he Florida Keys are many people’s idea of paradise: clear water, tropical islands, palm trees, and killer sandbar cocktails. But what if I told you there are islands in the Keys with even clearer water, even more tropical vibes, more palm trees, and maybe even more cowbell?
Of course, I speak of the Dry Tortugas. Islands so tropical you’ll think you’re in The Bahamas or some far-off island in the Caribbean. But you’re still in Florida, dear reader, but just barely.
Join me on a quick trip out to the Dry Tortugas, one of America’s hidden treasures that lies way past the end of the road.
Where Are the Dry Tortugas?
The Dry Tortugas are a tiny group of tiny islands located far out in the Gulf of Mexico, about 70 miles west of Key West or about 140 miles southwest of Fort Myers Beach. They make up the westernmost point of the Florida Keys, and despite their very remote location, the islands are still a part of Florida (and the US).
There are only seven islands in the Dry Tortugas, and only three of them are worth taking much note of. Like many areas of the remote Florida Keys, the real story with the Dry Tortugas lies underwater. Being so far away from the pollution of the mainland, the waters around these islands are crystal-clear and host a vibrant assortment of marine life and healthy coral reefs.
The islands were discovered by none other than Juan Ponce de Leon in 1513. Ol’ Ponce didn’t find his Fountain of Youth there, either. In fact, he didn’t find any water at all. That’s where the “dry” in Dry Tortugas comes from — there’s no fresh water anywhere.
But there were lots and lots of turtles, which the hungry sailors in Ponce’s crew must’ve liked. And since “Dry” is a very boring name for such a lovely place, he decided to call the islands the Dry Turtles — a spot of creative flair on Ponce’s part. Tortugas is Spanish for turtle, you see.
Good Ol’ Ponce has quite a reputation down here, although most people don’t realize it. He liked to name places and must’ve been good at it because his names have stuck. When he landed in the state earlier in 1513, he called it “La Florida” — Land of Flowers. That name stuck, too. And now you know the oldest two place names (given by European explorers, at least) still used today in the US. Once you’ve got a piece of knowledge like that, there’s no giving it back.
As cool as Ol’ Ponce thought the Dry Tortugas were, he ate the turtles and moved on. But while the Spanish controlled La Florida in the 1700s, and after the US acquired it in 1819, the islands were seen as strategically important. Their location, right smack-dab in the busy shipping lanes between the Straits of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, seemed like the perfect place from which to watch and shoot people.
Construction on the ultimate fort began in 1847. Instead of using pillows and bedspreads, the US government chose red masonry brick for their fort on Garden Key, the central island in the Dry Tortugas. The massive fort on this tiny sandspit of an island became known as Fort Jefferson. It is, to this day, the largest brick building in the Western Hemisphere. If you want to fact-check that, you must count upwards of 16 million bricks that make up the impressive fort.
The Union held Fort Jefferson throughout the Civil War. In fact, the facility was so secure that it was used to hold important prisoners like Dr. Samuel Mudd, who was involved in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
What Is Dry Tortugas National Park?
Owing to the facts that nobody uses brick forts anymore and that the islands are a beautiful place worth protecting, President Franklin D. Roosevelt made the fort area a national monument in 1935. The protections were expanded and made into a proper national park in 1992.
Most of Dry Tortugas National Park encompasses the open water between the islands. Only one percent of the park is dry land. Special regulations are in place to protect the reefs from overuse, including special fishing and diving rules for visiting boaters. For example, you can’t spearfish or lobster here.
In addition to the islands and the coral reef ecosystems, the park protects the 19th-century Fort Jefferson and the 1858 lighthouse on Loggerhead Key to the west.
In addition to visiting by boat, guests can camp in the primitive campground on Garden Key at the foot of Fort Jefferson. Walking around the Fort and grounds after hours is a real treat because you’ll have the place all to yourself once the ferry leaves. For stargazers, the Dry Tortugas is one of the darkest dark sky parks you can find.
How Do You Get to the Dry Tortugas?
Even though it’s beautiful and technically your land, it’s hard to visit the Dry Tortugas. That 70 miles of water that separates it from Key West isn’t just another winding creek in the backcountry — it’s 70 miles of open ocean.
When the wind is up or the seas are big, it’s a long, rough ride out there. Sure, 70 miles doesn’t sound like much when you drive in your car. But most boats (fast boats, that is) only go about 20 miles per hour in the open ocean, meaning it takes over three hours to get there each way — on a nice day.
The park maintains a list of approved vendors who can help you get there. Most guests arrive by the main park ferry, the Yankee Freedom III, or by seaplane from Key West. The Yankee Freedom leaves Key West harbor every morning and returns every evening — it’s a modern 110-foot-long fast catamaran carrying up to 175 passengers. The boat even has a snack bar. If you’re camping on the island, you can arrange with the ferry to get your gear out there, too.
The other popular option for trips out to the Tortugas is the seaplane. The plane covers the 70 miles quicker, and the scenery is pretty amazing from a few thousand feet up. The seaplane lands in the harbor by the Fort and pulls right up on the beach at Garden Key. Talk about arriving in style!
The other way to get to the islands is on your own boat. This might seem like luxury living, but most local boaters will tell you it’s quite an ordeal to make it out to the Tortugas and back again. The weather has to be just right, and there’s nothing out there once you get there. You’ve got to plan all your provisioning for all your meals and plan to stay there, on anchor, for a few days should the weather turn nasty. For all these reasons, you will see a couple of hardy ocean-going sailboats and long-distance cruisers out there, but never do you see masses of boaters as you do in other parts of the Florida Keys.
What Is There To Do in the Dry Tortugas?
Being stranded on a desert island in the middle of the ocean isn’t everyone’s idea of fun. But, thankfully, you don’t have to bring a volleyball and name it Wilson for company at the Dry Tortugas.
There’s plenty to entertain you, and you can bring a real friend, too.
Here’s a list of ideas of things to do on a typical day trip to the Fort.
- Self-guided or guided tours of Fort Jefferson
- Enjoy the view from the top of the fort
- Walk the moat wall, which is teaming with sea life — it’s like a wild aquarium
- Snorkel around the moat wall or from the beach
- Landscape photography
- Birding — the official park bird list is up to 299 species!
- Walk the beach on Garden Key
- Relax, swim, or picnic at the beach (while the ferry is docked during the day, you can purchase lunch from their snack bar)
Is Dry Tortugas Worth the Trip?
Traveling to the Dry Tortugas and sightseeing on these spectacular islands is a once-in-a-lifetime, bucket-list-worthy trip. The scenery is breathtaking, the history interesting, and the trip unforgettable.
The expense and hassle of getting out to the islands is part of the allure. You won’t be pushing selfie-taking influencers out of your way to see the sights since the Dry Tortugas is one of the least visited parks in the country. With only the one ferry boat and a handful of private boats coming on any given day, you get a pretty quiet experience on a very remote tropical island. How cool is that?
Planning the Ultimate Key West Day Trip and Dry Tortugas Boat Charter
So, let’s say you want to visit the Dry Tortugas, but you want a better trip than the seaplane or public ferry can provide.
Maybe you want to explore places that the non-boating public seldom gets to go, like seeing the big lighthouse on Loggerhead Key or snorkeling the famous Windjammer wreck off the beach nearby? Maybe you just want to switch it up and spend your time on the water, snorkeling some new places, or maybe try your luck with a spot of fishing?
Only a handful of private Dry Tortugas boat charter providers can take you on just such a cruise. Captain Zak knows how to get a hold of them when they are far from cell reception, so if you’re interested in a private, custom Dry Tortugas boat trip, just call up Captain Zak and give him the word.
