Starting on Dry Land
Getting to Dry Tortugas National Park is an adventure all on its own. The journey begins in Key West, and I highly recommend spending some time on this quirky, rooster-filled Florida Key. Visit the Truman Little White House or the Hemmingway Home and Museum. Alternatively, play some golf before venturing farther into the clear, turquoise waters of the Gulf. Whatever you choose, don’t skip the Shave Ice and the Key Lime pie!
Getting to Dry Tortugas National Park
Dry Tortugas National Park consists of about 100 square miles of ocean and coral reefs, and a cluster of seven small islands. Located 67 miles west of Key West, the park is 99% underwater. There are only two ways to get there: by boat or by sea plane. If going by boat, you can use your personal boat, permitted charter boats, or the Yankee Freedom Ferry.
For my first visit, I opted for the Yankee Freedom ferry, mostly for cost reasons. The experience was fantastic. The staff was friendly, attentive, and informative. The weather was perfect and the ride smooth. The ferry ride adds a bit of drama to the whole experience. The slow reveal of Garden Key and Fort Jefferson on the horizon, after two hours on the open ocean, builds the appropriate amount of anticipation and awe.
More bonus points for the ferry: the ticket includes a complimentary breakfast, lunch and water. Additional food and beverages are available for purchase. Although you likely won’t need much more, be sure to bring extra water and sunscreen. Early June was already hot!
The Stuff Dreams are Made of
Another perk of the Yankee Freedom trip is the guided tour of Fort Jefferson, which is included in the ticket price. Our guide, Ben, was extremely knowledgable. As we walked amongst the walls of the hand-laid brick fortress, Ben spoke of the history of the Dry Tortugas.
Dry Tortugas has a long and layered history (metaphorically and geologically). From its formation by coral reefs, to its discovery by Ponce de Leon, to the commissioning of Fort Jefferson, to its role as a post-Civil War prison … for two hundred years, this site has been built, abandoned, repurposed, and reimagined. It is now a national park, but echoes of its past are everywhere.
Unfortunately, I followed the captain’s advice and took a Dramamine at the start of the journey. While I escaped sea sickness, I was a bit drowsy during the tour. Days later, bits and pieces of Ben’s commentary returned to me like scenes from a dream, specifically the story of Dr. Samuel Mudd.
Muddling Through “Facts”
Samuel Mudd was the physician who treated John Wilkes Booth’s broken leg as he fled after assassinating President Lincoln. Mudd was convicted of conspiracy and sentenced to life in prison at Fort Jackson. During a yellow fever outbreak on the island, Mudd helped treat victims which later earned him a presidential pardon by President Johnson. After further reading, it appears that Mudd’s tale is “complicated”. Was he a traitor? A scapegoat? A “medical savior”? We will never know the full truth – just fragments, eroded by time, money, power, politics and the human drive for self-preservation. I can’t help but think how much fun a game of “Two Truths and A Lie” would have been during prison orientation back in 1865.
History is rarely straight forward. Truth gets muddy. (Pun very much intended and I thank you for indulging me.) The struggle to seek out and sift through conflicting information is not just a historical problem; it is as relevant now as ever.
I am left with the truth that most of us, like Mudd, live somewhere in the space between hero and villain. The other, and equally profound, take away is to get the yellow fever vaccine if you are traveling to an endemic area!
Go to Dry Tortugas National Park
Go to Dry Tortugas. Take the tour. Climb to the top of the fort walls for a truly spectacular panoramic view. Snorkel in the crystal-clear waters. Stand in the shade of the fort and contemplate for yourself who Dr. Mudd really was. Or… wonder why this is the second national park I’ve visited that once housed a man linked to a presidential assassination. (Hot Springs National Park being a stomping ground for Jack Ruby.) Or … allow your mind to take you to your own Dramaine induced fever dream.
Great pics and stories!!!