The
Tortugas during Audubon's time and
after
Pictured
above are a group of visitors on a high point of Fort
Jefferson looking out from Garden Key toward Long Key
and Bush Key which serve as nesting grounds for the
sooty tern and frigratebird.
Pictured
above is an 1854 map of the Tortugas.The configuration
of these islands has changed since the time of
Audubon's visit. Long Key and Bush Key are now joined
together and accessible by a sandy causeway from
Garden Key. Bird Key which Audubon also visited no
longer exists. Fort Jefferson was not built until well
after Audubon's visit. Garden Key was selected for the
site of Fort Jefferson , because of the depth of the
waters nearby making it a good harbor for naval
vessels.
Tortugas
in Audubon's Time
Named
Las Tortugas by Spanish explorer Ponce De Leon in 1513
because of the turtles he found there , the Tortugas
became a part of the United States when Florida was sold
to the United States in 1821.
Sea
turtles still use the beaches of Garden Key each summer
to bury their eggs.
Audubon
writes about the of birds he sees in the Tortugas in his
Ornithological Biography. He spends a week in the
Tortugas and returns to Key West on May 16, 1832. Among
the birds he draws in the Tortugas are the Sooty Tern,
the Noody Tern, the Brown Booby and the Cayenne
Tern.
Audubon
includes within his bird Biography sections or "Episodes"
on the life of Wreckers, and Turtlers. In an Episode
entitled "The Wreckers of the Florida Keys" he writes how
he is helped by wreckers who aid in the collecting of
bird specimens. They also provide Audubon with a wealth
of information about the islands' wildlife. He writes,
" .
. . In a short time we were extremely social and
merry. They thought my visit to the Tortugas, in quest
of birds, was rather a "curious fancy;" but,
notwithstanding, they expressed their pleasure while
looking at some of my drawings, and offered their
services in procuring specimens. Expeditions far and
near were proposed, and on settling that one of them
was to take place on the morrow, we parted
friends.
Early
next morning, several of these kind men accompanied me
to a small key called Booby Island, about ten miles
distant from the lighthouse. Their boats were well
manned, and rowed with long and steady strokes, such
as whalers and men-of-war's men are wont to draw. The
captain sang, and at times, by way of frolic, ran a
race with our own beautiful bark. The Booby Isle was
soon reached, and our sport there was equal to any we
had elsewhere. They were capital shots, had excellent
guns, and knew more about boobies and noddies than
nine-tenths of the best naturalists in the world. But
what will you say when I tell you the Florida Wreckers
are excellent at a deer hunt, and that at certain
seasons, "when business is slack," they are wont to
land on some extensive key, and in a few hours procure
a supply of delicious venison.
Some days
afterwards, the same party took me on an expedition in
quest of sea-shells. There we were all in water at
times to the waist, and now and then much deeper. Now
they would dip, like ducks, and on emerging would hold
up a beautiful shell. This occupation they seemed to
enjoy above all others.
The
duties of the Marion having been performed, intimation
of our intended departure reached the Wreckers. An
invitation was sent to me to go and see them on board
their vessels, which I accepted. Their object on this
occasion was to present me with some superb
" corals, shells, live turtles of the
Hawk-billed species, and a great quantity of eggs. Not
a "pecayon" would they receive in return, but putting
some letters in my hands, requested me to "be so good
as to put them in the mail at Charleston," adding that
they were for their wives "down east."
Audubon
also writes about the Tortugas in an Episode's section
called "Turtlers". Below is a portion of his
Ornithological Biography, Volume II, pages
370-371.
THE
TURTLERS
The
Tortugas are a group of islands lying about eighty
miles from Key West, and the last of those that seem
to defend the peninsula of the Floridas. They consist
of five or six extremely low uninhabitable banks
formed of shelly sand, and are resorted to principally
by that class of men called Wreckers and Turtlers.
Between these islands are deep channels, which,
although extremely intricate, are well known to those
adventurers, as well as to the commanders of the
revenue cutters, whose duties call them to that
dangerous coast. The great coral reef or wall lies
about eight miles from these inhospitable isles, in
the direction of the Gulf, and on it many an ignorant
or careless navigator has suffered shipwreck. The
whole ground around them is densely covered with
corals, sea-fans, and other productions of the deep,
amid which crawl innumerable testaceous animals, while
shoals of curious and beautiful fishes fill the limpid
waters above them. Turtles of different species resort
to these banks, to deposit their eggs in the burning
sand, and clouds of sea-fowl arrive every spring for
the same purpose. These are followed by persons called
"Eggers," who, when their cargoes are completed, sail
to distant markets, to exchange their ill-gotten ware
for a portion of that gold, on the acquisition of
which all men seem bent.
The
"Marion" having occasion to visit the Tortugas, I
gladly embraced the opportunity of seeing those
celebrated islets. A few hours before sunset the
joyful cry of "land" announced our approach to them,
but as the breeze was fresh, and the pilot was well
acquainted with all the windings of the channels, we
held on, and dropped anchor before twilight. If you
have never seen the sun setting in those latitudes, I
would recommend to you to make a voyage for the
purpose, for I much doubt if, in any other portion of
the world, the departure of the orb of day is
accompanied with such gorgeous appearances. Look at
the great red disk, increased to triple its ordinary
dimensions! Now it has partially sunk beneath the
distant line of waters, and with its still remaining
half irradiates the whole heavens with a flood of
golden light, purpling the far off clouds that hover
over the western horizon. A blaze of refulgent glory
streams through the portals of the west, and the
masses of vapour assume the semblance of mountains of
molten gold. But the sun has now disappeared, and from
the east slowly advances the grey curtain which night
draws over the world.
