April 14, 2009 The Dry Tortugas

Up early for the trip down to Key West to get the Fast Cat to the Dry Tortugas. We got on board and the boat was loaded with folks. We got breakfast and the boat got underway. It is a 21/2 hour trip to Ft. Jefferson. For the first hour the trip was pretty calm. Then the ship came out into the Gulf of Mexico with no barrier islands breaking up the waves. In the main cabin, it was warm and I felt a bit uneasy. One of the crew came by and asked how I was doing and offered to take me outside, an offer I accepted. Once outside and seated everything settled down, however the crew member brought me some ginger ale and a barf bag. I didn't need it because the horizon was out there and fresh air was blowing past me. It was rough until we got to the Dry Tortugas. Tortouga is the Spanish word for turtle and the dry made reference to no water on the islands.

What an amazing spot. The fort just looms on the horizon as you approach it. It was started in the 1840's and completed during the Civil War. Bricks were brought in from Pensacola and then Maine when the war started. It is massive and the guns were never fired in its defense. It has an interesting history; Dr. Mudd who was part of the Lincoln assassination plot, served his time here until he was pardoned by President Johnson. The battleship Maine stopped here on its way to Cuba during the Spanish/American War. This spot was strategic in protecting the approach to the US from the Atlantic. You can visit for a day and snorkel, which we did or you can camp, with minimal facilities. Time was short; back on board for the 2 1/2 hour trip back to Key West.

You have to want to visit Ft. Jefferson to last out this day, which is a long one. Once back in Key West, we have a wonderful dinner on the boardwalk and head back north to Sugarloaf Key.