John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts shared a passionate curiosity about the natural world, the interconnectedness of life, and humanity’s place within it. The celebrated writer and iconic marine biologist/philosopher forged a deep friendship that lasted nearly 20 years before Ricketts’ untimely death in 1948.
Their journey to the Sea of Cortez in 1940 aboard the Western Flyer epitomizes the bonds of man and nature, the connectedness of all things, and the power of curiosity to change the world. They chronicled their adventure and discoveries in their book The Sea of Cortez: A Leisurely Journey of Travel and Research. It remains one of the most compelling ecological narratives ever written.
Beautiful Minds (and a little whiskey)
The two men met in 1930 in Pacific Grove, California, near Monterey, where Ricketts, portrayed as “Doc” in Steinbeck’s classic novel Cannery Row, had established the Pacific Biological Laboratories. The unassuming brown wooden structure still stands on Cannery Row. In 1939, Ricketts published Between Pacific Tides with co-author Jack Calvin. The book was a pioneering study of intertidal ecology that showcased Ricketts’ holistic, non-teleological approach to biological research. His lack of formal credentials and unorthodox approach drew criticism in some circles. Nonetheless, his book is still used as a textbook in universities.
Steinbeck and Ricketts shared an eclectic perspective on life, spawning many intense conversations about all that captivated their inquisitive intellects: science, philosophy, and art—the trifecta of the curious-minded.
Their grand tours of intellectual inquiry inside Ricketts’ lab were often fueled with whiskey and the companionship of Monterey’s like-minded denizens. Echoes of those characters graced the pages of Steinbeck’s novels.
Western Flyer and the Sea of Cortez
Built by the Western Boat Building Company in Tacoma, Washington, Western Flyer was a solid, graceful vessel that took her place in the abundant sardine fisheries of the 1930s. She was built of old-growth fir for her keel, planking, and white oak for her rib cage. She was a sturdy vessel with a cutting-edge design for her time, ready for the rigors of Monterey’s sardine fishery.
But she was destined for more than fishing.
In March 1940, John Steinbeck, his wife Carol, Ed Ricketts, and a crew of four, captained by Tony Berry, set out aboard the sardine seiner Western Flyer on a six-week journey of discovery bound for the Sea of Cortez, aka Baja, California.
They cataloged marine species by day, drank whiskey by night, and talked philosophy on deck under the stars. Their efforts collected 500 aquatic species, 35 of which had never been recorded.
From the Mud: On the Indomitable Spirit of Boats
“A boat, above all other inanimate things, is personified in a man’s mind… Some have said they have felt a boat shudder before she struck a rock, or cry when she beached and the surf poured into her. This is not mysticism, but identification; man, building this greatest and most personal of all tools, has in turn received a boat-shaped mind, and the boat, a man-shaped soul.”
John Steinbeck, Ed Ricketts – Sea of Cortez: A Leisurely Journal of Travel and Research
Western Flyer enjoyed some celebrity after her journey, but the limelight slowly faded. She returned to Monterey in time to witness the collapse of the sardine fisheries and, with it, the dissolution of the sardine canneries that once lined Cannery Row. Western Flyer seemed to fade into the ocean mists that so often sheathed the bay.
Following the boom and bust cycles of various fisheries north up the coast all the way to Alaska, she settled at last, plying the water of Anacortes, Washington, hunting Salmon.
Renamed Gemini, she was identifiable as Western Flyer only by her call sign, Whisky Bravo 4404. Four decades had passed since she ferried Steinbeck, Ricketts, and crew to the Sea of Cortez. When there were no more Salmon to catch to make it worthwhile, she was left to sit in the dock and slowly disassemble, succumbing to age and neglect.
Back home, in Monterey, people began to wonder whatever happened to Whiskey Bravo 4404. Maybe she’d become part of a restaurant in a revitalized Salinas downtown. Floating in a manmade, inland moat, like a magnificent lion born in the wild, now confined to a cage. She could have remained sunk in the mud (for the second time).
The story is long and tangled, a good read. What would happen to the celebrated boat and main character of Log of the Sea of Cortez?
Western Flyer Foundation: In the Footsteps and Spirit of John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts
Geologist John Gregg was inspired by Steinbeck’s works and the boat’s storied past. In 2015, he paid $1 million for Western Flyer.
He founded the Western Flyer Foundation and initiated a restoration project to bring the vessel back to life. The boat would celebrate the work and philosophy of Steinbeck and Ricketts, serving as a centerpiece for scientific research and as an ambassador for ocean awareness.
The restoration process has involved significant financial investment and the tireless expertise of wooden boat craftspeople in Port Townsend, Washington. As one of those involved in Western Flyer’s reincarnation told me on her deck on a bright November afternoon last year, “It was a labor of love.”
Back Home
On November 4, 2023, after 75 years, Western Flyer came home, basking in the love and respect of an adoring public. She is a handsome boat with a fascinating story to tell.
The Foundation’s programs include education, research, and public awareness.
“John Steinbeck’s storytelling mastery and Ed Ricketts’ observational rigor launched a journey of curiosity, discovery, and connection that continues to this day,” said Sherry Flumerfelt, executive director of the Western Flyer Foundation. “I’ve spent my career in ocean conservation, and it’s a thrill to help keep Western Flyer alive and her mission of adventure, exploration, and education thriving. I love my job!”
Ecological Awareness
Although Steinbeck or Ricketts likely never used the words “global warming,” they understood the dangers of unrestrained industrialization in breaking our essential, reciprocal relationship with the natural world.
Their natural curiosity and eloquence, along with those of other writers like Aldo Leopold and Rachel Carson, described an ecological philosophy that suggests how nature binds us to be good stewards, to understand her ways, and to live within her limits.
In the madding world of human enterprise, we yearn for a sense of place anchored to the Earth and inspired by a caring, interdependent relationship between humanity and nature. The philosophy of curiosity and connection inspired by John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts endures, and the Western Flyer lives on, better than ever.
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