Dry Tortugas National Park Travel Guide

 grandmaR Says:  Most of the ferries have a guided tour for their visitors. We listened in on one of these tours one morning when we were there. There are also intermittent ranger-led tours and also wildlife and bird tours led by the rangers. Check at the visitor center for more information.... 

 Basaic Says:  It is always fun to meet the locals and your fellow travelers. Here are: Angela and Brooke part of the crew of the Fast Cat (and some guy in a VT Hat); Tony; Ranger Kelly; Shannon a volunteer at the park; and Nathalie a Russian girl working in New York and Aleks her Azeri... 

 Basaic Says:  They built a lighthouse on top of the fort, unfortunately it was too short and not bright enough so it was never really used for the intended purpose. A taller, brighter lighthouse was later built on nearby Loggerhead Key. 

 Basaic Says:  This is the dungeon where the prisoners were held. Dr. Mudd was held here to but he had his own cell. There is still a lot of debate as to whether Mudd was a willing co-conspirator to the assassination of President Lincoln or was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.... 

 Basaic Says:  Here are some of the cannons used on the fort. The first one is called a Parrot Rifle. It is grooved inside the barrel to add power, range and accuracy to the shell. These are the type of guns that made this type of fort obsolete. The next two photos are of 15-inch Rodman... 

 Basaic Says:  This building was used to heat the cannonballs. This was a new concept of warfare. When the cannonballs were heated enough they would not only damage the ship they hit but would set them afire. This began the end of the wooden ships. If you study any of the history of... 

 Basaic Says:  Here is a memorial for Brevet Major Joseph Sim Smith and his son both of whom died at Fort Jefferson in 1867 of Yellow Fever. The son was only 3. Smith was the post surgeon so his loss was a major blow to the fort. The adverse impact was greatly lessened though because the... 

 Basaic Says:  This is where the officer’s quarters and the commander’s quarters were. This is also where the rangers and the volunteers live. The rangers and the volunteers live on site for up to a month at a time due to the remoteness of the location. 

 Basaic Says:  I took the Fast Cat. It goes 27 knots and makes the 70 mile trip in about 2 ½ hours. It was fast and clean and the crew was very friendly and professional. A limited breakfast and a lunch was provided. The fare was $165 as of April 2010. I got a $30 discount because of my... 

 Basaic Says:  There are currently two ways to get to the Dry Tortugas. You can come by private boat or commercial boat. There are places to anchor nearby but no pier for docking. The old seaplanes are no longer available. 

 grandmaR Says:  The fort was not build as a prison. It became a prison in 1861when President Lincoln commuted the sentence for deserters to life imprisonment here - it had no dungeons, but it was very secure because it was so isolated.On April 15, 1865, John Wilkes Booth shot and killed... 

 grandmaR Says:  There is a good anchorage off the fort. It used to be that you could come into it from either end, but the access from the north side has drifted shut, so you have to go all the way around the fort and come in from the south. Vessels may only anchor overnight on sandy bottom... 

 Basaic Says:  Snorkel gear is provided as part of the price of your ticket on the boat. You will be on the island for 4 hours or so. Some of the best snorkeling is near the ruins of the piers. Swimsuit and Sunscreen. Snorkeling gear is provided.