A place in Florida – Why go to the Dry Tortugas?

There’s a place in Florida that vacation planners have been asking the same question for nearly a century: Now why would you want to go there?

This place in Florida is so far off the beaten track that you can hardly “get there from here.” In fact, it doesn’t even have a ‘road’ to it – it’s seven points on a map 70 miles from earth, and there isn’t a road to any of those points.

Yet 80,000 vacationers still go to the Dry Tortugas National Park each year, and I’m about to tell you why. But first …

Dry Tortugas National Park is one of the most inaccessible national parks in the United States, and therefore one of the least visited. To get there you have to go by ferry, catamaran or seaplane from Key West, or by private boat, which is difficult due to the distance. On the water, it is a four hour journey.

The Dry Tortugas consist of seven tiny islands, mostly coral reefs and white sand beaches cooled by palm trees and surrounded by emerald tropical waters. Ponce de León discovered them in 1513 and called them Las Tortugas because the only inhabitants were sea turtles. Later ‘Dry’ was added to warn visitors about the lack of fresh water.

Then came the pirates, who used the islands as a base to attack merchant ships in the Gulf of Mexico. Pirates are notorious for not keeping records, so we don’t know much about the islands’ history during the 1600s and 1700s.

The United States acquired Florida in 1821 and in 1825 built a lighthouse on Garden Key to warn ships of nearby reefs. After the War of 1812, the United States decided to build forts stretching from Maine to Texas, and Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas was to be the largest of all.

Construction began in 1845, and it took 17 years to build the eight-foot-thick walls to their final height of 15 meters. The fort, surrounded by a moat, has only one entrance.

To build the six-sided fort with 116 million handmade red bricks, the Army used civilian machinists, carpenters, blacksmiths, bricklayers, general workers, resident prisoners, and 22 slaves. At the height of its years, during the Civil War, about 2,000 people lived in the fort.

Advances in weapons technology would render the fort obsolete when the war ended. Until it was abandoned in 1874, the fort was used as a prison.

The Union maintained control of Fort Jefferson during the Civil War, but never actually completed construction. However, the fort is the largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere.

Just after the Civil War, four men convicted of conspiracy in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, including Dr. Samuel Mudd, were imprisoned at the fort. Subsequently, President Andrew Johnson pardoned Dr. Mudd, who was praised for his medical care during an outbreak of yellow fever at the fort.

President Franklin Roosevelt designated Fort Jefferson as a national monument in 1935, and during World War II it was used as a seaplane base. In 1992, the area, including the fort, became the Dry Tortugas National Park.

With its high red brick walls jutting out of the blue waters of the Gulf, the fort is certainly a beautiful but unusual sight for those who can endure the arduous journey from Key West.

So who goes to this ‘Gibraltar of the Gulf’ and why?

· History buffs. Fort Jefferson has many stories to tell about its existence. The Florida National Parks and Monuments Association operates a bookstore in the park’s visitor center that offers books, videos, and related products guaranteed to satisfy the curiosity of the history buff. Additionally, the Fort Jefferson Museum has intermittent ranger-led tours and self-guided tours of the fort with interpretive signs.

· Bird watchers. There are hundreds of species on the islands, but only a few receive most of the attention. Between March and September, 100,000 black terns and 2,500 big-headed terns gather on Bush Key, one of the seven islands, for their nesting season. Unfortunately for bird watchers, this is when insects are at their worst. The islands are located via a major flyway from the United States to South America, so it is not unusual to see many other species in the sky, including pink terns, double-crested cormorants, brown and masked boobies, and brown pelicans. . During April and early May, the Audubon Society sponsors bird watching trips.

Seekers of ‘the Great Escape’. These include people who enjoy relaxing sunsets and breathtaking night skies; diver swimmers campers; various diving equipment; fishermen bathers; and navigators. The only campground in the park has limited capacity and strict rules. Check before planning a camping trip.

Expect. There is more to tell about this place in Florida. The fort’s museum and visitor center employees will be happy to share the legends of pirates and sunken gold. Ask them if they have maps.