Monday Jan, 12
Monday
I left Zacks place and started the long drove south. I stopped at one place to
ask about fishing in the keys, but he told me to ask when I get down there. So
I tried again in Key Largo. I told them where I was going and showed them what I
planned on using, they politely laughed at. In the end I walking out with a new
rod and reel with some steal leaders and hooks. Then I had to get everything in
order for camping the next few nights. My final stop was Key West to wait until
morning for the ferry to take me to Dry Tortugas National Park.
Tuesday Jan, 13
I was
up extra early to make sure I was able to get everything on the boat. Once all
my stuff was on the caption asked me “so who’s the reservation under?” I told
him I didn’t have one, he told me to get everything off the boat. A few days
later the caption told me he was looking at the wrong day and thought camping
was full. I had to wait until 6:30 for the check in desk to open to find out if
there was room. They told me I could get on the boat this morning and come back
Thursday evening. At that point I would take what I could get. Another thing I
didn’t know, it’s about $200 for the ferry. Camping is $3 a night, so once your
there its way worth it to stay. I reloaded my things and hopped aboard. They
serve a very nice breakfast on the 2.5 hour boat ride. I talked to an older man
and his girlfriend from Bar Harbor Maine; they were both in their 70’s. When I
sat down I figured they were married, right until she got up to get some
coffee. The first thing he said to me was “never get married, if you do make
her sign a contract that you get one month a year to yourself.” Upon arriving
you are confronted with Fort Jefferson, the largest masonry (brick) building in
the western hemisphere. 16 million bricks in a six sided fortress complete with
cannons and artillery guns on the roof. I set up my camp and talked to my
neighbor Steve until my 130 tour. This fort was in charge of protecting the
natural harbor just off shore. This harbor would house the fleet that protected
the gulf from pirates, and later on during the civil war. The ferry leaves at
245, and then everything really calms down. The only people on the island are
the campers, rangers, and construction crew doing restoration work. I tried
fishing but that wasn’t working. So I kayaked around until sunset. This was the
nicest day to be out there, calm waters no clouds and about 80 degrees. Once
the sun went down I went back to fishing and caught several snapper. Some of
the masons from the fort came down and they were fishing too. A couple camping from
Texas walked out to the dock and talked for awhile. It came up that I sneak
into hotels for breakfast; they light up when I said it. They always thought
about doing it but never made the attempt.
Wednesday Jan, 14
I
filleted up the fish the night before and cooked them for breakfast. I handed
most of it out to the other campers. I walked around the fort some more then
around to the other keys that are attached. Where ever there is a sandy bottom,
the water is a crystal sapphire blue. Where there is sea grass the water look
deep deep emerald. The 3 keys together are shaped somewhat like an upside down
U. the main trail is on the inside of the U. I hiked the main trail out then
crossed over to the outside of the U for the way back, this is where I saw the
most, and the largest sea shells of my life. One of the keys is closed year
round for bird nesting. I was able to kayak along the shore and watch the birds
soaring overhead. Then I pretty much spend the rest of the day fishing. I
caught a bone fish while it was still light out. I didn’t know what it was and
a fort worker came to look at it. Right away he says “o god that’s a bone fish,
get that in the water!” I wish I took a picture of it before throwing it back
in. the most silver fish I’ve ever seen. It was about 20 inches long and had an
incredible fight. People will come down to go on bone fishing trips just
because the fight they put up. A few of the masons along with another camper
came down around dusk. I didn’t have the best of luck, only one snapper. There
are huge goliath grouper under the dock. 3 are around 200 lbs and one is about
400. Every once and a while we would put a carcass on the hook and drop it
right in front of them. Then you better hold on. It feels like a car is trying
to pull you off the dock. They almost always end up breaking the line, but the
workers have landed a few. There are also big sharks in the water as well. I saw
about an 8 foot one the first night.
Thursday Jan, 15
I woke
up and went to the bathroom, walking past the beach I saw a handful of people
dressed head to toe in white pants and white long sleeve shirts. A few guys and
a few girls. My first though, it’s a little cloudy today to come all the way
out here for a wedding. I went on with my day. Never thinking that the warning
on the boat ride over about Cubans washing ashore was legitimate. Sure enough 7
Cubans 2 girls and 5 guys landed throughout the night and were in pretty rough
shape. It takes about 20 hours to float over, they left Sunday. There gps broke
and they were simply drifting. One girl spoke English; she was also in medical
school in Cuba. She had no hope of getting a job over there so she came over
here. They left with 8 people and lost one along the way. I walked through the
fort again, every time I go through I find something new and interesting to
explore. I also talked to the caption the day before about staying an extra
day, which was my original plan. He didn’t think that would be a problem and
sure enough it wasn’t. It’s like a lot of things, they have all these rules but
most of them are pretty flexible. Next I kayaked around the 3 keys; the water
was rough on the outer side. Just about immediately after turning into the
inner side its dead calm. I could see down to the bottom and watched a sea
turtle fly by. Next the US Coast Guard came by to pick up the Cubans and bring
them to Key West. I laid on the beach until the sun went down, then time for
fishing. Tonight I caught a few snapper, but I really wanted something big. So
I was going for sharks whenever I caught bait. I was able to get several on the
line, along with some grouper. But couldn’t land anything. The grouper would
swallow about 2 feet of line and it would come back all twisted and tangled.
Most of the time the sharks would bit the bait off before the hook, so you
would pull up a half eaten fish carcass. I was fishing with one of the campers
from New Jersey and we happen to have some vodka and rum that needed disposing
of. We were up until the early morning fishing and drinking away.
Friday Jan, 16
It was
rough getting going in the morning, but I had to pack everything up and get it
over to the dock before the ferry arrived. When my things were aboard I grabbed
lunch and took a nap. Once we were under way I talked with some of the other
campers I met, getting a few more ideas on places to go and some new friends to
stay with. You fill out a survey on the ride back and there are 2 drawing, one
for a free trip back and one for anything from the gift shop. It must be a sign
because I won the free ride back. I have to use it within a year, so let me
know who wants to go. And my other camping friend, Shawn won the 2nd
prize. Getting back to my car, I threw everything in and drove off. The only
food I had left was spoiled so I treated myself to a fish dinner. Then I sat in
a parking lot with a line in the water while I started to rearrange everything
in the car.
Saturday Jan, 17
