Dry Tortugas National Park
Dry Tortugas National Park is a historic location for a family friendly adventure. Primitive⛺️ camping, kayaking and snorkeling are among the activities designed around the clear blue waters of this Caribbean paradise. Dry Tortugas National Park is home to Nesting Birds, Green Turtles 🐢 and a gigantic masonry structure known as Ft. Jefferson.
Take a Yankee Freedom lead tour of Ft. Jefferson during the first half of your day at Dry Tortugas National Park.
Cuban “Chug”– A rustic boat aids in the transportation of refugees from Cuba to Florida shores. Those who plant at least one foot on dry land may get political asylum. As recent as 2015, 27 Cuban refugees exclaimed “piel seca” which means dry foot when arriving at Fort Jefferson. Safety could be an issue as this fort is still susceptible to be encroached upon by modern day “pirates” and smugglers. For this reason, park rangers are equipped with visible sidearms (yep, loaded).
Ft. Jefferson
A fort equipped with defensive, strategic and sustainable features such as a moat, howitzers, tower bastions, a cistern structure that has unfortunately collapsed due to the weight of the structure, a drawbridge and a sallyport (entrance).
Garden Key Light-This iron structure did not serve alone as a beacon in the Dry Tortugas. The nearby “head” is called Loggerhead Lighthouse and is 3 miles west of Fort Jefferson on Loggerhead Key (not pictured in any of these photos). It no longer serves as a lighthouse for mariners as it was retired in 2015. The harbor light, pictured above is currently being restored as evidenced by the scaffolding
The harbor light-Located on the third level at Fort Jefferson was constructed after the lighthouse on Garden Key was destroyed by a hurricane in 1875. Also known as The Garden Key Light, this iron structure did not serve alone to provide safe harbor to nearby vessels.
Moat-The 70-foot-wide moat that encircles Fort Jefferson served a variety of roles. The main function of the moat was to serve as a barrier to would-be attackers attempting to gain access to the fort. The moat wall, or counterscarp, was also intended to protect the fort from wave action and storm surge by serving as a breakwater. Finally, the moat served as an integral component of the fort’s tidal flushing sewer system.
Harbor Light (Third Level)-Constructed in 1876,
Staircase-The granite was shipped from Vermont and came precut and ready for assembly.
Totten Shutters-Specialized iron shutters were used to protect the gun crews from enemy fire during the reloading of the artillery. These hinged, wrought-iron shutters were placed between the mortar core of the fort and the brick façade
15-inch Rodman (Third Level)-Designed by an artilleryman in the Union Army during the Civil War of the United States. The 15-inch Rodman had a firing range of over three miles, the distance from the fort to the lighthouse on Loggerhead Key. The Rodmans were smooth-bore, weighed 25 tons, and could fire 450-pound projectiles. Fort Jefferson has 6/320 produced world wide.
Cistern-Surrounded on all sides by water that quenches no thirst, the residents at Ft. Jefferson needed to collect and store rainwater. Updated in modern times, this cistern is still in use for the National Park Service staff who live on the island. Its 90,000 gallon capacity is divided into three bays, two of which hold rain water, while the third is filled with fresh water made from sea water in a process known as reverse osmosis.
Tower Bastion. Fort Jefferson has six of these defensive structures, one at each of its corners. Originally armed with as many as twelve 24-pounder flank defense howitzers, these positions enabled defenders inside the fort to fire down the length of the adjoining walls and moat, protecting the fort from amphibious assault.
The name howitzer comes from an old Czech word, haufnice, which was a catapult that could fire many stones.
Howitzers – shorter barreled guns with “chambers” in the bores for smaller powder charges. They were designed to fire shells at higher elevations over less range. Mortars – short chambered pieces used for lobbing shells at great elevation into the fortifications of the enemy.
10-inch Parrott Rifle-The largest of the Parrott family of rifles, the 10-inch rifle weighed approximately 27,000 pounds and could fire a 300-pound projectile. Because of the higher internal pressures associated with firing a rifled projectile, Parrotts had a wrought iron band shrunk over the breach to reinforce the gun tube. The 10-inch Parrotts were notorious for bursting and because of that, only around 40 were made, 4 of which remain at Fort Jefferson.
Parade Ground-Eight acres of open ground inside Fort Jefferson provided space for three housing structures and an area for men to be trained in marching and battle techniques.
Sallyport-The only entrance to the fort, the sallyport, was originally secured with a massive drawbridge and two sets of heavy doors
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More recreation on the water in National Park Units, follow link to Recreation: H₂O