DRY TORTUGAS - WEST OF KEY WEST
Definitely drier than Key West....

This was a serendipity stop for us on our Southern-Most U.S. 48 trip that turned out to be our south venture highlight. In Key West, we boarded the Yankee Freedom II ferry early Fri, Feb 20 for a bumpy "ocean-in-motion" 68 mile sail to DT. A cold front from the NW stirred the blue sea into 6 ft waves, but we arrived alive 2 1/2 hrs later at Fort Jefferson/DT - an absolutely fascinating historical brick enclave plunked onto a 14-acre dot of terra firma in big water named Garden Key.

The 11-acre fort leaving little left, was the intended "Guardian to the Gulf." Construction began in 1846 but forgone in 1875 resulting in a not-quite completed/armed fort. Still, there are a helluva lot of bricks here (16 million). In the Northern Hemisphere this masonry hulk of it's kind is second to the Great Wall of China.

If we go again, er...if you go: think about sticking around a few days for camping, snorkeling, fishing, swimming, sunbathing, birding, exploring, and generally hanging out, cheap. It's .6 miles around the fort via the moat when you need to step out. Take tent, food, and water (beverages). Per the name Dry Tortugas, there's no fresh water available except to keep the NP staff hydrated.

The return trip was on calmer water. The Yankee Freedom II crew are pros who know the route and these waters intimately. See the borrowed YouTube video below for a nicely presented look at DT.


Dry Tortugas National Park Ferry: http://www.yankeefreedom.com/
NP info: http://www.nps.gov/drto/