Dry Tortugas and Key West

Two days ago, we went to Dry Tortugas National Park. It’s a big Army Fort called Fort Jefferson, and in the moat you can look down and see lots of sea urchins. Dry Tortugas is a key that’s 70 miles out from Key West. We went on a big boat called a cat. I really liked seeing Dr. Mudd’s cell. We went in it with flashlights because it’s pitch dark and the door is pushed out. Dr. Mudd went to jail because he helped the guy who killed President Lincoln. He was a doctor and the man had a broken leg, so Dr. Mudd had to fix his leg. The man who killed President Lincoln was killed, but Dr. Mudd went to jail at Dry Tortugas. Then everyone started getting Yellow Fever. Dr. Mudd helped these people, and then after 4 years, they let him go free. I went on top of the fort which was 3 stories high, and I jumped off (April Fools!).



There isn’t much land on Dry Tortugas because the fort takes up almost all the land. There’s a little area where we were camping, and it had lots of roots where I stubbed my toe. Now I have a bruise. We camped for one night. I slept in my own tent until a hermit crab came and I could feel it on my big toe. Then I got kind of freaked out, so I slept in my Mom and Dad’s tent. Mom stepped on my hurt toe!

We went snorkeling and saw lots of parrot fish and a big puffer fish. I still really like the parrot fish. The best place to snorkel was right where all these fish were. There used to be big boards on top where Navy ships would come get coal. Now all that’s left are just the poles down into the water, and the fish love it there.

It was really cool when we saw big Grouper fish, and there was a man who caught one on his fishing pole! They’re about 6 or 7 ft long. The biggest one is called Otis by the park rangers. Otis likes to swim right off the docks under the boats.

There’s a key nearby, and it’s called Bush Key and it’s only like 100 yards away. There’s like a million birds over there. They’re eating bugs and getting ready to fly to their summer place because it’ll be way too hot here. You could hear the birds so loudly. The color of the water right by Bush Key is really, really light blue.


When we came back to Key West, we passed the place where the Atocha sank 350 years ago. It was really cool looking off the bow because you could see the other pontoon of the cat slicing the water, and it would go under the water. We saw a big turtle, but the captain turned so we didn’t hit it. When we were going to Dry Tortugas, we saw a dolphin.

Now we’re at Key West again. There were two dogs at the last campground called Suzie and Charlie. They’re really nice. I took them for walks, and I brushed them. I really want to have a dog. I played street hockey here on a rink wearing my roller blades and a helmet. It’s different from ice hockey, because it’s hard to stop. It’s similar because you have the same game. I shot a puck past an adult goalie!

We did lots of school here. I finished green test 140, and now I’m getting close to the end of 1st grade. I have to do test 160 still.