John Steinbeck and his good friend Ed Ricketts set out on their expedition to the Gulf of Mexico (chronicled in their book, The Sea of Cortez) from the old Monterey wharf. Now the old pier is soley dedicated to the pleasure of tourists, with an array of souvenir shops and restaurants. While harbor cruises for the tourists launch from this wharf, those few who still fish the sea are more apt to unload their catch from the nearby commercial pier.