C R U I S I N G T O T H E D R Y T O R T U G A S Randy, Kim & Corey Kalisik
O V ERV IEW • INTRODUCTION About us and about Blue Turtle, our trawler • ABOUT THE DRY TORTUGAS History, facts, things to do, and park rules • PRE-TRIP Provisioning and pre-trip checklist • GETTING THERE Cruising considerations and navigating there • ARRIVING Anchoring, checking in (boat permits/fees) and sooty terns • SNORKELING & DIVING Equipment check, snorkel & dive sites and getting the most out of it • FISHING Park & state regulations, fishing spots and type of fish caught
IN TRO D UC TIO N
A BO UT US • Full time live aboard for 6 years on Fort Myers Beach with our son, Corey and dog, Sophie • Both work full time - Kim owns a web design business, Randy is a manufacturer’s rep for industrial products • Cruising around southwest Florida, the Keys and Dry Tortugas • Very active in fishing, diving, snorkeling, wake boarding and other water sports • Randy is a U.S.C.G. Licensed Master Captain • Blog about living aboard and cruising at www.blueturtletrawler.com
A BO UT BLUE TURTLE • 1974 40’ DeFever Passagemaker Trawler • Single screw (185hp Perkins) with bow and stern thrusters • Cruising speed 6.5 - 7.5 knots • 2 gallons per hour fuel consumption • Full displacement hull • 200 gallons water capacity • 500 gallon fuel capacity • 40 gallon holding tank • 9 foot dinghy with 15 hp motor
ABO UT TH E D RY TO RTUG AS
W H Y C RUISE TO TH E D RY TO RTUG A S? • It’s one of the least visited parks in the THINGS TO DO: U.S. National Park Service • Explore Fort Jefferson • Uncrowded, isolated and unspoiled • Camping preserve lacking any commercialism • Fishing • Intriguing history and abundant wildlife • Kayaking/paddle sports • Swimming, snorkeling and diving • Wildlife viewing / bird watching • Explore Loggerhead Key • Stargazing • Watch the sun rise and set on the Gulf of Mexico
LO C A TIO N • Small group of islands located 70 miles west of Key West and 90 miles north of Cuba at the northwest entrance to the Florida Straits
7 ISLA N D S TO TA L • Loggerhead Key, Garden Key, Bush Key, Long Key, Hospital Key, Middle Key, and East Key • Garden Key and Loggerhead Key can be visited year-round • Bush Key is seasonally closed during the sooty tern nesting season • Originally, there were 11 islands; 4 of them were reclaimed by the sea by the 1930’s
H ISTO RY • Named Las Tortugas (The Turtles) in 1513 by Spanish explorer Ponce de León • Later labeled “ Dry Tortugas” on mariner charts to indicate it offered no fresh water • Became a major shipping channel in the 1800s connecting the Atlantic Ocean waters with the Gulf of Mexico • Known as a “ ship trap” because of the shallow waters, swift currents and hurricanes causing numerous wrecks (250 documented) • “ Wrecking” - the salvage operation industry quickly grew and became the main industry that contributed to the building of Key West • America, realizing that order to control the navigation on the Gulf of Mexico, constructed the fort on Garden Key
Though never finished, Fort Jefferson served many purposes through the years: • During the Civil War, it remained in Union hands and was used in their campaign to blockade Southern shipping • Military prison mainly for Union deserters but also for famous civilian prisoner Dr. Samuel Mudd, who had been convicted for conspiracy in the death of President Lincoln. • After being abandoned by the Army, it was later used as a a quarantine station for Marine Hospital Service and coaling station for war ships
A BO UT TH E PA RK • Called “ Dry” Tortugas because of the absence of fresh water on the island • Fort Jefferson National Monument was expanded in 1983 and redesignated as Dry Tortugas National Park in 1992. • One of the least visited parks in the U.S. National Park System with just over 70,000 visits in 2016
• Accessible only by sea plane, ferry (out of Key West) or private vessel • Ferry visitors are at the fort from 10:30 am - 3pm
• Tortugas coral reefs are the end of the third largest reef in the world, the Florida Reef system - ending within a few miles of the Gulf Stream where the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, and the Caribbean Sea collide
• Tropical bird breeding grounds - Over 299 species including the Sooty Tern and Brown Noddy
Credit: Jennifer Macaulay via Flickr • Since the Dry Tortugas islands are closer to Cuba than Miami, Cuban migrants attempt to land here on homemade boats called “ chugs”
