Brace Yourself Before You Go

🎒 The Non-Negotiable Packing List: ✅ Seasickness meds + ginger candy (grab at CVS) ✅ Water + snacks (ferry food is basic) ✅ National Park passport (for that sweet stamp) ✅ Picnic blanket (for base camp setup) ✅ Towel + change of clothes (if snorkeling) ✅ Snorkel gear (provided on island, but bringing your own = better fit) ⛺ Your On-Island Game Plan: 1️⃣ Disembark → turn left → South Beach Set up your shaded headquarters under the trees. You'll thank me when the sun becomes a weapon. 2️⃣ Optional: Ranger tour Interesting history about Fort Jefferson, but honestly? Nap in the shade is also valid. 3️⃣ Snorkel IMMEDIATELY if sunny The weather here is moodier than a teenager. One minute it's pristine, next it's windy chaos. Strike while the water is calm. 4️⃣ Rinse off on the boat Freshwater rinse stations = lifesaver before you turn into a human salt lick. 5️⃣ Embrace your inner beach bum Lunch is a basic sandwich + chips provided. Then... just be. Read, nap, stare at unreal blue water. 👍 The Good (When the Stars Align): Scenery IS stunning. The water is so blue it looks Photoshopped. Fort Jefferson—a massive isolated coastal fortress—is undeniably cool, dripping with Civil War history and ghost stories. The snorkeling can be phenomenal (if conditions cooperate), and the beach has that Bahamas 🇧🇸 shallow-sandbar vibe that makes you feel like you hacked the system. ⚠️ The Harsh Reality (The Fine Print): 1️⃣ Brutal Cost & Time Investment The Yankee Freedom ferry is your only real option at $200+ per person. You spend 5 hours on a boat and only 4-5 hours on the island. That's a full day and a serious chunk of change for a few hours of actual park time. 2️⃣ It's a Weather Lottery Your experience hinges ENTIRELY on wind and waves. When it's windy: ❌ Water visibility = trash ❌ Feels 10x colder ❌ All activities are compromised But here's the kicker: You have to book weeks (sometimes months) in advance with NO IDEA what the weather will be. You're essentially playing the lottery with a $200 ticket. 🎰 3️⃣ The Boat Ride is BRUTAL 2.5 hours each way. You must be at the dock by 6-7 AM (enjoy that 5 AM alarm). The final hour is a rollercoaster—choppy, bouncy, stomach-dropping. I'm not prone to seasickness and even I got queasy. I needed 30 minutes post-dock just to recover and enjoy the view. 🤔 The Million-Dollar Question: I kept asking myself: "Is a pretty beach worth 5 hours on a boat?" Reality check: Florida Keys have excellent state park beaches (Bahia Honda, anyone?). Destin, Tampa, Sanibel all have gorgeous, accessible beaches. Budget allowing? Just fly to the actual Bahamas 🇧🇸. For snorkeling? Key Largo is more reliable, easier to access, and far better value for your time and money. 🎯 Final Verdict: Dry Tortugas is special. It's beautiful. It's remote. But it's also inefficient, unpredictable, and expensive. Whether it's "worth it" depends entirely on your tolerance for playing nature's lottery—and whether you have a flexible schedule to rebook if weather turns sour. Exception clause: If you're a National Park passport stamp collector chasing that elusive cancellation? Forget everything I just said. You have no choice. Go forth and conquer. 🏆 Just... bring extra Dramamine. 🚢💊 #US #Florida #Jacksonville #Orlando