Dry Tortugas Questions for private boat diving / camping

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robsmi

Registered
Messages
16
Reaction score
3
Location
Rome, Ga.
# of dives
100 - 199
I am USCG Lic Captian as well as 2 other buddys, however this would be a fun trip. I have a group of 40 to 50 years old dive buddys. We have gone on the boat to the Bahamas 18 months ago. We are a avid strong Dive group most with 20+ years of diving 80' to 100' Deep in the gulf
I have an interest in diving and camping on Dry Tortugas. I think I can manage the fuel, supplys, etc. I called the National park service and they will send a pamplett, but could not answer any Questions.

What about air fills? Do I need to take a compressor?
What about Ancorage, docking?
Where to dive, Numbers to dive?
Where is spearfishing allowed or not allowed, can I have a Speargun on the boat when anchored at camp in the Park area?
 
There are no air fills available at Dry Tortugas. The Park Service has a compressor, but it is not for public use. You might talk one of the dive boats there into giving you fills, but it isn't likely. The three boats that are routinely there are Spree (mine, not likely), Ultimate Getaway, and Playmate.

The anchorage is public, first come, first served. I don't go into the inner harbor to anchor, too much risk of the wind shifting at night and me swinging around and taking out other boats. I anchor outside near the fort. Anchoring is only allowed within 1 mile of the fort at night, and never in the Research Natural Area. The dock sits 6 feet off the water and is available for a maximum of 2 hours between sunrise and sunset. Basically for you to offload your camping gear. Then you go back on the hook. You may not use the dock when the ferry is there.

There are 4 buoys in the park for diving, only 3 were installed when I was there last. The park ranger can give you the numbers, but they are at Texas Rock, Offramp, and 2 others. There are 13 buoys up in the North Ecological Reserve of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. There is no anchoring in the North Ecological Reserve. The buoys that are up are listed on their website. They change seasonally, so your info is better gleaned there than from me.

Spearfishing is not allowed in the Dry Tortugas National Park at any time ever don't even think about it. Spearing is not allowed in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Tortugas Ecological Reserve ever either. You may not even enter the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary South Ecological Reserve. No anchoring in any of those places. No hook and line in the North or South Ecological Reserve. There is damn fine fishing, however, along the boundaries. I'd get a really good GPS and sounder and when you come across bottom, make sure you are out of the closed area and have a ball. The area is patrolled by USCG, NOAA, FWC, and NPS all of whom will board you, check the tracklines on your GPS, and write big-ass tickets if they find you fishing illegally, even if fishing illegally wasn't your intent. To enter the North Reserve, you must obtain a permit, which can be done by calling the Sanctuary office at 305-292-0311. The receptionist is Carla and ask her for a TER-N permit. When you enter the park with speared fish, your guns must be broken down and stowed, and you have to call the park ranger and tell them what you have onboard. Do not screw this up. They don't know where you've been and if they find you have unstowed guns, you will receive a ticket. It's a federal ticket, and the fines can be awesome. The rangers have no sense of humor, and "I didn't know" is not acceptable.

My wife tells me that you must have an appointment and permission to camp on Garden Key. Summertime camping permits are very restricted due to the number of applicants. If you can stay on the boat, you are golden. No pooing in the harbor, you gotta have a MSD.
 
That's a nice re-cap of the rules, Frank.

Note: While Frank's information is no doubt right up to date, mine may not be, so it's worth double-checking.

One other small detail (at least as applies to individual sailboaters there) is that there is no water available. You have to completely bring all the water you will need. As I remember it, there is also no public restroom at all, although I have heard you can use the head on the tourist boat(s) at the fort docks, when they are there (which will be from around 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., presumably every day if they have customers). That said, I can't remember what they have for campers' facilities "after hours," and/or if they provide any water to campers. I think there is some additional camping info on the site(s) of the tourist boat(s), which run there from Key West (because they usually bring campers). Or maybe it was a link to the park camping info.

It's a pretty place, especially when you (essentially) have it to yourself before and after the tourist boat hours.
 
Thanks for the information Guys, I do have a few more Questions. Typically what is to be expected as far as sea conditions during May? Are the seas much of a factor while diving at Dry Tortugas or does the reef calm the seas? What is the best Hotel or condo to stay at before and after the trip? I will need parking for a 27" Sportcraft. Where is the best boat ramp and safe parking for the pickup and trailer while at Dry tortugas?
 
