Journey to the Sea of Cortez

Full movie coming very soon. Welcome to Inner Space. Seven decades ago, in March 1940, the author John Steinbeck and his friend, marine biologist Ed Ricketts, sailed down the coast of California and Mexico to the Sea of Cortez.

"The abundance of life here gives one an exuberance," they wrote, "a feeling of fullness and richness." Their stated purpose was to document the creatures that inhabit shallow waters and tide pools on the margins of the Sea of Cortez. But it became much more.

In these mysterious, phosphorescent waters they sought an understanding of mankind's relationship to the natural world, and a wellspring of hope for a world headed toward war. Looking beyond the events of the day, the two friends foresaw our rising impact on the oceans, and the devastating impact that over fishing would have on this rich sea.

And yet, in their journey, they encountered a periodic cooling of the eastern Pacific Ocean known as La Niña that can still set off an explosion of life. Can the story of their journey inspire new efforts to preserve the Sea of Cortez?