Treasures abound at Florida’s Dry Tortugas National Park

The seaplane kissed the water as we landed at Dry Tortugas National Park, one of our country’s most inaccessible national parks. It had been a smooth flight on Key West Seaplane Charters from Key West, where we had departed a mere thirty-five minutes ago, and the sights enroute were incredible.

Photo by Debbie Stone

Opting for the seaplane to Dry Tortugas was a no brainer for me, as the only other means of getting there is the ferry, which typically takes over two hours. I wanted to get to the island as quickly as possible and have the place to roam crowd-free. I also knew that the seaplane experience offered a unique bird’s eye perspective of the landscape.

Photo by Debbie Stone

After leaving Key West, we flew over an area known as the “Flats.” This shallow body of water, which spans almost twenty miles, is great for spotting marine life. We saw sharks, and sting rays from our perch in the sky. Of course, they looked like dark blobs from above, and I probably wouldn’t have been able to identify them had it not been for our pilot, Marcus, but it was exciting nevertheless.  

Photo by Debbie Stone

The flight path then took us over the Marquesas Islands, a coral atoll, which we learned via the audio narration, is volcanic in origin. Beyond these islands are the “Quicksands,” where we spied huge sea turtles swimming in this underwater desert. The sea-bed is actually made up of ginormous sand dunes that move continually due to the strong tidal currents. This is an active treasure site, known by treasure hunters for its regular finds from the 1622 ill-fated voyage of a pair of Spanish galleons, Atocha and Santa Margarita.

Photo by Debbie Stone

Other shipwrecks from modern times have occurred in this location, and we were able to see two of them through the windows of the seaplane. The first was the remains of a WWII Destroyer Escort, the Patricia, which was intentionally sunk by the U.S. Navy in bombing practice. Another, the Arbutus, sank due to hull deterioration. It was a work vessel used by Mel Fisher’s divers. Thankfully, there was no loss of life.

Photo by Debbie Stone

Fort Jefferson, the National Park’s most significant site, dates back to 1846 when construction of the Fort began. The U.S. wanted to control navigation to the Gulf of Mexico, while protecting trade headed to the Mississippi; thus, the reason for fortification. Construction on the fort continued for over thirty years, but it was never finished.

Photo by Debbie Stone

The Army abandoned Fort Jefferson in 1874. Years later, it became a wildlife refuge to protect nesting birds from egg collectors. Then, in 1935, it was designated a National Monument. It wasn’t until 1992, however, that Dry Tortugas was given National Park status.

Photo by Debbie Stone

Make your way up to the top level for the most spectacular panoramas of the island. You can walk around four of the six sides, with vistas in almost every direction. And don’t forget to do the pathway around the moat, which offers some of the best views of the fort.  

Photo by Debbie Stone

Other birds commonly seen flying around are frigates, pelicans and cormorants. The frigates, in particular, elicit awe for their seven-foot wingspans. When they soar, they are a thing of beauty.
There’s no food or drink available on the island, so take what you need for the trip. Thankfully, there are toilets! If you want to spend the night, you’ll need to reserve one of the eleven campsites available.