Tortugas

[Lincoln Wonk]

Here's something I never thought of -- the annual head count at Dry Tortugas. Seems like 54,000 something is pretty good considering the location and accessibility:

https://adventure.howstuffworks.com/7-us...visits.htm

[Dave Taylor]

It looks like that article chose to only give the least visited National Parks and did not include the various National Historic Sites owned and managed by the NPS. Thomas Stone National Historic Site here in Maryland is usually near the top of the list when it comes to low attendance numbers. Stone was a rather reluctant signer of the Declaration of Independence and his beautiful home is off the beaten path here in Southern Maryland. Still, the site is gorgeous and contains nice hiking trails around the mansion.

In terms of the Dry Tortugas, Kate and I are about a month away before we head down there for the first time. Rather than just doing the normal day trip on the ferry, Kate and I are actually going to camp out there for three nights. It's taken a lot of planning and assembling of supplies, but we're really looking forward to it.

[RJNorton]

the normal day trip on the ferry

Dave, I am so glad to hear you and Kate are taking the ferry and not the seaplane. Vicki and I recommend the ferry to everybody. We visited Ft. Jefferson in the mid-1990s and took the seaplane. I cannot recall the exact year. Within a year or two after our trip, one of these same seaplane flights from Key West to Ft. Jefferson crashed killing five people including the pilot. As I recall, all of the other folks who died were members of the same family. What a tragedy. Seaplane flights were suspended for a time, and Ft. Jefferson could be accessed only by boat during that time period.

[GustD45]

In terms of the Dry Tortugas, Kate and I are about a month away before we head down there for the first time. Rather than just doing the normal day trip on the ferry, Kate and I are actually going to camp out there for three nights. It's taken a lot of planning and assembling of supplies, but we're really looking forward to it.

Oh Dave I am so jealous. Visiting Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas is a definite item on my bucket list. Congratulations and I hope you two have a lot of fun.

[Gene C]

Watch out for the crabs.
I remember Sam Arnold writing about them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3rzHpjA-Zs

[Rsmyth]

Wife and I took the fast catamaran. We saw dolphins, flying fish and sea turtles. Maybe you can wrangle a boat ride over to the original cemetery. Have a great time!

[Dave Taylor]

Roger,

While the seaplane would make for some great views of the Fort, it just wasn't a feasible option for us in terms of cost and getting all our supplies out there. We are pretty sure we'll enjoy the boat ride.

Gene,

The hermit crabs on Fort Jefferson are no joke. I've already seen a few videos of them making their nightly migration onto the island.

Rich,

I need your expertise on this. I have that Michael O'Laughlen was originally buried on Bird Key, one of the small islands to the southwest of Garden Key. Bird Key is now under water. Then there is Hospital Key to the north east of Garden Key which is still above water. Kate I are are bringing a kayak in the hopes of paddling out to these places. Do your records concur that O'Laughlen was buried at Bird Key?

[Rsmyth]

Wow! You are prepared. Yes, that is where he was originally buried. I believe all evidence of burials has been lost to the ocean and rising seas.

[LincolnMan]

Great planned trip!

[Eva Elisabeth]

Enjoy, Dave! For me one of the most exciting things to do and places to go.

[Steve]

Are you sure about O'Laughlen originally being buried on Bird Key? I remember hearing somewhere that by the time O'Laughlen had died, they had stopped the burials on Bird Key and that he was buried on Sand Key (now called Hospital Key). This October 1868 Coast Survey report, indicating Fort Jefferson using Sand Key as a cemetery, would seem to back that up:

https://books.google.com/books?id=YIpNAA...&q&f=false

[L Verge]

I seem to remember Mike Kauffman researching the burial site for O'Laughlen eons ago. What does American Brutus say?

[Steve]

Here's a link to a 2007 report on Fort Jefferson by the National Park Service that might be worth reading:

https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/DownloadFile/550556

(Note that on page 29 the report says that the Yellow Fever victims were buried on Hospital Key)

[Rsmyth]

Which key has the light house?

[Steve]

Which key has the light house?

I think there are lighthouses on Garden Key and Loggerhead Key.