SHANGRILA... Dry Tortugas National Park
Dry Tortugas National Park is made up of seven tiny coral-and-sand islands and their pristine surrounding waters. First named The Turtles, Las Tortugas, by Spanish Explorer Ponce de Leon in 1513, these reefs soon read "Dry Tortugas" on mariners charts to show they had no fresh water. In 1825 a lighthouse was built on Garden Key to warn sailors of rocky shoals; in 1856 the present light on Logger Key was built. By 1829 the United States knew it could control navigation to the Gulf of Mexico and protect Atlantic-bound Mississippi River trade by fortifying the Tortugas. Fort Jefferson's construction began on Garden Key in 1846 and continued for 30 years but was never finished. It is nevertheless, America's largest 19th-century coastal fort.
During the Civil War, Fort Jefferson served as a Union military prison for captured deserters. It also held 4 men convicted of complicity in President Abraham Lincoln's assassination in 1865. The Army abandoned Fort Jefferson in 1874, and in 1908 the area became a wildlife refuge to protect the sooty tern rookery from egg collectors. Each year, between March and September,a wildlife spectacle happens as some 100,000 sooty terns gather on Bush Key for their nesting season. They come from the Caribbean Sea and west central Atlantic Ocean. As early as mid January, sooters perform nocturnal maneuvers above the Dry Tortugas but spend their days at sea. When they do land in February, egg-laying starts immediately. Bush Key is closed to landings during tern nesting season, but the rookery is readily witnessed from the fort with binoculars. Sooty parents take turns shading their single egg, laid in simple depressions in the warm sands. Once the young grow strong enough for continuous flight, the colony disperses.
Dry
Tortugas National Park is opened year round, however, the best
time to visit is November through April.
Interspersed among the sooties' rookery are 2,500 breeding brown noddies. Unlike sooties and most other terns, noddies nest in vegetation, such as bay cedar and sea lavender. Both sooties and noddies feed by capturing fish and squid from the sea's surface while still in flight. Magnificent frigate birds that soar with seven foot wingspans pray on tern hatchlings in nature's endless give and take. Visitors often see masked and brown boobies, roseate terns, double-crested cormorants, and brown pelicans, a species recently "de listed" as endangered. In season, a continuous succession of songbirds and other migrants flies over or rests at the Dry Tortugas. Strategically set, these islands lie across a principal flyway from the United States to Cuba and South America. Familiar up north in summer, many gulls, terns and migratory birds winter here. During April and early May, the Audobon Society sponsors guided birding trips.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Fort Jefferson National Monument in 1935. The Monument was redesignated on October 25, 1992 as Dry Tortugas National Park to protect both historical and natural features. Not least among the natural treasures are its namesakes, the endangered green sea turtle and the threatened loggerhead turtle. Hunted by humans - mostly illegally - for gourmet meat, leather, and cosmetic oils, sea turtle numbers have diminished greatly worldwide, but green, loggerhead, and hawksbill species are still seen in the Dry Tortugas. Sea turtles themselves prey on small marine invertebrates and forage turtle grass and other aquatic plants. Twice or more per season, females climb onto sand beaches to dig out nests, lay eggs, cover them and retreat seaward. Hatchlings crawl seaward by instinct, but most succumb to natural predators between nest and sea. It is critical that humans do not disturb sea turtles.
Dry Tortugas National Park is opened year round, however, the best time to visit is November through April. Visitors to the park can tour the massive fort, snorkel and swim in the clear Tortugas waters and observe migratory birds. More than 280 species of birds have been sighted on the islands of the Tortugas. Other activities include but are not limited to beach combing, camping, diving, fishing, hiking, photography, wildlife watching and ranger led activities.
Obviously, it's the snorkeling, swimming and underwater photography that attract so many visitors...amazing is the word for it-swimmers can explore coral wonderlands in only 3 to 4 feet of water! Warm, clear and well lit, the Dry Tortugas' shallow waters foster optimal conditions for coral reefs to develop on the outer edges of tropical islands. Actual builders of these fringing reefs are small primitive animals called polyps. Over centuries polyps accumulate in living colonies that form the reef's rigid structures so often misconstrued as rocks. Though fragile, the Tortugas reef complex supports a wealth of marine life: multicolored sea fans sway in gentle currents... sea anemones thrust upward their rose and lavender tentacles in search of food...lobsters anticipating danger wave their antennae...sponges dot sandy bottoms and staghorn coral clusters simulate underwater forests.
Most apparent among the coral reef inhabitants are the colorful reef fishes-vivid, boldly patterned reds, yellows, greens and blues work as camouflage, identity, warning and courtship messages. The predatory fish nearby, include amberjacks, groupers, wahoos, tarpon, and atop this coral food pyramid, sharks and barracudas! Divers be warned, however, it is the strong currents that often pose the most danger and you must not disturb shells, corals, seafans, tropical fish, spiny lobster, or turtles and their nests. Dead shells above high water line may be collected, but all coral, living and dead, is protected from collection. Shipwrecks and their cargo and all historic artifacts in the park are protected by law and commercial fishing and spearfishing are both prohibited; hands OFF the conch and lobster, too! In other words, you can look but you better not touch!
Camping is permitted in the park but only on Garden Key. The campground is open year round and is first come first serve. The 13-site, primitive campground is located on the same island as Fort Jefferson and is a short walk from the public dock. Eleven individual sites can accomodate up to 6 people and 3 tents, and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Should a regular campsite not be available, an overflow area is provided. A group site is available for 10-40 people and must be reserved in advance. Call 305-242-7700 to obtain a reservation application. Groups of 10 or more arriving without a reservation will not receive exclusive use of the group site. The campground is a self-service fee area with a nightly fee of $3 per person. Fees paid for transportation (seaplane or ferry) do not include camping fees and all campers must pay the $5 per person park entrance fee as well.
The park can only be reached by boat or seaplane; it is inaccessible to trailers and motorhomes. Private boaters have a prime opportunity to visit the fort and nautical charts for the route can be purchased at marinas and boating supply outlets in Key West. Information can also be obtained in Key West from the U.S. Coast Guard station, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Charter Boat Association. Boaters should be aware of the possibility of extreme rough seas.
If you visit using your personal boat, please bring at least two anchors and NOAA chart 11438. Overnight anchoring is limited to within one mile of Garden Key and there are no overnight anchoring buoys. Dockage at Garden Key is limited to two hours daily, sunrise to sunset.
Seaplane approaches, landings, and takeoffs are also limited to within 1 mile of the fort and may only be moored in the designated area at Garden Key. Chartered seaplanes are available from Key West and provide a quick and beautiful means of transportation...the small planes literally hover over the water and it's easy to spy turtles, sting rays and even dolphin in the crystal clear water below.
Key West has been called, the "last
resort," but if you choose to journey another 65 miles or so into
the Gulf of Mexico, you'll find a true island paradise... in the middle
of nowhere! The Dry Tortugas are pristine in every way, in spite of
man's intrusion many years ago when Fort jefferson was deemed...necessary!
It was obsolete before its completion but, imagine the difficulty in
erecting such a fort when everything had to be shipped from points "North"...even
the drinking water had to be shipped in! Nevertheless, the fort stands
as a monument to man's determination and the Park is a testament to
the incredible beauty of nature.The Dry Tortugas and Fort Jefferson
are well worth the time and effort it takes to get there... legends
of pirates and sunken treasure are a small part of this incredible Shangrila!
Explore and Experience paradise...the Dry Tortugas! 
