Sailing to the Dry Tortugas, Day 3

This was our view of Ft. Jefferson from the cockpit as we ate our
breakfast.  We were one of only eight sailboats in the little harbor.
One family lives aboard and "boat schools" their two children- very cool.
By 9am we were loaded in the dinghy for our trip ashore.

Being a gunsmith, Paps thoroughly enjoyed the fort :)  He and Donnie
discussed all the guns and cannons they saw, in language I don't speak.
Cody would have understood, I'm sure.

While the boys were deep in "gun-speak", I wandered over to a
"window" to see the ferry dock.  The boat leaves Key West at
8am daily, arrives to the fort at 10am, and then you can explore
the fort, have lunch, and snorkel the reef for the day.  It leaves
at 3:30, and returns to Key West by 6:00pm.  Not a bad
deal for $185 per person.  It's either that, or the seaplane at $250pp.
Of course, you can SAIL your own big self there, too- LIKE WE DID!

Here we are getting ready to go inside the magazine, where gunpowder was stored.

Inside the magazine, I was more interested in trying to
find the hidden geocache.  We had the coordinates that
took us to this building, but we could not find it.  In talking
with the park rangers, they 'let on' that IF someone had
hidden one there (they had; its on the website), it would
have been confiscated as this is a National Historical
Landmark.  Party poopers :(

One of many Cuban boats that has landed on the
Dry Tortugas.  Can you imagine crossing 90 miles
of ocean on piece of crap like that?!  And they
will pay thousands of dollars for passage.
Paps said he "never did care for Caster"
(as in Castro; but it sounded like caster (oil), lol. 

Mamaw insisted climbing the three flights of stone stairs to the top
of the fort for a better view...she did it!

And the climb was well worth it, the view was spectacular!
See the snorkelers on the reef?

McDaniel's Gun Shop!  Mamaw and Paps didn't carry one of these.

Here's one of many Parrot rifles on the fort.

A view from up top.  Construction began in 1846, and it took over
16,000,000 red bricks.  While it served as a military outpost and
prison during the Civil War, it was never fully completed.  For
more history on the fort, go to http://www.nps.gov/.

Those who know me well, know that I cannot
resist taking a picture of a lighthouse :) 

Aren't they cute?  Nearly 60 years and still going strong!
Say Paps, are those your legs or are you ridin' a chicken?!

At one time, there were nearly 2000 residents at the fort; men, women, and
children.  Still, it would have been very lonely and desolate living.
This was about the only 'color' to be found on the island.

The view of the harbor from atop the fort.  Can you spot Marquesa?

Ft. Jefferson's most famous prisoner was Dr. Samuel Mudd, who set the
broken leg of John Wilkes Booth after he had assassinated President
Lincoln.  He served just four years' time here and was pardoned by
President Andrew Johnson.  He ended up being somewhat of a hero
at the fort.  When the fort's doctor had subcumbed to yellow fever
(over 55% of the residents there became infected), Dr. Mudd stepped
in to save the lives of others.  Interesting story.

The view from supposedly Dr. Mudd's prison cell.
I could get used to a view like that...

After about four hours of exploring the fort, in the hot sun, we were ready to head back to the boat for some lunch.  We needed to use the potty before we got back in the dinghy.  When the boys walked over to the facilities by the campground, the doors were locked.  There was a sign directing patrons to use the facilities on the Yankee Freedom, the ferry that is docked there daily.  This turned out to be a pleasant surprise!  For the passengers on the boat, they get a "free" luncheon buffet included with the price of their ticket, as do the sea plane passengers.  Donnie and his mother went up to the buffet to inquire about purchasing lunch, if it was available to the general public.  The guy responded, "Are you from the sea plane?" (nope)  "Did you take this boat out here?"  (nope, we came on our sailboat.) The guy then turned to Mamaw and said, "You came all the way out here on a sailboat?!"  Mamaw replied, "I SURE DID!!!"  For five bucks each, we stuffed ourselves.  It was wonderful; we had ice cold pepsis, we got to sit in the air conditioning while we ate, and I didn't have to cook!  I was so happy...  Thanks, Paps, for buying our lunch that day!

After a quick nap, we decided to weigh anchor and sail the six miles over
to Loggerhead Key.  There's nothing left of the island but this lighthouse,
however it is famous for two things.  There is an old Windjammer Shipwreck
to go diving on, and it is a nesting sight for loggerhead turtles.

Donnie and I, of course, went scuba diving!  Mamaw and Paps stayed
on board to bubble watch.  It was a beautiful shipwreck.  You could still
see the ribs of the bow, and parts of the main and mizzen  mast.  It was
built in 1875, but sank in 1907, while sailing from Pensacola, FL, to Uruguay.
It was loaded with lots of tropical fish..very beautiful.  I wish Ellie was there with me.

We enjoyed a gorgeous sunset sail on our way back to the harbor at Ft. Jefferson.

Since we had such a big lunch, after we set the anchor, we enjoyed a
simple supper of gumbo and french bread.  After dark, Willis was
up for his nightly prowl.  Here I caught him peeking through the
main salon hatch.  Silly Willy.  We'd be laying in bed, and pretty soon
a paw would come down through the hatch!  He's (spoiled) rotten.

The funniest thing of the day, was after dinner tonight.  Donnie and I took "cockpit" showers in our bathing suits after our dive to get the salt off of us.  Mamaw and Paps were feeling a little salty and rugged themselves, so after dinner, Mamaw says to Paps, "Babe, do you want to go skinny dipping with me in the cockpit tonight?"  Paps says, "I believe I can do that!"  So Donnie and I retired to the Vberth with our books to read (and to play with Willis through the hatch), so they could have some privacy.  Mind you, it is pitch dark outside...nothing but thousands of stars overhead.  We layed in bed and cracked up...those two giggled and carried on like a couple of teenagers...it was daggone adorable!  After they got dressed and got in bed, they still talked and giggled and carried on until they finally fell asleep.  That's what I want...60 years of THAT.