Photo By: Jacob Lips
Surrounded by blue waters, the Dry Tortugas National Park is a gem, some 68 miles west of Key West, in the Gulf of Mexico. This unique Florida park oversees Fort Jefferson and the seven Dry Tortugas islands. The area is close to 65,000 acres. Some 56,810 tourists visited the park in 2018.
Since the park is quite far from the mainland, it is mostly accessible through ferry or seaplane. It has seven major islands: Bush Key, East Key, Garden Key, Hospital Key, Loggerhead Key, Long Key, and Middle Key.
History
The first person recorded to have visited Dry Tortugas was Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon. He visited the area on June 21, 1513. He reportedly caught some 160 sea turtles, which explained why he called the island “Tortugas,” which is Spanish for turtles. It was called “dry” because of the absence of freshwater.
The area reportedly witnessed many shipwrecks in the 17th century. It became the American naval base during the Spanish-American War in 1898. On Jan. 4, 1935, the area officially became the Fort Jefferson National Monument, through the passing of the Antiquities Act. The monument was later expanded and officially became the Dry Tortugas National Park on Oct. 26, 1922.
In 1976, UNESCO created the Man and the Biosphere Programme, which also set up the Everglades and Dry Tortugas Biosphere Reserve.
Things to do
Photo By: Jacob Lips
Exploring Fort Jefferson
The fort is the most popular site in the park and is located on the island of Garden Key. Fort Jefferson is one of the largest forts in America. It was built to protect a deep water anchorage. It became an important structure for ships that patrol the Gulf of Mexico and the Straits of Florida. Surrounding the fort is the Moat Wall, which was meant to add protection against the rough waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
While at the Garden Key, visitors may also check out the Historic Coaling Pier Pilings. These pilings were part of the coaling warehouses and piers built on this island, in the 1800s. The structure was destroyed by a hurricane but the pilings survived.
Snorkeling and swimming
Waters that blue must be explored. Only one percent of Dry Tortugas is dry land. The park is at the southwest of the Florida Keys reef system, which means that there will be abundant marine life in the waters that would be seen with snorkeling gear. The Florida Keys has the third-largest reef system in the world.
The Garden Keys is home to some of the largest coral heads—some are so big that swimmers cannot even go over them. Just off the shore of Loggerhead Key, one may see the Little Africa Reef, which is a coral reef formation that resembles the continent of Africa.
The area is known to have witnessed several shipwrecks—evidence of such disaster is the Windjammer Wreck. This is one of the most accessible shipwrecks in the area, hence, the most popular. The ship was named Avanti, a steel-hulled sailing ship that ran aground in the 1900s. It is also a great snorkeling site.
Photo By: Jacob Lips
Diving
Those who prefer to swim in deeper waters can check out the Texas Rock, which is a large mound of coral about 55 to 60 feet down. Diving down is so exciting because of the fish that swim around the reef. Divers may want to take a more careful look at the nook and cranny of the reef to see some black corals, which are very rare. For those who love photographing marine life, this is the perfect spot.
At the eastern boundary of the park is an area is known as the Pulaski Shoals Area, which is an area dangerous for ships. Divers will have an adventure looking at different shipwrecks. Further down below, around 75 to 80 feet, some ocean critters are can be seen in shallow waters.
Boating
While there are underwater treasures in the park, boating is just an exciting adventure for those who don’t want to get wet. For those who want to explore the park using their boat, they have to be prepared as there are no food concessionaires in the park. Because of the crystal clear blue waters, a lot of the underwater gems in the park can still be visible on a boat.
Camping
Garden Key is also a popular area for campers. Without artificial light, Dry Tortugas National Park is a great place for some stargazing. Sunrises and sunsets are also amazing in this remote location.
Photo By: Jacob Lips