Miche67

I was thinking of taking my family on a seaplane daytrip around Easter. I've read through the forum and people mention bugs/no bugs, great snorkeling/NOT. There not being a lot to do is fine with us(we are good at doing nothing), but is there a beach to lay out at? Are the bugs seasonal (or particularly worse at a certain time). Has anyone out there been there in APRIL, and if so, what was the weather and bug situation like during that time? I'm also debating a half-day trip vs. a full day. If there is a good place to park yourself on a beach I want more time, but I don't want us "Stuck" out there if 6 hours will be too much.....

No_name

I have seen a website for the tortugas with a message board. Try doing a web search for it. It should answer most if not all of your questions.

Maggi

We did the Dry Tortugas day trip about 8 years ago. The best part of the trip was the view from the seaplane - really cool! As for the isle itself, no great shakes. As I recall, there is a small park with picnic tables. The fort is OK to look at, snorkeling was OK too. I wouldn't spend a lot of time there.

JTKirk

There's really not a lot to do once you get there, unless you're an avid outdoors person (i e, like to snorkel, like to view birds and fish, etc).

The island isn't a place you'd liked to be shipwrecked, meaning it's small and boring. It's basically a fort, and there are no facilities.

The trip on the seaplane makes it worthwhile. Nothing like landing on the ocean. Cool.

I'd do a half-day.

Bugs shouldn't be a problem in April. In fact, in April, it may be fairly windy, which could cut into your snorkeling.

Have fun.

kychris

We did the Dry Tortugas trip last September. It was the highlight of our trip to Key West.

The odd thing was that we went while Hurricane Lili was grazing Cuba. One of the charter boats canceled the trip and the charter boat we went on only had about 10 people on it. This made it feel very private and I think that's one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much. We were alone on the beach for about an hour while the other people went in for a guided tour of the fort. (We did a self-guided tour later that afternoon)

It took us a while to find the "good" snorkeling area. I think that's the reason people don't think there is good snokeling. They try just off the beach and the seawall of the fort. Of course, once we found it we didn't tell anyone else since we wanted to enjoy it by ourselves. (We're selfish)....But I'll tell you where to snokel....It's to the left of the beach around the old coal-yard area. Wonderful coral and lots of fish. We were so impressed with it (it was our first time snorkeling) that we went on a day-snorkel trip off Key West on the Western Sambo reef later in the week. The Tortugas reef was 10 times better.

The plane is a good idea...it will allow you more time on the island and will also give you some "alone" time before the boats get there

kychris

We did the Dry Tortugas trip last September. It was the highlight of our trip to Key West.

The odd thing was that we went while Hurricane Lili was grazing Cuba. One of the charter boats canceled the trip and the charter boat we went on only had about 10 people on it. This made it feel very private and I think that's one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much. We were alone on the beach for about an hour while the other people went in for a guided tour of the fort. (We did a self-guided tour later that afternoon)

It took us a while to find the "good" snorkeling area. I think that's the reason people don't think there is good snokeling. They try just off the beach and the seawall of the fort. Of course, once we found it we didn't tell anyone else since we wanted to enjoy it by ourselves. (We're selfish)....But I'll tell you where to snokel....It's to the left of the beach around the old coal-yard area. Wonderful coral and lots of fish. We were so impressed with it (it was our first time snorkeling) that we went on a day-snorkel trip off Key West on the Western Sambo reef later in the week. The Tortugas reef was 10 times better.

The plane is a good idea...it will allow you more time on the island and will also give you some "alone" time before the boats get there.

We didn't have any trouble with bugs. Our trouble was that we didn't have enough time...I would like to go back and camp one night.

Miche67

Thanks for all your input. It sounds pretty good to me and worth a try! Always a little scary going into something (and potentially costing a lot of money) with mixed reviews. I always read as much as possible, ask questions, then go with my gut feeling.... I'll let everyone know how it went.

Miche67

Regarding the message that said they saw a web site on the Dry Tortugas WITH a message board: I haven't found that one. If someone knows the link, will they post it here? This is the only place (and concierge.com) where I found actual tourist comments. Thanks.

Maggi

Miche, try this:
http://www.nps.gov/drto/

No_name

http://www.dry.tortugas.national-park.com/

Try this one.

wackeyyyy

Its a shame not to go to the Keys and take a trip to the Tortugas. Its really worth it. Just don't drink too much the night before. The boat/plane ride can give you major butterflies.

RM

Miche:

I did the seaplane trip to the Dry Totugas in November..what a hoot. We had a blast. It is pricey but worth it, take the first plane out in the morning and you'll beat every charter boat getting there and have the place to yourselves.

There IS some good snorkling there but as posted you have to look for it, it is not that close to shore.

I'll never forget this lady who had just gotten off the first boat to arrive. We were leaving and she had gotten seasick on the way over and was pleading with the pilot to get on the plane regardless of costs. She did NOT want to ride that boat back.

Our plane was full, perhaps she caught a ride back on the next one I have no clue.

It was a great trip.

RM

Miche67

I checked out the chat on http://www.dry.tortugas.national-park.com/ , and there was a recent posting of a person who went on 1/8/03. This is HIS posting: I just returned from Key West on 1/8/03. My scuba instructor told me that no one is being allowed to snorkel at Tortugas due to the fact that there is a saltwater crocodile in the water (I guess they're dangerous). Check with the ferry provider before you pay $100 just to walk around the fort.

Has anyone else heard of this???

JTKirk

The Keys "area" is the only place in the continental US that has saltwater crocs. They are very shy animals, and they really get out into open water. Personally, I think it'd be kinda cool to be in the (open) water with one.

Remember, there are sharks and barracudas in abundance in the Keys as well.

JTKirk

Idiot me -- in the second sentence, it should read "they RARELY get out" not "they really get out."

Miche67

I think it sounds interesting and beautiful enough to take the sea plane out for the half-day excursion even if there is a croc in the water!

RM

Miche:

Well, apparantly that croc is gone or he wasn't hungry the day my son and I snorkled for about an hour the week of Thanksgiving.

RM

Miche67

The posting for the CROC was recent from a guy who was there on 1/8/03 (see entry above where I pasted his exact posting). Apparently a croc was sighted sometime between Thanksgiving and then IF what he says is true. I will take the sea plane ride in any event, since that seems to be one of the big highlights of the excursion.

RM

Miche:

My bad as I was thinking 8/1. You are doing the right thing by still going...

RM

SloPugs

Has anyone recently (in the past month or two) been to the Dry Tortugas? I was wondering what the crocodile situation was like (or is there still a "Situation"), and if snorkeling was recommended or not. We are planning to go in mid-April.