Steinbeck's Western Flyer Tours

Name: Steinbeck's Western Flyer Tours
Start: 2025-03-26T10:00:00-07:00
End: 2025-03-26T16:00:00-07:00
Location: 1492 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA, United States, California 92101

Schedule

Wed Mar 26 2025 at 10:00 am to 04:00 pm

UTC-07:00

Location

1492 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA, United States, California 92101 | San Diego, CA

Maritime Museum of San Diego is excited to host the Western Flyer, the same fishing vessel Steinbeck used for his 1940 Sea of Cortez expedition this Spring! For one day only, Wednesday, March 26, 2025, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. visitors will have the rare opportunity to step aboard the 77-foot sardine seiner as part of the Museum’s general admission experience, exploring its rich history and enduring legacy. This 2025 voyage marks the 85th anniversary of Steinbeck and Ricketts’ groundbreaking journey, which shaped modern ecological thinking and conservation efforts.
Published in 1941, Sea of Cortez: A Leisurely Journal of Travel and Research chronicled the historic voyage, leaving a profound impact on both the scientific and literary worlds. The book was among the first public calls for conservation in the region and played a key role in raising awareness about the ecological significance of the Gulf of California. Over the decades, it has inspired countless students to pursue careers in marine and field biology. While the book endured, the boat itself disappeared into obscurity for decades. She reappeared 20 years ago, but then sank twice, and was given up for dead, destined to be chain sawed into a tourist attraction in Salinas, CA. However, thanks to the efforts of the Western Flyer Foundation, the boat has undergone a meticulous restoration.