Maritime Museum of San Diego is excited to host this spring a visit from the restored Western Flyer, the same fishing vessel John Steinbeck used for his 1940 Sea of Cortez expedition.
For one day only, Wednesday, March 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., visitors will have the rare opportunity to step aboard the 77-foot sardine seiner boat 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.
According to Maritime Museum of San Diego President and CEO Christina Connett Brophy, Ph.D., “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. 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 NGOs.
“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.
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.
Maritime Museum of San Diego general admission tickets include entry to the Museum fleet of ships plus dozens of fascinating and educational below-deck exhibits and galleries.
Visitors can purchase tickets online in advance at sdmaritime.org or at the ticket booth located at 1492 N. Harbor Drive (between Grape and Ash Street, next to Portside Pier.) Daily hours of operation are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The last visitor entry is at 4 p.m.
