arranged for a Mexican fi shing boat, or
panga, to take us out into that 70-mile
stretch of water.
We climb aboard in the gray light
before dawn, and thump and bounce
our way north as the sun comes up.
Dolphins arc through the water. Squad-
rons of pelicans glide past. We pass the
occasional tattered shack on the vol-
canic shores, and it’s easy to imagine
the same salty air brushing across the
sun-weathered faces of Steinbeck and
Ricketts eight decades ago. Pausing
to look at a school of brightly colored
triggerfi sh, then hundreds of angelfi sh,
Gilly says, “This is still a rich area, but
there are no more big squid, so no more
sperm whales. We think it’s because the
water is warming at depth.”
The world’s oceans are in declining
health because of warming tempera-
tures, increasing acidifi cation, overfi sh-
ing, plastic accumulation and industrial
and agricultural pollution. Gregg is con-
cerned that these processes are looked
at haphazardly. “We don’t have a good
overall picture, just indications from a
hodgepodge of studies,” he says. “We
need to develop a systematic approach
for measuring acidifi cation along the
Pacifi c coast, for example, then the Fly-
er can help with long-term monitoring.”
Chugging up an estuary, with ibis
stalking the shallows and kingfi shers on
the banks, Gilly wonders if it’s the same
one that Steinbeck mentions in The Log.
We get out of the boat and Gregg points
out the tracks of a bobcat and her kitten
in the sand. It’s an exceptionally peace-
ful place and it makes us talk in soft qui-
et voices. “The essence of the Western
Flyer project is the essence of the book,”
says Gregg. “It’s the merging of art and
science. I always resented the fact that I
was pushed over into the science camp,
when I was just as interested in art and
literature.”
The resurrected Western Flyer will be
a scientifi c vessel, but Gregg wants to
have writers and artists involved as well,
to ensure that a sense of wonder and
beauty is retained. “For so long, it was a
faraway dream,” he says. “Now it’s real-
ly happening and it’s a complete honor.
This sounds trite, but with the Flyer,
you’re just a caretaker, not an owner.
She’ll be going long after I’m gone.”86 SMITHSONIAN.COM | September 2019Taste our recipe for a
week in ancient Italy
elifanttours.com
+1-347-868-6345
[email protected]EASTERN SICILY
March 30–April 6, 2020SHEPHERDS AND SAMNITES
(SOUTH FROM ABRUZZO)
October 12–19, 2020
SMITHSONIAN; September 2019; Volume 50, Number- Smithsonian (ISSN 0037-7333) is published monthly
(except for a January/February issue and a July/August
issue) by Smithsonian Enterprises, 600 Maryland Ave.
S.W., Suite 6001, Washington, D.C. 20024. Periodical post-
age paid at Washington, D.C. and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: send address changes to Smithsonian
Customer Service, P.O. Box 420300, Palm Coast, FL 32142- - Printed in the USA. Canadian Publication Agreement
No. 40043911. Canadian return address: Asendia USA, PO
Box 1051, Fort Erie, ON L2A 6C7.
We may occasionally publish extra issues. ©Smithsonian
Institution 2019. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole
or in part without permission is prohibited. Editorial offices
are at MRC 513, P.O. Box 37012, Washington, D.C. 20013
(202-633-6090). Advertising and circulation offices are at
420 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10170 (212-916-1300).
Memberships: All subscribers to Smithsonian are mem-
bers of the Smithsonian Institution. Ninety-nine percent of
dues is designated for magazine subscriptions.
Back Issues: To purchase a back issue, please call or email
James Babcock at 212-916-1323 or [email protected]. Back
issue price is $7.00 (U.S. funds).
Mailing Lists: From time to time we make our subscriber
list available to companies that sell goods and services we
believe would interest our readers. If you would rather not
receive this information, please send your current mailing
label, or an exact copy, to: Smithsonian Customer Service,
P.O. Box 420300, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0300.
Subscription Service: Should you wish to change your
address, or order new subscriptions, you can do so by
writing Smithsonian Customer Service, P.O. Box 420300,
Palm Coast, FL 32142-0300, or by calling 1-800-766-2149
(outside of U.S., call 1-386-246-0470).
NOTICE OF CHANGE TO MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNTS:
Starting on September 30,2019, Smithsonian National Associate
members will no longer be eligible for discounts on new insurance
policies purchased from GEICO. If you purchased a discounted
policy through your Smithsonian membership, GEICO will continue
to extend the discount to you for subsequent renewals. For a list
of current benefi ts, please check http://www.smithsonianmag.com/
member-services/. Smithsonian reserves the right to change
membership benefi ts at any time.