The impetus for this cruise started in April, 1970, when I camped on Marquesas Key. Marquesas Key is 48 miles east of the Dry Tortugas. (Marquesas Key is 20 miles west of Key West.) Pete and I talked about going to the Dry Tortugas someday in a small boat. Pete eventually went, I never followed up. So 50 years later I finally made it in a large ship!
The Dry Tortugas has no cell service. There is no souvenir shop. No boat or kayak rentals. No food service or store. Alcohol is not allowed on the land.
Campers must bring all their own supplies including fresh water. Campers must have tents because of critters. The only facilities are picnic tables and composting toilets which are closed from approximately 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.!
The Yankee Freedom ferry allows 4½ hours to explore, picnic, bird, fish, swim and/or snorkel on sandy beaches or offshore coral reefs, after a 2½ hour cruise to Fort Jefferson. FYI; there are no natural sandy beaches in the “Keys”.
If arriving by sea plane or ferry, cost to enter the National Park is included in that fare. There are armed Park Rangers who live on the key to collect park fees if you arrive on a private vessel and to monitor illegal entry.
The 110´ Yankee Freedom III ferry ship has the capacity of 220 passengers, but the National Park only permits the ship to deliver 175 guests a day. IT was so fully booked I had to make my reservation two months in advance.
The Yankee Freedom ferry allows 4½ hours to explore, camp, bird, fish, swim and/or snorkel after a 2½ hour cruise.
Ferry service fee includes breakfast and lunch. Snacks are available and the ship opens it’s bar in the afternoon. Some claim opening the bar, is to get passengers back on time for the return to Key West.
Fort Jefferson is on Garden Key within the Dry Tortugas National Park. Dry Tortugas National Park is 99% water! This is the most secluded US National Park. The 16 acre Fort Jefferson is the largest brick structure in the western hemisphere. With eight (8) foot thick walls. Around 16 million bricks!
What is unique about this National Park is there is; NO railings or anything to prevent falls off of the third level or tripping hazard prevention from loose bricks!
The National Park offers a map to identify the location of ship wrecks that can be explored. Download prior to arriving on private vessel since there is no cell service this far from civilization.
Dry Tortugas:
• “Dry” in Dry Tortugas is used to refer to the Islands lack of surface freshwater. Name changed from “Las Tortugas” to inform mariners of no freshwater.
• The National Park also offers a map to identify the location of ship wrecks you can explore. Download prior to arriving since there is no cell service here.
• 80,000+ people visit the Dry Tortugas annually.
• 70 miles west of Key West, FL.
• 111 miles from Havana, Cuba.
• Seven (7) major Islands/Keys. We docked at Garden Key.
• More than 299 bird species can be found on the Dry Tortuga Islands.
Restoration of Fort Jefferson has the same challenges today as it did when it was being built. No nice facilities for construction workers to live. Everyone needs to live on the island, not returning home at night. There still is no running water or mainland type of bathrooms. Everything has to be shipped 100 of miles from the mainland. Ya, boats have motors now instead of sails to get materials to Garden Key, but it still requires a great deal of logistic planning!
It was 1930 when a storm blew in, stranding Ernest Hemingway for 17 days on Garden Key in the Dry Tortugas while fishing. They hid in a shed at the then abandoned Fort Jefferson. They braved the wind to catch what fish they could, and mostly survived off of the 24 cans of SpaghettiOs, (It was reported SpaghettiOs taste better when eaten on a beach under stormy starlight.) 12 cans of beans, coffee, and of course, liquor, they just happened to bring along. It’s not recommended to brave the Tortugas in a storm, but it is a healthy adventure to camp there for a few nights.
It was in the Dry Tortugas while being marooned that Ernest Hemingway first met Gregorio Fuentes, the inspiration for the fisherman in “The Old Man and the Sea.” Sketches by Guy Harvey.
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