May should be fine as far as weather goes. Inside the park you are pretty much surrounded by reef, out on the bank you are pretty exposed. Launch at Oceanside marina on stock island, it's gated, guarded, and they have plenty of parking. There are hundreds of guest houses in Key West ranging from $79 a night to $379 a night. The choice is endless.
 
27FT sportcraft, 3 divers, gear(tank fills are an issue), fuel, fresh water, supplies, endless rules and regulations, unfamiliarity with dive sites, and plenty of open water(i'm certain wookie has countless stories of boaters being unable to return to key west from the fort due to high seas and having to have supplies flown in via seaplane or brought by the ferry boat, happens all the time). i'd maybe think twice about a trip on your vessel and consider taking a liveaboard like the spree based on stock island and utilize your boat for day diving from key largo to key west,,,,,,,,,,,,


reefman
key largo
 
Last edited:
consider taking a liveaboard like the spree based on stock island and utilize your boat for day diving from key largo to key west
reefman
key largo

NAILED IT!

Chug
Lets other drive into the Tortugas.
 
I appreciate Your thoughts and concerns. Diving on a livaboard is not what We want to do. I have been pulling up on unfamiliar dive sites for 20 years. There will likly be 6 to 8 of us go. The boat dives 8 people well, however the boat will not carry 8 divers,the required fuel, supplys and gear. It is a very strong boat recent repower and rewiring, the hardtop enclosed boat rides and performs like a bigger boat than it is. We rode over to Port lycaya 18 months ago in 6 foot seas ( 5 divers and 20 tanks). It was not a problem you just have to take your time. This Trip has certian challenges (fuel, air fills, weather etc.) But it is a do-able trip. We may need to use the ferry to shuttle 3 to 5 divers on, or we may need a 2nd boat. I really appreciate the thoughts of Wookie who appearently does this trip often but on a much larger vessel. We are not about going Cheap, We are just about going as a small group of 6 or so. Thanks so much for not blasting Us as some would have. But I really want to thank you all for the great info you provide to let us decide if it is what we feel is safe and workable trip.
 
The trip went very well. The diving was great, camping was not bad at all, the lack of bugs made it very nice. There were 6 of us altogether 2 guys stayed on the boat with the rest of us camping. The Compressor from Jim Shelden ran flawlessly and was very convinent to use, We had no need for more than a tank a piece, I have never dove 4 days with out moving my BC from one tank to another. Thanks so much to Jim and his compressor skills! We were able to pick up fish on the way over as the park is limited to rod and reel, no spearing and only in part of the park at that. This was my first experiance with Dry Ice using it to really freeze the block ice we already had colder and harder. The ice lasted longer than the trip, even on the way home. My eleven year old son speared his first fish on the trip back. This was a highlight of the trip for him althought Dry Tortugas was a tough act to follow. One thing I had not planned for was thw Stars, I had no idea how many stars there are. By the way the weather and seas were great, we could not have planned better weather if we were able to.
 
I just got back from a trip with Cap't Frank, a/k/a Wookie on the MV Spree on Memorial Day. I also had a fantastic time in the Dry Tortugas. We were lucky enough to have near flat calm to flat calm seas and super vis on most of the sites. Coopers Reef and Sherwood Forest had 100 feet of vis. Batcaves and Texas Rock were a bit less but still nice. The only disappointing dive was the last day on the Vandenberg: only 30 feet of vis and some pretty robust current: which is probably typical for the site. Though I had dove the Vandenberg the morning before boarding the MV Spree (Friday before Memorial Day) with Captain's Corner and we experienced no current and over 60 feet of vis. Ideal conditions for the Vandenberg!

All the divers on Cap't Frank's boat seemed to enjoy the sites, the beautiful weather, sea conditions, the boat and its amenities and the hospitality of the staff and crew of the Spree. I'd highly recommend the Spree to anyone interested in the Dry Tortugas who does not have access to a boat and compressor.

I agree with you regarding the stars. I camped out in Bahia Honda the Thursday before memorial day and was also amazed by the star field. One can really see the band of the Milky Way stretching across the sky. I've experienced such beautiful star viewing in the past in the Keys and on top of mountains, but it is always stunning, none the less.

I enjoyed reading your updated dive review and summary as well.
 

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