Finally the speeches were over and the Golden Rule went slowly down the rails and into the water. The fire boat sprayed water and other boats blew their horns.

Since the engine did not start, the small tugboat towed the Golden Rule and the colorful flotilla took off for the Aquatic Center.

We loaded up our car and drove there. Many people had come to see the boat and the Golden Rule was hardly visible because of all the people on the board walk.

There was free food inside the building and I had the feeling that was a big draw.

Kitty was happy to be here. She came all the way from New York City.

There were more speeches.

After a while we went down to the boat. There were only a few onlookers and we were able to go inside the boat. It is not a big vessel and the four man crew has to be on a friendly basis in order to get along.

They will leave soon for the Veterans for Peace Convention in San Diego. The boat will be a floating class room to teach people about the horrors of Nuclear War.

It was a typical cloudy Eureka day. Not good for picture taking. At least it did not rain.
Doris has two house guests who are associated with the Golden Rule. David will be one of the crew when the boat sails back from San Diego, and Skip is one of the committee members.
Skip was already here when we went to Utah. He was house sitting and taking care of Mr. Big.

They are enjoying Eureka and the neighborhood. Some of our neighbors have a lot of flowers.

One neighbor has turkeys. We hear also roosters.