Cockpit of our transportation today........ok, lets go! |
On our way the pilot tells us the US Coast Guard patrols these islands for illegal activities |
Slashdown |
My first class seating lol |
Ground level view of Fort Jefferson |
Over 16 million bricks were used in the building of Fort Jefferson |
The lighthouse built in 1825 was the first structure on the island |
After awhile ( like most forts) the weaponry became useless because of the advances in shipbuilding |
Aerial view of the fort as we approach |
Once Spain sold Florida to the United States the idea was for Fort Jefferson to protect their interests and the piracy from the Caribbean |
The design of the fort called for a four tiered six sided walls |
Dry Tortugas Park is a 100 square mile area that includes mostly open water with seven small islands in which Fort Jefferson is located on one of these. |
Inside the grounds the army employed civilian machinists, carpenters, blacksmiths, masons and general laborers |
During the peak period as its history of a fort there were a population of over 1700 |
Fort Jefferson is around 110 km ( 70 miles ) west of Key West Florida |
This was a subclass type of plane called amphibian aircraft.......because of its ability to land on airfields also |
In 1888 the fort was turned over to the Marine Hospital and operated as a quarantine station |
To support the large workforce and lacking fresh water they collected rainwater but with not much success |
The fort towards it end of it usefulness was also used as a prison.......most common were Army privates charged with desertion |
In 1992 Fort Jefferson and Dry Tortugas was established a National Park |
Landing back into Key West Florida |
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