The Ocean Friends crew will set sail at 4 p.m., with a boat parade led by the U.S. Coast Guard. The U.S. Marine Corps, kids from Oakland Children’s Hospital and other organizations Ocean Friends visited in the bay area will be on hand to celebrate the crew’s send-off. Boats wishing to participate in the parade can monitor channel 68.

All of the personal connections we made here have been more powerful than we ever could have expected, said Jim Sullivan, captain of the 30-foot Elusive. Completing this first major leg of our voyage has proven that what we’re doing works, that just spending time with people who need a friend can really make a difference.

The Ocean Friends journey has allowed sick and disabled people to tell their stories and to follow the progress of the crew online at http://www.oceanfriends.org. Many sites have created links to the Ocean Friends site and children in Hawaii and around the world are already watching the Web site in anticipation of the crew’s arrival.

While in San Francisco, Ocean Friends made several visits to the Oakland Children’s hospital. Together with the Golden Gate Yacht Club, Tomorrow’s Skippers and the America True crew, Ocean Friends took disabled kids sailing. Working with the Bay Area Disabled Sailors, they helped raise over $1,500 by taking people sailing during the recent Pacific Sail Expo. Other organizations visited by Ocean Friends included the Salvation Army, a battered women’s shelter and the Pacific Medical Center.

Ocean Friends: The Voyage is self-funded with merchandise and assistance from various sponsors. Ocean Friends’ onshore hospital and event coordinator, Grace McCallum, is managing sponsorship and hospital visits at various ports of call.