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In 1513 Ponce de Leon discovered this small chain of seven islands 70 miles off the coast of Key West. He called the area the Tortugas in honor of the abundant turtles that provided food for his crew. There was no fresh water on the Tortugas – they were dry, and maps read "Dry Tortugas" to warn seafarers of this important fact. In the 1800s the US began building Fort Jefferson on the islands but it was never completed. In 1992 the name was officially changed to Dry Tortugas National Park. Today the islands are protected. The following companies provide ferry or seaplane service to the park: Sunny Days, 800-236-7937 or 305-292-6100, www.drytortugas.com; Yankee Freedom, 800-634-0939 or 305-294-7009, www.yankeefreedom.com; Seaplanes of Key West, 800-950-2359 or 305-294-0709, www.seaplanesofkeywest.com. |
