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Hard to Reach Places That Are Worth It

Amazing hard-to-reach places that are worth it #1: the Dry tortugas

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Fort Jefferson occupies two-thirds of Garden Island, one of the archipelago called the Dry Tortugas which lie 68 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico. You can’t drive or hike here; your only access is by sea or air.

A seaplane lands in the channel and taxies to the dock to disembark a load of day visitors for a tour of Fort Jefferson.

The old fort is a massive structure of 16 million bricks, and was never fired upon or engaged in battle of any kind except for an outbreak of yellow fever. Famous as the prison that held the famous Dr. Mudd who was implicated in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln — the doctor having set the broken leg of John Wilkes Booth — the fort is now operated as a very isolated national park museum.

Visitors may join a guided tour of the fort or are free to wander around on their own and take in the sights.

Its arches and vaults are today echoing the whispers of awed visitors and the marching feet of re-enactors and museum staff.

The campground next to the old fort is very small, so reservations are essential. There are no provisions other than restrooms, so campers must carry with them everything that they will need for their stay.

The island has a fair sized beach right next to the campground and the fort.

After exploring the fort, my favorite activity while at the Dry Tortugas was the snorkeling on the reefs that surround the island, populated by colorful sun fish, angel fish, reef sharks, nurse sharks, spotted rays, barracuda and a fair-size enclave of lobsters.

How to get there: From the southern tip of Florida, drive 175 miles west on the Florida Keys highway – Florida State Road A1A – to Key West. At the harbor board either the fast catamaran shuttle boats — which make the trip out in about 2 hours one way – or book the seaplane flight. Tickets and campsites should all be reserved in advance along with hotels or campground sites in Key West or nearby.

The Dry Tortugas are a national park and are managed by the National Park Service.

The Southern Sojourn

Old Folks in an Old Town – St. Augustine

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Milepost 2-18-15   St. Augustine, Florida

It’s the middle of the winter and we are in the middle of our sojourn at St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest town in America.  They are celebrating their 450th anniversary this year, so there is a lot going on here.  Then again, this is one of those hidden pearls where there is always a lot to enjoy, even when there’s nothing special happening.

When we pulled into town and moved into our campsite near the ocean, we were surprised to see vehicles driving on the beach.  Yes, this is one of the few places in the world that accommodates the sport.  The beach is a hundred yards wide at low tide allowing plenty of room for walkers, bikers, kite flyers and four-wheel-drivers all at the same time.

4X4's are permitted to drive on the beach for ten-mile stretch.
4X4’s are permitted to drive on the beach for a ten-mile stretch.

The historical fort is well preserved and maintained by the National Park Service.  Castillo de San Marcos was built in the 1560’s using the local coral stone (coquina) quarried from Anastasia Island near where we are camped.  This is the third of four historical forts I’m visiting this winter.  (I’m planning a post next month reviewing all the forts on my itinerary.)

Castillo de San Marcos sits on the waterfront downtown.
Castillo de San Marcos sits on the waterfront downtown.

I loved the graceful grand stairway above its asymmetrical arch.
I loved the graceful grand stairway above its asymmetrical arch.

St. Augustine is built to accommodate the thriving tourist industry and there are trolleys running tours every day throughout the historical downtown district.  Some of the old narrow streets are closed to vehicle traffic so visitors may peruse the old shops at their leisure.

St. George Street is now a shop-lined attraction for walkers only.
St. George Street is now a shop-lined attraction for walkers only.

Many of the original buildings - like the old governor's house - were built with coral stone.
Many of the original buildings – like the old governor’s house – were built with coral stone.

A great place to get an overview of the area with a bird’s-eye view is the huge old lighthouse dating back to 1861.  One of the more recently-built landmarks, it was built of brick.  In fact, it took more than a million bricks to construct this 165-foot-tall edifice, one of the tallest in the country.

St. Augustine Light lomo

Only the young and most physically fit will make quick work of the 216 steps to the top of the lighthouse.
Only the young and most physically fit will make quick work of the 219 steps to the top of the lighthouse.

The tower climb offers a rewarding view of the surrounding city and waterfront.
The tower climb offers a rewarding view of the surrounding area and nearby waterfront.

Kaye and I are engaged in an ongoing challenge of testing the local eateries.  It became apparent very early on that we will certainly run out of time before we manage a comprehensive knowledge of the plethora of amazing culinary options here.  But we’ll do our best.

Average temps here are in the 60’s during the day and the mid-40’s at night, so we are enjoying our success at finding an affordable location for missing the brutal winter weather back in Michigan.