About this Event
Western Flyer: From Literary Legend to Living Legacy
In 1940, John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts chartered the Western Flyer for a six-week expedition to Mexico’s Gulf of California. Their journey inspired Steinbeck’s classic The Log from the Sea of Cortez and influenced generations of readers, scientists, and conservationists. More than 80 years later, the historic fishing vessel has been restored, not as a museum piece, but as a working platform for research and education, blending science and the arts.
Sherry Flumerfelt, Executive Director of the Western Flyer Foundation, shares the remarkable story of the vessel’s history, restoration, and new life at sea, including its 85th anniversary return to the Sea of Cortez in 2025, its 2026 Pacific Northwest expedition, and its current programs in Monterey Bay. Through photographs and stories, she explores how the spirit of curiosity, observation, and connection to the natural world that shaped Steinbeck and Ricketts’ 1940 expedition continues aboard the Western Flyer today. She will also share an update on opportunities to visit and tour the vessel and the Foundation’s plans for a future home in Monterey.
A raffle for a free group tour of the Western Flyer! Reception to follow the lecture.
Event venue & nearby stays
Irvine Auditorium, 499 Pierce Street, Monterey, United States
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