Dry Tortugas Ferry

Take the high speed catamaran 70 miles west of Key West to the islands and waters of the Dry Tortugas National Park - the last of the Florida Keys and a remote treasure. It consists of seven tiny islands and the surrounding waters. When Ponce De Leon originally discovered these islands he named them "Las Tortugas" (meaning "the turtles" in Spanish) because of the abundance of sea turtles. Even though hunting drastically reduced their numbers, many varieties of the species are still present in the area.

Explore historic Fort Jefferson - the "Gibraltar of the Gulf." Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas National Park is America's largest 19th century coastal fort and is located on Garden Key Island. The Fort was built in the mid-1800's, with over 16 million bricks. Originally constructed to protect the important Gulf of Mexico shipping lanes, Fort Jefferson was used as a military prison during the Civil War. During this time, it was "home" to Dr. Samuel Mudd, who was convicted of complicity in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.

We suggest you bring:

• Swimsuit
• Towel
• Sun Protection
• Camera and Film
• Binoculars
• Jacket