Submerge yourself in some of the Garden Keys’ largest, most well-preserved coral heads and reefs, which support a variety of colorful reef fish including the parrot fish, angel fish, triggerfish, damselfish, and others. Still, there is a good chance that you will see at least a couple of sea turtles while out on the island.

This amazing structure is made up of layers of calcium carbonate secreted by coral polyps throughout thousands of years and is the home of hundreds of tropical fish and marine life. Complimentary fins, mask and snorkel are provided.

Located off the north side of Loggerhead Key, this area is protected, shallow, and calm-a great place for snorkelers, and under most conditions, for children.

by Regular Animal. Pick up a mask and snorkel at the small shed on the boat dock. Snorkel or dive the area first in the daylight, so it won’t be totally foreign to you when the lights are out. It should not take long to find open ocean critters that will make for some exciting diving. They've developed a sly technique, moving toward the sharks as they've got their minds on something else and netting them. Before diving this site, be sure to pick up a laminated underwater map at the visitor center.

Download Map. Without enough sharks at the top of the food chain, the rest of the marine world is out of whack. The reef that makes up the Tortugas is a fringe reef, which is the type of reef that is attached to a shore or border. Technology is helping that research. It is also against the law to remove any cultural artifacts and this particular law carries some serious penalties for divers who ignore it. In fact, our prices are up to 56% Cheaper*, Key West Snorkeling Tours is the #1 Snorkeling Tour and Activity Concierge in Key West. Dry Tortugas National Park is home to their breeding grounds, and it’s difficult to spot them anywhere else. In the days before navigational aids and accurate charts, these shoals claimed many ships and as a result, the diver can find the scattered remains of a wide variety of shipwrecks. The wreck has the greatest relief from the bottom and the most marine life at the very bow and the very stern of the wreckage. The structure serves as an artificial reef attracting a host of fish ranging from 200-pound jewfish to small tropical. This area is almost due north of Garden Key in about 55 feet of water. Secluded Beaches. Whether beginner or expert, you can enjoy an abundance of colorful tropical fish and living coral among the waters. Your world has shrunk and you need to bring your focus into a smaller field of vision.

They do this by accumulating into little colonies that eventually congeal and form the solid structures of the reef.

The octopus is a common sight, slipping along the bottom searching for some choice mollusks for dinner. Cultural artifacts visible underwater include massive anchor chains and cement barrels. If you catch it when the visibility is good, the dive is great for novices and experts alike.

The islands are made up of reef and sand. Be careful not to shine your light directly at the fish as this both startles them and temporarily blinds them.

In addition, you may also get to see turtles and some large formations of eagle rays.

Eventually a particularly strong hurricane saw to the destruction of these structures and the Navy decided not to rebuild them. One of the most popular Key West snorkeling tours, a thrilling expedition to Dry Tortugas National Park offers astonishing coral reefs, brilliant marine life and intriguing wrecks.Because close to 99 percent of this incredible park is under the sea, the best way to tour this national treasure is by slipping on a mask and fins and diving right into the park’s pristine aqua waters. If you came on the Yankee Freedom Ferry, the use of snorkeling gear is included in the fare. Black tips, hammerheads, bull, and nurse sharks are all common sights out here. There are two primary snorkeling areas at Dry Tortugas, both of which will be noted on your campground map. The park’s most well-preserved coral heads are situated at the edge of Garden Key’s swim area, near Fort Jefferson. Dry Tortugas National Park is home to history and natural wonders above and below the water surface. reef fishes Section. These critters usually hang out on the sea fans and look like a mass of thin starfish legs that are suffering from total confusion. The reef is rather isolated and is surrounded by sand. Content from this Website may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced or used without written permission! If you need to stand when you are out in the water, stand in the sand so that you don’t harm reefs or seagrass. Snorkel or dive the area first in the daylight, so it won't be totally foreign to you when the lights are out. The corals receive their vibrant colors from polyps containing algae called zooxanthellae, which also helps to keep the corals alive. So massive that you can’t even swim over the top of them, these coral heads are home to both stony and soft corals, as well as an eye-popping variety of reef fish including angel fish, triggerfish and parrot fish. The wreck has the greatest relief from the bottom and the most marine life at the very bow and the very stern of the wreckage. This steel hulled sailing vessel ran aground on the loggerhead reef in the early 1900s and is situated in only about 20 feet of water, covered in colorful coral and inhabited by an astonishing variety of reef fish. They're not the most fearsome species, but they can still take a chunk out of you when disturbed and this is the definition of disturbed. The site is a veritable aquarium of reef-dwelling, free swimming, and benthic (bottom) life. Every year, like clockwork, sharks gather for their annual underwater mating dance.

If you love Key West snorkeling, then Dry Tortugas National Park offers some of the best snorkeling and skin diving in North America, just 70 miles from Key West and the Florida Keys. This courtesy will allow other divers who come after you to enjoy the same sense of discovery.

The water depth will vary depending on the tide but shouldn’t exceed six to eight feet. Situated in approximately 20 feet of water, the remains of the ship make a wonderful snorkeling site. Be very careful of the currents out here, as they are strong and variable in direction. Black tips, hammerheads, bull, and nurse sharks are all common sights out here. Dry Tortugas Snorkeling; Dry Tortugas Snorkeling. Other sea life that make the coral reef their habitat include the tentacled sea anemone, lobster, and sponges.
Unlike in most snorkeling sites, snorkelers on the Dry Tortugas do not have to catch a boat to get to the site of the coral reef-the coral reef is right off the shore! In honor of CBS News' visit, they gave one female shark a special name: Norah. Dive or snorkel among the historic coal pier pilings that attract barracudas and other fish, or swim around the moat wall of Fort Jefferson where you can expect to see anything from reef squid to the endangered American crocodile that lives in the waters of the park. It is also against the law to remove any cultural artifacts and this particular law carries some serious penalties for divers who ignore it. If you visit Dry Tortugas with your own boat, you will be able to access more remote snorkeling locations.

Directly accessible from the brilliant white sand beach are the Fort Jefferson snorkeling areas.

Dry Tortugas National Park and Fort Jefferson Ferry Service. We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you happen on some obviously manmade apparatus while exploring this reef, it is probably part of this program. It is safe enough for kids who are comfortable in the water and exciting enough to stimulate the kid in the most jaded adult. Please call "National Park Service, Dry Tortugas" on vhf16 when within the national park for latest information on availability of this dive site.

Most obvious among the coral reef inhabitants are the colorful reef fishes. Daytime diving is for the underwater vistas; night diving is a more intimate experience. With the exception of elkhorn and staghorn, almost every species of stony coral can be found here. Whether beginner or expert, you can enjoy an abundance of colorful tropical fish and living coral among the waters.

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