Dry Tortugas National Park lies about 70 miles offshore of Key West. The history, scenery, and diverse sea life make this a common “bucket list” park to visit, but the remote location makes it one of the least visited. There are only two practical ways for common folk to get there. You can clamber aboard a 250-passenger high speed catamaran for a two-and-half hour cruise, or you can clamber aboard a 10-passenger seaplane for a 35-minute flight.
Key West Seaplane Adventures provides the only seaplane service to the National Park. They operate out of a non-descript hanger at the General Aviation Terminal of Key West International. The first order of business – signing the waiver saying that you acknowledge that you are about to fly on an airplane manufactured in the 50’s, over shark infested waters, to a deserted island and willingly accept the inherent dangers of such an activity. And that your likeness may be used for promotional purposes.
Legal matters attended to you collect snorkeling gear and a small cooler of water and sodas and wait in the small lobby for your pilot. You might not immediately recognize the pilots. Consistent with the overall vibe of the Florida Keys the “uniforms” are very casual – swim trunks and a company issued t-shirt. We’ll call our pilot Carl just in case anyone from the FAA happens to read this story. Not saying Carl did anything wrong, but those FAA types don’t seem to be a fan of “casual.”
Our plane was number 59 of the 466 de Havilland Canada DHC-3 “Otter” aircraft built between 1951 and 1967. The Otters were legendary for their short takeoff and landing capability, making them well suited for use as bush planes and seaplanes. They are simple affairs, not big on amenities. To board you climb up a set of rolling steps onto the pontoon, then up a ladder into the cabin. There are 10 passenger seats, five on each side of the plane. The minimalistic seats make the ones in standard coach seem luxurious, but everyone does simultaneously get both an aisle and window seat and you don’t have to fight over who get the armrest.
Once we were settled in Carl provided the mandatory safety briefing familiar to anyone that has flown on a commercial flight, with one important difference. “In the event of a water landing… Well, that is what we’re hoping for!” Carl also introduced our co-pilot for the trip, Ms. Natalie. Natalie was celebrating her 5th birthday. That and the fact that she was wearing a glittering tiara made her by far the most qualified of the passengers to ride shotgun.
The engines roared to life and before you really had time realize that we were about to take off over those shark infested waters in a plane that was older than any of its passengers we were out over the ocean. We each wore a headset so we could hear comments and instructions from the pilot over the roar of the engine. The pilot had an interesting selection of songs playing between fun facts and commentary. As we were taking off – “Learning to Fly” by Tom Petty. I thought that was pretty funny. The next selection, “Free Fallin,” also by Tom Petty, seemed slightly less humorous!
The flight is a short 35 minutes with plenty to see. The crystal blue waters off the coast of Key West are stunning. The flight takes you over sand flats, “quick sands,” and a coral atoll. The plane never gets above 600 feet so it is easy to spot sharks, dolphins, rays, and sea turtles. We also flew over the shipwreck “Arbutus,” a 70-foot work vessel used by the infamous treasure hunter Mel Fisher, and the “Patricia,” a WW2 destroyer that was used for bombing practice and now serves as an artificial reef.
Carl circled Fort Jefferson on Garden Key for a photo op before making a smooth water landing and taxiing to shore. Our timing was perfect. The tour boat was just departing, leaving the island to us, the resident rangers, a few hardy campers, and several thousand nesting seabirds. We’ll cover Fort Jefferson in detail in another post, but the short version – we spent the next two-and-a-half hours exploring the deserted fort and snorkeling in the crystal-clear water. It was delightful.
The flight back was just as beautiful and interesting. We flew over a flotilla of sea turtles – more than you could count. Carl did a great job of circling around points of interest so everyone could get a good view. And we managed to arrive safely back at Key West even though our co-pilot Natalie was passed out from exhaustion most of the trip.
If visiting the Dry Tortugas is on your bucket list you should definitely consider taking the seaplane charter. It is more expensive than the boat, but it gets you there much faster, you get to spend about the same amount of time on the island, and the views and overall experience are unforgettable! Everyone in our party agreed: the trip was worth every penny, and we need to do it again.
Some things to know if you go:
Book ahead – there are a limited number of seats and flights, so don’t wait until the last minute.
You do have to do some climbing and clambering to get on and off the plane. If you have mobility issues you may want to consider taking the boat.
If you are prone to motion sickness you may want to take an anti-nausea medication before the flight. Looking out the window of a small plane at low altitude can get to anyone. (There are standard issue “barf bags” in your seat-back pocket.)
There is no cell service or wifi on the island, so plan accordingly.
When the ferry boat is at the dock you can use their restrooms and purchase beverages and snacks onboard. Once the boat leaves you can use pit toilets on the island, but there is no food or water available. The plane charter service does provide a cooler with water and sodas.
You may want to take a dry change of clothes for the return flight so you don’t have to sit in soggy bottoms and drip on your fellow passengers on the way home.
And if it is your birthday, or other special occasion, don’t hesitate to let the pilot know. You might just get to fly shotgun! (Tiara optional, but encouraged!)
Below the Line – Bonus Video
If you haven’t seen it already, we’ve created a short video of the flight experience out to the Dry Tortugas for your enjoyment.
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