We wanted to explore the Dry Tortuga's over the Thanksgiving holiday and planned out trip from Key West.
We raised the sails at 2:00 PM with the anticipation of arriving at 7:00 AM, however we had very good wind pushing is along and we arrived at 5:00 AM and it was pitch black with no moonlight. We found out that there are two lighthouses but neither work. We tried to anchor outside the Fort but we couldn't find a good spot with us being so dark. There's an Anchorage behind the Fort so we went to find it.
It was so dark, that we nearly hit several anchored sail boats and we nearly ran into the Fort. It was very stressful and scary. During the ight of day, we saw how extremely lucky we were to have not hit anything. We don't anchor in the dark anymore. Later we had to move the Catamaran because we were anchored the the seaplane runway.
The Dry Tortuga's were discovered by Ponce de Leon in 1513 and were named after the large population of sea turtles living in the island’s surrounding waters. “Tortugas” means turtles in Spanish, and Ponce de Leon himself caught over 100 sea turtles during his time on the island. The name “Dry” Tortugas was later given to the island to indicate to other mariners that the land mass lacked fresh water, which was an extremely important detail for seafarers to know.
The area is known for its treacherous reefs, and in 1825 a lighthouse was built to warn ships and guide them toward safety. It was not working because of repairs, we sure could have used this lighthouse. At the time shipwrecks were common because of the coral reefs, and with underwater wrecks dating back to the 1600s, the Dry Tortugas currently possess one of the richest concentrations of shipwrecks in North America.
It is also because of these large reefs surrounding the Tortugas that the U.S. was able to establish one of the most strategic harbors in U.S. history, and Fort Jefferson was born. Construction of the fort began in 1846, and although it was never officially finished,
it remains a historic icon of the Dry Tortugas and receives thousands of visitors yearly.
While visiting the Fort, the only restrooms are on the ferry Yankee Freedom III, that brings visits from Key West and then there are comprar toilets for the campers that stay overnight. There is no food or water available except on the ferry.
Dry Tortugas National Park encompasses the history and natural wonders that make this island a remarkable place. It is home to a multitude of unique birds, and has the only regular U.S. nesting site of sooty terns on Bush key, adjacent to Fort Jefferson.
With vibrant coral reefs, nesting sea turtles, unique tropical fish and underwater wonders, visiting the Dry Tortugas was an unforgettable experience.
We meet some new friends, Bill and Susan, that were anchored next to us. It was so much fun being on a boat because after the ferry left, we had the island all to ourselves.
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