Park history
and information
70 miles west of Key West lies seven small islands,
composed of coral reefs and sand, that make up Dry Tortugas
National Park. The area is known for its famous bird and
marine life, and its legends of pirates and sunken gold. See more
pictures in our Tortugas
photo gallery.
Dry
Tortugas Ferry
tours
Take a high speed catamaran to the Dry Tortugas National Park.
The Tortugas were first discovered by Ponce de Leon in 1513.
Abundant sea turtles or "tortugas" provisioned his ships
with fresh meat, but there was no fresh water-the tortugas were dry.
Since the days of Spanish exploration, the reefs and shoals of the
Dry Tortugas have been a serious hazard to navigation and the site
of hundreds of shipwrecks.
In the early 1800's, U.S. military attention was drawn to the keys
due to their strategic location in the Florida Straits. Plans were
made for a massive fortress and construction began in 1846, but the
fort was never completed. The invention of the rifled cannon made
it obsolete. As the military value of Fort Jefferson waned, its pristine
reefs, abundant sea life and impressive numbers of birds grew in value.
In 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt set aside Fort Jefferson and
the surrounding waters as a national monument. The area was redesignated
as Dry Tortugas National Park in 1992 to protect both the historical
and natural features.
Weather and climate
Temperatures range from the 60's to mid-80's. April, May, and September
are often idyllic.
Average air temperature:
| |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
º
F |
75 |
75 |
79 |
82 |
85 |
88 |
89 |
89 |
88 |
84 |
80 |
76 |
º
C |
24 |
24 |
26 |
28 |
29 |
31 |
32 |
32 |
31 |
29 |
27 |
24 |
Average water temperature:
| |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
º
F |
69 |
70 |
75 |
79 |
83 |
86 |
87 |
87 |
86 |
82 |
76 |
72 |
º
C |
21 |
21 |
24 |
26 |
28 |
30 |
31 |
31 |
30 |
28 |
24 |
22 |
Average rainfall:
| |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
in |
2.0 |
1.8 |
1.7 |
1.8 |
3.5 |
5.1 |
3.6 |
5.0 |
5.9 |
4.4 |
2.9 |
2.0 |
cm |
5.1 |
4.6 |
4.3 |
4.6 |
8.9 |
12.9 |
9.1 |
12.7 |
14.9 |
11.2 |
7.4 |
5.1 |
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