Dates we visited: April 29th, 2021
Where we stayed: Boyd’s Key West

After visiting Everglades and Biscayne National Parks, we headed down US-1 to the southern tip of Key West. This served as our launchpad to Dry Tortugas National Park , which would finish off our tour of the three parks in Florida. Located about 70 miles offshore from Key West, Dry Tortugas ranks among the least accessible parks in the National Park system. It can only be reached by boat or seaplane. We opted for the seaplane…and it was incredible! Visiting this park was surreal and was easily one of the most memorable experiences of our travels.

A Seaplane Ride

Dry Tortugas is about 100 square miles of mostly open water with a few small islands. If you opt for the ferry ride it takes a little over two hours each way. We chose the ~30 minute seaplane ride for a half day excursion in the afternoon.

The amphibious DHC-3 DeHavilland plane departs via runway from the Key West airport. We visited at the end of April, but it was already hot and humid walking out on the tarmac to board the small plane. Making small talk with the pilot on the walk to the plane, I mentioned my experience as a lapsed private pilot. I was thrilled that he granted me permission to sit in the cockpit “right seat” for the journey out. Kristy and Owen claimed the front two seats in the passenger cabin directly behind the cockpit.

The flight was incredible, with stunning views of the keys, the water, multiple shipwrecks, and Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas. Owen did great on this flight, and was super excited to have his own seat and headset. Our pilot did a fantastic job narrating the sights and pointing out wildlife, such as sea turtles and sharks, that could be seen from our low altitude flight. Make sure to check out the photo album to see some of Kristy’s photos from the flight.

After a surprisingly smooth ocean landing, and quick procedure to beach the plane, we made our way onto the island just as the ferry full of about a hundred people was leaving. Special thanks to our pilot Kris for the great flight and for taking a nice photo of us!

Fort Jefferson

The on-land highlight of the park for us was the historic Fort Jefferson building. Planned as a defense post to guard the gulf of mexico, construction on the fort took place over 30 years. Work progressed between 1846 and 1875, but it was never fully completed. It was an ambitious engineering project at the time. Unfortunately, they soon realized the shifting sands on the island compromised the structure over time. After being decommissioned as a fort, the building was also used as a prison, before eventually being designated a National Monument in 1935 and then a National Park in 1992.

There are basically no accessibility or safety features in the building, and exploring it required crossing a moat, walking up winding stone staircases, and being careful not to fall out of the windows or off the roof. All three of us were fascinated by the structure and the history of the building, and captivated by the pristine views of the surrounding shallow blue waters.

After exploring the fort for awhile, we were ready to cool off by snorkeling around the island. Kristy and I were a little hesitant to snorkel with Owen, but it turned out he was a quick study, and he absolutely loved it. We had watched a brief instructional video at the seaplane base, but we didn’t realize Owen had been paying super close attention, and apparently absorbed every last detail. We stayed pretty close to the shore, but the island is renowned as an excellent snorkeling location with many interesting areas to explore.

Dry Tortugas National park was an experience of a lifetime. We are grateful to have been able to explore this remote location, learn about it’s history, and enjoy an afternoon snorkeling near a pristine beach. All of us had a blast, but Owen especially seemed to revel in the new experiences of flying in a seaplane, visiting a remote island, and snorkeling. If you ever have the opportunity to visit this National Park, don’t let it pass by.