To stir curiosity through marine research, education, and a blend of science and art inspired by John Steinbeck, Ed Ricketts, and their journey on the Western Flyer.
The legendary Western Flyer once hauled sardines and helped inspire a literary classic. Now, after a decade-long restoration, it’s a floating classroom sparking curiosity through hands-on programs that blend science, art, and Monterey Bay’s history and culture.
The Western Flyer Foundation offers free programs that connect students from across Monterey County—many seeing the ocean for the first time—with marine science, creative exploration, and future career pathways. We also host regular community events, including dockside tours and weekend programs that invite people of all ages to step aboard and engage with the region’s rich heritage and marine environment.
In 2025–26, we’re moving our headquarters to Monterey to deepen local roots and expand programming, while continuing part-time operations in Moss Landing.
Your support helps connect the next generation—and the broader community—to the ocean, local history, and the enduring legacy of the Western Flyer.
The Western Flyer Foundation connects young people across Monterey County to the ocean through hands-on science, storytelling, and creative exploration aboard one of the region’s most iconic vessels.
Since 2020, we’ve engaged nearly 5,000 students—many of whom had never been on a boat. Our free programs spark curiosity, confidence, and a deeper connection to place, while introducing students to careers in marine science and maritime operations.
We serve students from Salinas to Monterey, Marina to Castroville, in partnership with local schools, nonprofits, and institutions like CSUMB, MPC, Stanford, and the Naval Postgraduate School.
We also benefit the region more broadly: restoring the last known 1940s Monterey sardine seiner, celebrating the area’s cultural history, and hosting community events that make the Flyer a platform for connection, pride, and discovery.
Together, we’re cultivating the next generation of scientists, storytellers, and stewards of Monterey Bay.
Since joining the Western Flyer’s mentorship program, my perspective on the boat has completely changed. I didn’t know much about its history at first, but now I’m really interested in both its past and future. That new appreciation has made me want to contribute more by volunteering with the Western Flyer Foundation. I’m especially drawn to the technical side of what keeps the boat running, and I’m excited to keep learning and having new experiences. The mentorship program gave me opportunities I wouldn’t normally have and it was an amazing experience.
- Teagan Dickison, Salinas
