The return of the Western Flyer to Monterey marked the beginning of an extraordinary year filled with learning, research, and ocean adventures. With the Western Flyer now based in Monterey Bay, we launched several new education programs, including a field trip series for middle- and high school students aboard the docked vessel, a mentorship program, and at-sea experiences for community college students. We also equipped the vessel with cutting-edge scientific instruments, welcomed new members to our team—and, along the way, enjoyed wonderful art inspired by the Western Flyer.
Fittingly, this time of exploration and learning began and ended with a pair of wonderful discoveries. The first came from Brian Edwards of the Monterey County Library, who unearthed a previously unknown photograph of the Western Flyer among a fleet of sister vessels. Then, towards year’s end, Smithsonian Magazine announced the identity of a mysterious octopus collected on the Flyer in 1940 by Steinbeck and Ricketts, which had stumped researchers for generations. The famous expedition continues to fascinate and inspire!
More Improvements for the Western Flyer
The restored Western Flyer keeps getting better, most recently with the installation of new state-of-the-art instruments. First, we installed a shiny new Seabird flow-through system in the Chuck Baxter Lab in the former fish hold, where it pumps in ocean water and provides data on temperature, salinity, fluorescence (which indicates chlorophyll from phytoplankton), and turbidity (clarity).
After that came the installation of a new meteorological sensor array on the flybridge railing (it will eventually be moved to the mast). The met array allows us to study air and weather at sea, measuring air temperature, wind speed, humidity, lightning strikes, visibility, and more.
Integrating Science, Education, and Art
The launch of our oceanography program for college students was a major success, drawing 185 participants from Monterey Peninsula College, CSUMB, Cabrillo College, Santa Clara University, and Stanford. These students—most of whom would otherwise lack access to ocean research—engaged with scientists, collected scientifically valuable data and brought the data to their classrooms for analysis.
Additionally, 661 students explored marine science using tools like plankton nets and Secchi disks, providing an early introduction to the field through our docked field trip program. They explored the life of Monterey Bay from the deck of the Western Flyer, where they sketched plankton, learned to use new scientific tools, and had the chance to meet inspiring scientists and artists. A large percentage of participants came from inland schools with a high proportion of low-income and ESL students. For many, visiting the Western Flyer was their first trip to the ocean!
Throughout the year, we also continued to provide free, learning opportunities for underserved youth through our Community Journal Project. A total of 434 students received their own nature journals and watercolor kits, which they learned to use through a series of lessons led by professional scientists and science illustrators. These lessons included “gesture drawing” kelp forests, creating comics about sunflower stars (inspired by our collaborators at the Sunflower Star Lab), and matching species to their habitat types.
Community Connections
For the fifth year running, we cosponsored Cannery Row Days in partnership with the Monterey Public Library and the Cannery Row Company, with a highlight being Steinbeck Scholar Susan Shillinglaw’s leadership of a Tortilla Flat reading group. We also participated in Whale Fest (which drew 600 visitors to the Flyer in spite of rainy weather), the Steinbeck Street Fair in Salinas, the Monterey Bay Festival of Birds, and Ocean Arts Festival—which featured some great drawings done by younger Western Flyer fans.
Other highlights included welcoming the Naval Postgraduate School Rapid Innovation Design Challenge winners to tour the Western Flyer, including student-faculty teams from Salinas’ Alisal High School, Pacific Grove High School, and Monterey’s Santa Catalina School. And in August, the Western Flyer moored in front of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, bringing a splash of maritime history to the world’s most prestigious car show. Rocking gently on Stillwater Cover, the Flyer made for an elegant backdrop for a sea of gleaming classic cars.
A Year Filled With Art
The mission of the Western Flyer is to spark curiosity through a blend of science and art—and in 2024, artists, filmmakers, and craftspeople continued to draw inspiration from the iconic vessel. A major highlight was the premiere of our award-winning short film about the Western Flyer, narrated by Emmy Award-winning actor and comedian Nick Offerman.
The year also showcased remarkable works from artists Quinn Wilson, Morgan Lewis, and Monica Loncola. Participants in Stanford’s sophomore program stepped up with jaw-dropping creations including a Cannery Row in a Can pop-up book, an animated Western Flyer cartoon, a story map of the original voyage, a video about bryozoans, a Western Flyer video game, and an incredible film that brought tears to many eyes. Finally, the Western Flyer made a special appearance in a lovely short film by Patrick Troll and Ray Troll that illustrates the entire history of life on Earth.
Media
We love telling the story of the Western Flyer—and we’re not the only ones! The year was filled with great articles and essays about the vessel. Among some of the most popular:
- “Steinbeck’s 1930s sardine boat makes its modern debut,” Los Angeles Times, January 4 2024
- “A famous boat is making new journeys of discovery possible,” KAZU (includes audio)
- “Western Flyer: An inspiration once again,” by Paul Molyneaux, Wooden Boat, September/October 2024
- “Western Flyer Restoration: The John Steinbeck fishing seiner,” by Jan Hein, Classic Boat, March 15, 2024.
- “Western Flyer set to return to Mexico, and you can join the journey,” by Chris Counts, Carmel Pine Cone, September 6, 2024.
THANK YOU!
Of course, this incredible year of milestones would not have been possible without the incredible partnership and support of our funders and collaborators, corporate partners, and 164 (and counting!) generous donors.
As we set our sights on 2025, please consider making a gift through MCGives by December 31st to help make the coming year just as spectacular as 2024.
Thank you for being an essential part of the Western Flyer’s ongoing voyage!
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