Recent Stories
Fort tour reveals hard living, survival
DRY TORTUGAS, Fla.— It’s known as the ‘Rock of Gibraltar’ of the Western Hemisphere. Its walls are made of brick 8 feet thick and 45 feet tall. It is the largest water-based military fortress and once was the backbone of the United States Naval fleet. Jeff Dennis is catching itRead More…
Preservation efforts battle nature, budgets
DRY TORTUGAS, Fla.— Despite the constant efforts by the National Park Service to preserve Fort Jefferson and Dry Tortugas National Park, lack of money and resources has caused the 150-year-old fort to deteriorate and collapse in some of its areas. With a recent $15 million renovation contract awarded, the parkRead More…
Something for everyone found in Tortugas
DRY TORTUGAS, Fla.— Every year thousands of visitors crowd around the Southernmost Point to have their picture taken. While shirts sporting “MM 0” are a popular pick among tourist seeking to show off their visit to the end-of-the-line. What these visitors don’t know is that 68 miles southwest of KeyRead More…
Remote park is home for staff, families
DRY TORTUGAS, Fla.— Mike Ryan, 39, sat in his office which used to be one of the gun rooms at the Fort Jefferson. There was a small opening, now replaced with Ryan’s Dell computer, through which 12-foot-long cannons were fired in the mid 1800s. “This may sound strange, but we’veRead More…
Tortugas offer history, stunning scenery
DRY TORTUGAS, Fla.— About a century and a half ago, Florida’s paradisaical Dry Tortugas National Park was a dumping ground for murderers, confederate soldiers, rapists and other criminals. But since one of its islands became a national monument in the 1930s, the Caribbean island cluster has been a tourist hotRead More…
Visitor Center offers museum, souvenirs
DRY TORTUGAS, Fla.— Tucked under the massive brick walls of Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas National Park is a small grotto closed off by a creaky door. An unassuming sign barely gives notice of what lies within. It says “Visitor Center.” People are usually directed to the door byRead More…
Park offers activities at no cost to visitors
HOMESTEAD, Fla.— Just less than 20 miles from the University of Miami and its Coral Gables campus, the drive to Biscayne National Park may seem like a hike for college students. But when nights in Coconut Grove or South Beach start to get dull (and expensive!), the park offers aRead More…
Kids experience fun at Biscayne Park
HOMESTEAD, Fla.— The sound of children’s laughter fills the cool coastal breezes and the sweet smell of barbeque drifts back and forth like the nearby current. “Run along, the food isn’t ready just yet,” said Lesmes Tablada to a dozen children staring at him with anticipation as he cooked. Tablada,Read More…
Volunteers help officials count bay’s fish
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla.— It might seem daunting, but every year at Biscayne National Park a group of divers come together to count and catalogue the park’s various species of fish in an event called the Great Annual Fish Count. About 25 people participate in the event, which is held everyRead More…
Biscayne art program delights visitors
HOMESTEAD, Fla.— Miles away from the art galleries of Miami’s design district, Miami Beach and Coral Gables is Biscayne National Park’s Dante Fascell Visitor Center. Best known for its location overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and its recreational facilities the Visitor Center has commemorated its beautiful surrounding landscape and seascape throughRead More…
Biscayne park history: Ahead of its time
HOMESTEAD, Fla.—The blast of a cannon fired by Mark C. Honeywell, the owner of Boca Chita Key in 1938, welcomed three yachts full of America’s wealthiest business and political players to his palm-clad limestone wonderland. Mark C. Honeywell in 1938 (Photo courtesy of the National Park Service). The anticipated annualRead More…
Maritime Trail offers divers much to see
HOMESTEAD, Fla.— At Biscayne National Park, hurricanes can actually be a good thing, at least for the park’s Maritime Heritage Trail. A bit of stormy weather can lead to a shift in the sands and that can uncover long lost shipwrecks. A mast base of the Mandalay (Photo courtesy ofRead More…