The
Night-hawk is flapping its noiseless wings in the
gentle sea-breeze; the Terns, safely landed, have
settled on their nests; the Frigate Pelicans are seen
wending their way to distant mangroves; and the Brown
Gannet, in search of a resting-place, has perched on
the yard of the vessel. Slowly advancing landward,
their heads alone above the water, are observed the
heavily laden Turtles, anxious to deposit their eggs
in the well-known sands. On the surface of the gently
rippling stream, I dimly see their broad forms, as
they toil along, while at intervals may be heard their
hurried breathings, indicative of suspicion and fear.
The moon with her silvery light now illumines the
scene, and the Turtle having landed, slowly and
laboriously drags her heavy body over the sand, her
"flappers" being better adapted for motion in the
water than on shore. Up the slope, however, she works
her way, and see how industriously she removes the
sand beneath her, casting it out on either side. Layer
after layer she deposits her eggs, arranging them in
the most careful manner, and, with her hind-paddles,
brings the sand over them. The business is
accomplished, the spot is covered over, and with a
joyful heart, the Turtle swiftly retires towards the
shore, and launches into the
deep.
But the
Tortugas are not the only breeding places of the
Turtles; these animals, on the contrary, frequent many
other keys, as well as various parts of the coast of
the mainland. There are four different species, which
are known by the names of the Green Turtle, the
Hawk-billed Turtle, the Logger-head Turtle, and the
Trunk [leather-back] Turtle. The first is
considered the best as an article of food, in which
capacity it is well known to most epicures. It
approaches the shores, and enters the bays, inlets and
rivers, early in the month of April, after having
spent the winter in the deep waters. It deposits its
eggs in convenient places, at two different times in
May, and once again in June. The first deposit is the
largest, and the last the least, the total quantity
being at an average about two hundred and forty. The
Hawk-billed Turtle, whose shell is so valuable as an
article of commerce, being used for various purposes
in the arts, is the next with respect to the quality
of its flesh. It resorts to the outer keys only, where
it deposits its eggs in two sets, first in July, and
again in August, although it "crawls" the beaches of
these keys much earlier in the season, as if to look
for a safe place. The average number of its eggs is
about three hundred. The Loggerhead visits the
Tortugas in April, and lays from that period until
late in June three sets of eggs, each set averaging a
hundred and seventy.
The Trunk
Turtle, which is . . . ."
Audubon
continues with his seven page description of turtles, and
how they are captured and stored in
"crawls".
After
Audubon
Bird watchers
go to the Dry Tortugas, actually " Fort Jefferson" and
Garden Key each spring in hopes of viewing some of the
more than 200 species of migrating birds which stop there
on their journey between South and North America. The
Tortugas are right along the migratory flyway. The seven
islands of the Tortugas provide a resting place for
migratory birds. In 1935 the Fort was designated a
National Monument and in 1992 it became part of the Dry
Tortugas National Park. It is also possible to visit a
few of the other islands in the Dry Tortugas on a
restricted basis with ranger permission. Visitors can
walk from Garden Key to Long Key along a sandy causeway
to get a closer look at migrating bird. A sign warns
visitors away from Bush Key as it is a bird rookery.
During nesting season both keys are closed..
The National
Park is open year round, with Fort Jefferson open during
the day. It is possible to camp on Garden Key with spaces
allocated on a first come first served basis. No fresh
water or food concessions are available on the island and
campers must bring their own water and supplies. For a
sanitation facility, campers use a salt water toilet
located at the dock. Park
camping is suspended until further notice until the
sewage system is upgraded.
Today
visitors to the Tortugas mostly go by seaplane or ferry
from Key West. It takes about two and one-half hours to
make the ferry voyage to Fort Jefferson on Garden Key.
The ample size ferry boat provides breakfast aboard
during the voyage, lunch on Garden Key, an informative
tour at the Fort, snorkel gear for those interested in
snorkeling close to the island. The beaches are perfect
for swimming. On the return voyage alcholic drinks are
available for a reasonable fee.
Fort Jefferson
was built after President Monroe issued his Monroe
Doctrine proclaiming that the Americas were no longer
open to foreign colonization. Named after President
Jefferson the fort was built in the Tortugas to control
shipping lanes along the Gulf Coast and Garden Key was
selected as the place for its construction because it had
an excellent deepwater harbor.
The fort was
used during the Civil War to prevent Confederate ships
from harassing Union ships and to house deserters. Dr.
Samuel Mudd who treated Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes
Booth, was confined there for four years until he was
pardoned by President Andrew Johnson. The Fort was used
as a coaling station for a time by the U.S. Navy and
later abandoned. The gulf waters around Garden Key are
favored by fishermen. In the 1930s it was a favorite
fishing spot of writer, Ernest Hemingway.
Reservation and
park information can be obtained by calling the National
Park Service at 305-242-7700 or by browsing the park
service website at http://www.nps.gov/drto
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