The historic Western Flyer, chartered by John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts in 1940, now serves as a working research vessel and floating classroom, sparking curiosity through the intersection of marine science and the arts.
Visit the Western Flyer in the Pacific Northwest This Spring
In 2026, the Western Flyer will travel north along the Pacific coast, returning to the waters where it was built, worked, and restored.
This voyage reconnects the vessel with its roots—while bringing hands-on ocean science programs to students and communities across Oregon and Washington.
Western Flyer Foundation Selects Four Mexican-Led Marine Research Projects for 2027 Gulf of California Expedition
June 23, 2026Press Release: Western Flyer Foundation Selects Four Mexican-Led Marine Research Projects for 2027 Gulf of California Expedition
View Full ArticleThe Western Flyer concludes its 2026 visit to the Pacific Northwest
KLCC | By Brianna Bowman, June 22, 2026Not many fishing boats are immortalized in literature by Nobel-Prize-winning authors. But not all boats are the Western Flyer. Eighty years ago, John Steinbeck described the elegant, wooden fishing vessel.
View Full ArticleHistoric Western Flyer Makes Special Final Public Stop in Seattle After Successful Pacific Northwest Voyage
June 10, 2026PRESS RELEASE - In a special addition to its successful Pacific Northwest voyage, the historic fishing vessel Western Flyer will make one final public stop in Seattle this weekend, offering visitors a rare opportunity to step aboard the iconic vessel at the Center for Wooden Boats.
View Full ArticleA Small Gift with a Big Story
June 10, 2026When Caroline Petrich celebrated her 65th birthday aboard the Western Flyer, she brought with her a small clay baby—and a remarkable story connecting the vessel to its birthplace, the Petrich family, and the legends of Fox Island.
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By Steve Mullensky For Peninsula Daily News, May 30, 2026The Western Flyer, the historic research vessel that became famous after author John Steinbeck chartered it for a research trip in the Sea of Cortez, cruises beneath the towering Mount Baker as she approaches the entrance to Port Townsend Bay on Thursday.
View Full ArticleMapping ocean conditions with underwater robots
May 25, 2026From the deck of the Western Flyer, Oregon State University scientists successfully deployed an underwater glider that will spend months collecting ocean data beneath the Pacific Northwest coast. Jack Barth explains how these remarkable vehicles are transforming ocean science.
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