Dry Tortugas, Ferry or SeaPlane
 

Looking to get a gift certificate for my DH for Christmas. We stay in the Keys for several weeks so I was thinking of a day trip to the Dry Tortugas. We love bird watching and scenery. Please share any information you have regarding whether to go by air (KeyWest Sea Planes) or ferry. Both sound really nice. If we took the plane, would a half day on land be enough? We probably wouldn't want to snorkel, but who knows. The whole day is quite pricey for air. Haven't checked ferry fees yet. Just starting to investigate. TIA

If you are not going to snorkel, I'd think the half-day would suffice. The flight looks spectacular, and it will give you a chance to "tip the pilot" (an old Fodor's joke). "There is no need for cash on the island. However you may want to bring a small amount for . . . pilot gratuity."

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-the-pilot.cfm

We took the ferry and enjoyed the trip, but we intended to snorkel. Unfortunately it was very windy which roiled the waters and made for poor visability, so I can't say if it's a "must."

I am a birder and I took the Ferry. The Captain was great to point out various seabirds on our trip. It is a very small island but I did find enough to do...touring the fort, birding, etc.
I did take seasick meds prior to the trip.

The seaplane to the fort is a great trip but in addition to the cost of the trip most people will need to take a cab to and from the airport adding about $40.00 total. The Yankee Freedom III, their new boat is a little faster and so takes about 15 minutes less time to get there, but it can be rough going out and/or back.

And FWIW the most popular trip out on the seaplane is the 8:00 am trip, the first of the day, and gets booked up quickly in advance.

Pjk

http://susannj.com/2015/07/24/back-f...-key-west-new/

She has a good report on flying. We have never done it due to the cost.

Thank you for your input. I believe I will book the ferry as it got excellent reviews. The plane sounds great too, but 2 1/2 hours on the island doesn't seem like very long.

I've always wondered, is there a Wet Tortugas?