PA RK RULES • Pets are allowed on Garden Key but not inside the fort • Operation of drones is prohibited within the park • Jet skis are prohibited in the park • Kayaks, canoes and small dinghys may be beached in designated areas • Collecting of lobsters and Spearfishing is prohibited • Fishing is permitted on Garden Key in specified areas and outside the Research Natural Area (refer to park map) • Pack in, pack out park – all campers, visitors and boaters must take out what they brought in
TO TA L ISO LA TIO N • No available fresh water – i.e. “ Dry” Tortugas • No restaurants or shops of any kind; only lodging facilities is a primitive camp ground • No cell or WiFi service – Park Ranger office posts printed 3-day weather forecasts • Park recommends campers bring two gallons of water per person per day as well as extra 2 days of food
G A RD EN KEY A N D FO RT J EFFERSO N • Garden Key is the second largest island, about 14 acres in size • Home to Fort Jefferson, park headquarters, visitor center, campgrounds and great snorkeling areas
• Though never completed, Fort Jefferson was the largest and most sophisticated of the “ Third System” coastal forts that were being built following the War of 1812 • It was designed as a six-sided, four-tiered building, capable of mounting 420 guns
• It is considered the largest brick masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere • Made up of 16 Million bricks and has over 2,000 brick arches
• Two different types of brick were used in construction. Southern brick (in the lower portion) which was harder and more durable, and northern red clay brick (top) which didn’t hold up as well for the humid environment
• Unlike other forts in the states, Fort Jefferson has little in the way of railings and enclosures. Watch your footing when walking on the top permiter.
• 6 Rodman cannons and 4 Parrott rifled cannons in the fort are some of the rarest examples of 19th Century seacoast artillery in existence.
Hot Shot Furnace Powder Magazine
LO G G ERH EA D KEY • Located 3 miles from Garden Key, it is the largest of the Dry Tortugas islands. • Amazing snorkeling and diving at nearby reefs and wreck - Little Africa and Windjammer Wreck
• The Dry Tortugas Light (on Loggerhead Key) was constructed in 1856 to replace the lighthouse on top of Fort Jefferson which proved to be too short, too dim, and too far away from other reefs. • Both lighthouses were the only lights on the Gulf coast throughout the American Civil War • From 1905 to 1939 the most significant scientific research of the Dry Tortugas was conducted at a cutting-edge marine laboratory located on the island • One of the scientific contributions include the first underwater black and white and color photography.
P RE - TRIP
PRO VISIO N IN G • The Park recommends 2 gallons of water per person per day and an extra 2 days of food in case of bad weather • If you have adequate freezer and storage space, stock up on non-perishable foods (Canned goods, frozen meat, dry goods like rice and pasta) • Utilize your fresh produce and perishables first at the beginning of the trip and rely on non-perishables as you run out • To save space and fit more food, remove items from boxes and large cartons and repack in plastic • If you have a small fridge, keep beverages in a separate cooler for the first couple days and move them into the refrigerator as space is made available • Water-conservation tips: washing dishes in salt water followed by fresh water rinse; using salt water and a bucket to rinse your decks • Carry extra water by purchasing jerry cans or bladders to fill with fresh water as well as using solar showers
PRE- TRIP C H EC KLIST • Check running lights (if cruising at night) • Have bottom and running gear dove and cleaned • Check engine maintenance • Bring spare fuel filters and impellers • Bring extra oil, transmission oil and coolant • Fill fuel and water • Pump holding tank • Check diving and snorkeling equipment Keep in mind that there are no stores to buy food, water, spare parts, etc.
G E TTIN G TH E RE
C RUISIN G C O N SID ERA TIO N S • Located in the Gulf of Mexico at the end of the Florida Keys, about 70 miles west of Key West • Check the long term weather forecast for winds, hurricanes, or fronts to make sure you have an optimal weather window • Summer has afternoon thunderstorms and more predictable weather patterns • Winter has cold fronts which can bring high wind and seas
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