Dry Tortugas National Park is one of the more difficult parks to get to, as it’s a series of 7 islands or keys extending into the Gulf of Mexico – 70 miles from Key West!
Since Key West is at the end of the road, your transportation options are limited to taking a seaplane, ferry, or private yacht/charter. This also explains why it isn’t a popular National Park, ranking 54 out of 62 with only 50,000 visitors a year. That’s less than half the number of birds who visit each spring for breeding.
Since I only had one day to explore Fort Jefferson, Snorkel, Swim, and Bird-Watch l opted for a seat on a seaplane! For these activities and weatherwise, April and May are the best months to visit.
Fort Jefferson occupies almost the entire surface area of the Parks second largest island, Garden Key and includes a small lawn and two sandy beaches. Garden Key is where you will spend most of your day, as nearly all the other keys are off-limits to visitors to facilitate the nesting rituals of the many species of birds and turtles. This trip was extra special since my friend and park enthusiast Heidi joined me on this one-day adventure!
Heidi and I started our day with a quick stop to the locally renowned Cuban Coffee Queen before heading to Key West International Airport. With a breakfast sandwich and a Cordadito in hand (double espresso and steamed milk), this coffee aficionado can tell you it was well worth the wait in line!
We boarded a 10-seater DFH-3 DE Havilland Turbine Otter Amphibian with Key West Seaplane Adventures. Everyone got a window seat, a complimentary cooler of non-alcoholic beverages and a set of flippers, mask and snorkel. I had brought along a newly purchased snorkelling kit from Toronto but wisely accepted the complimentary kit, too.
The 35-minute flight is a great way to take in the keys and it was a perfect day for flying. Pilot John, pointed out several shipwrecks, one with a mast protruding from the water, and a number of uninhabited keys – all of which are great for SCUBA exploring. John flew so low and the water was so clear and shallow that we could see sea turtles swimming just beneath the surface.
I had never landed in the ocean before – just amazing how effectively the pontoons make for a smooth landing. Once we disembarked, John reminded us that if we didn’t make it back to this same spot for the late afternoon return flight, we’d be sleeping here overnight. With no food or water. I checked my watch.
Here’s how we spent our day trip in Dry Tortugas NP.
Fort Jefferson
I highly recommend making the time upon arrival for a one-hour self-guided tour of this historical military and engineering marvel. Though never entirely completed back in the mid-1800s, it did become the largest masonry structure in the western hemisphere at the time. Just think about that? I mean, what easier location could there be than Dry Tortugas, 70 miles off Key West in the middle of the Gulf – with no water, bricks, mortar, timber, iron, etc. – for such a massive undertaking! Amazing!
FUN FACT: The Fort Jefferson gift shop was where I received my first National Park stamp! Each Park has at least one unique stamp and – if you’re really nerdy about stamps and such, as I am – you can purchase a special binder to record all the stamps of those Parks you visit.
For now some fun in the sun and water!
Time to Snorkel
We started our underwater adventure at “Sandy Beach”, a great spot to have your first Snorkelling experience. I’d never tried snorkelling before, and this location is ideal for newbies. The waters provide easy access with a gentle soft sandy slope, warm shallow water with no waves, and few people to contend with. I was particularly struck by how close to me the fish would swim. I could almost touch them!
FUN FACT: The Great Florida Reef (which encompasses Dry Tortugas) is the third-largest reef system in the world and largest in the U.S. According to a recent study the reef has lost half of its coral over the past two decades!
Once suited up in my new snorkelling outfit – mask, top, shorts and flippers – all in BLACK, I looked like a latex Darth Vader! I headed toward the water, tripped over the tips of my flippers, and took a sandy face plant! Behind me, I heard Heidi hooting, “Walk backwards into the water, Peter!” I did. That worked.
I then discovered that my Darth Vader snorkel/mask leaked. Turns out, the snorkel tube had a bad connection and was filling my mask up with water when submerged. Fortunately, the complementary snorkel kit provided by Seaplane Adventures worked perfectly!
We swam past the moat (see above diagram) and came to an area with hundreds of colourful grunts, angelfish and parrotfish. I was disappointed, though by how little coral remained.
I tried out my new Olympus Tough TG-5 camera, which is reportedly the best point and shoot for underwater photography. Armed with my camera floaties, I took a number of shots, which sadly came out really poorly.
Our next stop for good fish sightings was “Coaling dock ruins” (see diagram). There were some colorful fish and a barracuda. The barracuda was downright ugly, and looked surprisingly large when swimming at your eye level! This bad-boy barracuda was less than 3 ft. long but has become shark size in later recountings!
A Bit of Birding
Before investigating North Beach (near the “Coaling Dock ruins”), we decided to check out the bird swarm off Bush Key from a distance, as it is off limits during the annual nesting season (February to September). The swarm of Sooty and Brown Noddy Terns maintain their breeding colony of nearly 100,000 here. We also spotted Magnificent Frigatebirds soring above, visiting us from their nearby colony on Loggerhead Key.
Swim Time
North Beach is sheltered and is perfect for swimming. Soft white sand, shallow water, no waves, solitude and quiet. Bliss!
Day’s End
Pilot John was on time and none of us were late! I really enjoyed the feel of the water take-off. I was positioned in the co-pilot’s seat, and the view up front while landing was pretty great.
And there you have it — a day at Dry Tortugas National Park, far, far from the madding crowd. From a military fort wannabe to an environmental sanctuary. A visit is very much worth the considerable effort, particularly if you combine it with some fun of a totally different kind in Key West. For that, tune in for my next post!
