Docking Space Is Restricted For Private Boats Travelling To Dry Tortugas

The National Park Service is warning boats that they may have trouble anchoring at Garden Key as a result of the damage caused by last year’s Hurricane Ian.

 

Boaters looking to catch grouper during the national park's peak season will be disappointed to learn that the park's docks and beach-front were damaged by the powerful storm and are now closed for restoration.

Starting May 1st, in order to ensure the smooth operations of the ferry and seaplane, the coastline will be off-limits to arrivals between the hours of 10 am and 3 pm. The seaplane beach is also not accessible to ships. When sea turtles and birds are breeding, the nearby Bush Key is likewise off-limits. Similarly, Bush Key has a strict no landing/no anchoring policy within one hundred feet of shore.

Private boats are welcome to use the public pier when space permits. Between the hours of 10 AM and 3 PM daily, the Yankee Freedom III has exclusive use of the east end of the main dock. Boats can tie up at the west end of the dock if there's room, but there can only be a maximum of two boats stacked next to each other. Each boat is limited to a maximum of two hours of dock time per day, and no vessels may remain docked overnight.

In the event of an emergency, government boats, private contracted vessels, and the general public will be allowed first access to the main pier, in this exact order. A boat permit may be obtained at the Garden Key dock house for any private vessels entering Dry Tortugas National Park for the purpose of recreation.

During the months of April through June, visitors should be informed that portions of the moat wall will be closed to snorkelling and strolling due to coral transfer operations.

The National Park Service has acquired financing to rebuild the affected docks, however it is unlikely that the upgrade works will be finished until 2024.

 

Source: nationalparkstraveler.org