Sherry Flumerfelt and Captain Paul Tate share stories from the return of the Western Flyer to the Sea of Cortez, 85 years on

 

The Western Flyer has returned from a remarkable 100-day expedition (March 16, 2025 to June 24, 2025) to the Gulf of California — retracing the 1940 voyage of John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts and bringing their story into a new century.

From tide pool surveys to classroom visits, from dockside festivals to long days at sea, this was more than a scientific expedition — it was a layered, collaborative journey fueled by curiosity and connection. Students, scientists, artists, and community partners across two countries came together to make it happen.

Sherry Flumerfelt is the Executive Director of the Western flyer Foundation, and since 2022 she’s been guiding the vision behind the rebirth of the Western Flyer—the storied boat once sailed by John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts, a voyage described in Steinbeck’s The Log from the Sea of Cortez. With a background in ocean conservation, international fieldwork, and nonprofit leadership, Sherry has spent the past three decades building partnerships that connect people to the sea. Now she’s channeling that experience into transforming the Flyer into a floating classroom and research vessel.

Captain Paul Tate is a U.S. Coast Guard-certified Master, with more than five decades of experience at sea. Paul’s career has included commercial fishing in the Bering Sea, captaining private yachts in the Caribbean, and leading research expeditions from Alaska to the Arctic. He’s been at the helm of everything from crab boats to scientific vessels, and now brings his deep knowledge and steady hand to the Western Flyer as it sets off on its newest chapter.