Fastest ferry service to Dry Tortugas!

Launched in May 1999, the Fast Cat is an 85-foot high-speed power catamaran.
The cool air conditioned cabin provides comfortable indoor seating. A rear sundeck is available for outdoor seating. The innovative wave piercing design means a smoother, more pleasant ride. Dramatically fewer people experience motion sickness on catamarans.

The "Fast Cat" is a one-of-a-kind design.
Come experience the difference!

Trip departs at 8 AM.
Check in no later than 7:30 AM!
Return by 5pm


Please Note: There is a $5 park entrance fee for guests 17 and older.
This fee will be collected at check-in.

Click here for Camping Rates & Guidelines

Dry Tortugas History

Located 70 miles west of Key West are the seven islands of Dry Tortugas National Park. Although small in size, only 97 acres of dry land, it has been an important part of history.

Discovered in 1513 by Ponce de Leon, these islands were called “Las Tortugas” (meaning “the turtles” in Spanish) because of the abundance of sea turtles. Later, the word “Dry” was added to the name to warn mariners of the lack of fresh water.

During the war of 1812, Washington DC was attacked and burned. This assault made the US aware that protection from seaward attacks was important. A new series of forts was planned along the east coast of the United States.

Navy commander David Porter was instructed to scope out the Dry Tortugas area as a possible location for one of these new forts. He reported back that the land area was small, low, and sandy. There were good harbors but no fresh water. Four years later, Commodore John Rodgers re-evaluated the island. He thought that the location was ideal because it was situated on the direct path of vessels traveling from the Mississippi River to Florida and the eastern coast.

The construction of Fort Jefferson began in 1846. The original plan for the fort was to provide storage for materials and protection to warships. The fort also served as a prison during the Civil War. After the war, the army lost interest in the crumbling and obsolete fort.

Fort Jefferson was transferred to the Marine-Hospital Service as a quarantine station. The fort was then used as a coaling station to re-supply ships. Because of major damage from a powerful hurricane, the coaling operations were suspended. During WWI the Fort Jefferson was used as a seaplane basin and wireless radio station. During WWII the harbor was used by torpedo boats and minesweepers. Dry Tortugas was designated as a bird sanctuary in 1908 and the area was declared a National Monument under the National Park Service by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1935. In 1992, Dry Tortugas became an official National Park.

Lighthouses

In 1822, Congress authorized a lighthouse to be built on Garden Key. Because of the large number of shipwrecks that continued to occur, in 1840, it was determined that the lighthouse on Garden Key was not adequate. A larger lighthouse needed to be built.

In 1856, construction of a lighthouse on Loggerhead Key began. The Loggerhead Key lighthouse was 152 feet tall, 8 feet thick at the base and made of brick. This lighthouse is still in use today but is automated and powered by solar panels.


In 1876, a new lighthouse was planned for the southeast bastion of Fort Jefferson. The new lighthouse was built of iron, this material was chosen because it is lighter than brick and would not create dangerous debris if hit by a cannon.

Fort Jefferson

Named after Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, the elongated fort is designed in a hexagon shape. Four sides are 477 feet long and two sides are 325 feet long. The fort was to be constructed out of brick and masonry. Fort Jefferson has three tiers that stand 45 feet above sea level. A sea wall surrounds the fort with a 70 foot wide moat.

Initially, a northern red clay brick was used for the first stage of construction. Unfortunately, this brick could not hold up to the hot and humid environment. A decision was made to use a larger orange brick from Pensacola. This brick could hold up to the harsh climate. During the Civil War, the southern orange brick was not available to the Union. Because of this, the fort was topped off with the smaller red brick from the north. A total of 16 million bricks were used to build the fort. Fort Jefferson did not receive the upgrades other coastal forts did. However, it is one of the best preserved and largest coastal forts ever built.

Civil War

In the first year of the Civil War, there were 400 people living on the Garden Key. In 1862, a regiment of 1,000 soldiers arrived on the island. Fort Jefferson and Fort Taylor in Key West were the only southern forts that remained in Union control. The Union needed a place to keep prisoners and Fort Jefferson was the perfect location. In 1865 there were 768 prisoners at Fort Jefferson. The fort’s most famous prisoner was Dr. Samuel Mudd.

Dr. Mudd was convicted of conspiracy in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. After John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln, he jumped from the theatre box and broke his leg. He then fled to Dr. Mudd’s farmhouse where he sought medical assistance. Dr. Mudd set, splinted and bandaged Booth’s broken leg.

Dr. Mudd was sentenced to life in prison and sent to Fort Jefferson. During the yellow fever outbreak at Fort Jefferson in 1867, the doctor stationed at the Fort died. Dr. Mudd agreed to take over medical duties and saved many lives. Due to his assistance during the yellow fever outbreak a petition was written by the solders and in return Dr. Mudd was pardoned after spending only four years in prison.

Turtles

Sea turtles have existed for over 150 million years.
The low sandy islands of the Dry Tortugas provide perfect nesting grounds for turtles. There is close monitoring of turtle nests at the Dry Tortugas. Females come ashore between April and September during full moons to lay their eggs. Turtle eggs incubate for 56 days. Only a small percentage of turtles survive to adulthood.

Once a female turtle matures it will return to the same beach area where it hatched to lay its eggs. Loggerhead, Leatherback, Atlantic Ridley, Hawksbill and Green turtles are all common to the Dry Tortugas area.

Birds

The islands of Dry Tortugas are a birding paradise. Bush Key, the island closest to Garden Key, is the only known nesting area in the US for the sooty tern.

Every year, up to 80,000 terns gather on Bush Key for their nesting season. The Sooty Tern lay their speckled, cream colored eggs on the bare ground where they blend in with the sand. Masked Boobies migrate to Hospital Key and Frigate birds populate Long Key.

Brown Pelicans, cormorants, egrets, herons and many more species of birds can be spotted year round.