The Maritime Museum of San Diego is set to host a visit from the restored Western Flyer, the same fishing vessel John Steinbeck used for his 1940 Sea of Cortez expedition.
Visitors will have the rare opportunity to step aboard the 77-foot sardine seine boat as part of the Museum’s general admission experience on March 26.
This historic vessel will be stopping by San Diego as part of the boat’s return to Mexico’s Gulf of California (also known as the Sea of Cortez) for the first time since Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts’ voyage 85 years ago.
“We are honored to be chosen as one of the first stops on Leg One of the Western Flyer Foundation’s celebratory and educational journey,” Maritime Museum of San Diego president and chief executive officer Christina Connett Brophy said.
“The Western Flyer symbolizes the union of ocean conservation, marine science, and the humanities and is an essential part of our west coast maritime heritage.”
The Western Flyer Foundation plans include revisiting original intertidal sites, exploring new areas, and collection of observational data through collaborations with local researchers, students, and non-governmental organizations.
“This is the story of a remarkable journey—one of adventure, loss, rediscovery, and ultimately, rescue,” said Tom Keffer, Board Chair of the Western Flyer Foundation. “The Western Flyer is truly the most famous fishing boat in the world.”
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.
While Steinbeck’s words have endured the test of time, the boat itself disappeared into obscurity for decades. The vessel reappeared 20 years ago but then sank twice, docking it for the foreseeable future with plans to be scrapped into a tourist attraction in Steinbeck’s hometown, Salinas, CA.
However, thanks to the efforts of the Western Flyer Foundation, the boat has undergone a meticulous restoration.
While Steinbeck wrote in the Sea of Cortez, “where there is little danger, there seems to be little stimulation,” those who step on the boat will not embark on a dangerous journey but will be immersed in this engaging legacy.
Visitors can purchase tickets online in advance at www.sdmaritime.org or at the ticket booth located at 1492 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101-3309 (between Grape St. and Ash St. next to Portside Pier.)
Daily hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. The last visitor entry is at 4:00 p.m.
