From the Monterey Peninsula Herald, April 22, 1940
When the Western Flyer returned from its six-week expedition to the Gulf of California in 1940, local press was there to greet the crew. This article, printed in the Monterey Peninsula Herald on April 22, 1940, captures the excitement of the voyage’s return — highlighting scientific discoveries, Steinbeck and Ricketts’s reflections, and even a few unexpected souvenirs.
Steinbeck Expedition Returns
Valuable Cargo of Scientific Specimens Being Unloaded Today
April 22, 1940
From the “Western Flyer,” local purse seiner which carried the Steinbeck-Ricketts expedition on a nearly six weeks cruise into the Gulf of California, was being unloaded at the Monterey wharf today, a valuable cargo of scientific specimens.
The ship arrived Saturday afternoon with John Steinbeck, author of “Of Mice and Men,” “Tortilla Flat,” “Grapes of Wrath” and other best sellers, and Mrs. Steinbeck aboard as well as a crew of four local fishermen.
They were welcomed by a crowd of almost 50 people, relatives, friends and persons who just wanted to see the party land.
Successful Trip
Edward Ricketts, well known marine biologist and owner of the Pacific Biological Laboratories on Monterey’s Cannery Row, the scientist partner on the cruise, left the ship at San Diego because of illness and arrived in Monterey yesterday by train.
Both Steinbeck and Ricketts were overjoyed with the success of the trip and told of bringing back between 500 and 1,000 species of southern tidal fauna.
“The field was much richer than we had anticipated,” Ricketts told the Herald, “and we obtained a very good cross section of marine life along the coast of Lower California and in the Gulf waters.”
New Species
Although much work remains to be done on the collection, Steinbeck said he thought scores of the specimens they brought back were heretofore unknown.
Steinbeck and Ricketts plan to collaborate on a book telling of their trip but at the same time containing an exact compilation of scientific data obtained.
From the specimens obtained and the stories of the entire crew, it was readily apparent that a lot of hard work was done in the time the “Western Flyer” was away from her home port. But when the crew came ashore it was also apparent that not all the collecting done was scientific.
Many Souvenirs
A good portion of the duffle unloaded included Mexican trophies purchased at towns touched during the cruise. There were leather purses for wives, Mexican shoes and sandals, and other souvenirs.
Each crew member brought back a large sea turtle which had been purchased, not captured, in Mexico.
The “Western Flyer” was captained by Tony Berry with Horace “Sparky” Enea and Ratzi Colletto as crew members and Hall Travis, engineer.
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