The best time of day to go the Dry Tortugas is our first flight
in the morning or our last flight in the afternoon. The reason:
with the speed of the seaplane we beat the ferry to and from the
island. During the early morning trip the ferry is on its way
out, during the late afternoon the ferry is on its way back. It
is very quiet on the island during these times, even in peak season.
Be sure to book early to get these times.
The cost of operating a seaplane and our small capacity means
we will always be more expensive than the ferry service. But factor
in that we do not add sales tax to our prices plus free parking
at Key West Airport and the price gets a lot closer. Add to that
spectacular low altitude sightseeing each way and no seasickness:
And who wants to spend over 5 hours of their vacation just getting
to and from the destination? There really is no comparison.
There is no fresh water at the Dry Tortugas, hence the name
“Dry” Tortugas. (There are restrooms). After swimming,
if you are not going straight back to your hotel, you are welcome
to take a shower at our facility in Key West. We have a clean
shower and an air conditioned waiting area, complete with leather
couches and satellite TV.
The Dry Tortugas islands are so small there is not enough land
mass for the heating of the day to generate thunderstorms, so
while Key West gets its fair share of beautiful weather, the weather
at the Dry Tortugas is generally better.
Air over a body of water is very stable. Even on a windy day
there is little or no turbulence on our flights.
Scuba divers; our aircraft are non-pressurized and fly so low
(500feet), there is no need to worry about dive-time to flight-time.
It is OK to dive in Key West in the morning and fly with us in
the afternoon (we can not carry dive tanks).
Wear polarized sun glasses on our flights. They cut out glare
off the water, making it easier to spot marine life.
You are welcome to bring along beer and wine. It is illegal
to drink alcohol in a Florida State Park but it is legal in a
National Park (no open containers on the aircraft).
If you need a place to cool off at the Dry Tortugas the visitors
center located in Fort Jefferson is air conditioned.
The Dry Tortugas are in the Central Time Zone. We cross the
time line 45 miles west of Key West. We actually land 15 minutes
before we take off! To keep things simple the Park Service and
Seaplanes of Key West operate on Eastern Time.
