By: Debra Hess
Yankee Freedom II Naturalist

General Joseph Totten, Chief of the Army’s Engineers from 1838 – 1864 designed the Totten Shutters used on the gun ports of Fort Jefferson. These large slabs of wrought iron complete with iron shutters were designed to protect gunners from small projectiles and musket fire while loading cannons weighing several tons per gun opening and integrated into both the exterior wall and the interior of the fort, these embrasures were crucial to fort construction during this time period.

Over time in the salt environment of Dry Tortugas, the shutters have oxidized. Swelling in width and pushing the bricks off the outer walls of Fort Jefferson. The fort is a veneer of brick-filled with coral boulders, rubble, sand and concrete. The outer brick veneer is crucial to protect Fort Jefferson from storms and hurricanes.

The founding legislation of Dry Tortugas National Park mandates the National Park Service to “protect, stabilize, restore and interpret Fort Jefferson, an outstanding example of nineteenth century masonry fortification” for future generations without undertaking serious action to stop further degradation, it became obvious to the National Park Service personnel that the walls of Fort Jefferson were in serious trouble.

Underway for about 5 years now, a multiyear preservation project is underway to stabilize the outer walls for Fort Jefferson. Iron embrasures are removed, the walls stabilized and re-bricked, concrete (made with local sand and coral) and historic bricks are used. Lastly, replicas of the historic Totten shutters are placed in the gun ports.

Construction workers are housed and fed at Fort Jefferson during the renovation work.

While visiting Fort Jefferson, a walk around the moat will show sections of the fort wall where stabilization has been completed. Scaffolding is present where work will take place this spring. The west wall of Fort Jefferson shows the damage for future repairs.

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Dig Location in Paradeground

From March 13 – 16, 2009 visitors tot the Dry Tortugas National Park aboard the Yankee Freedom II were treated to an archaeological dig of an 1850’s storehouse foundation located in the paradeground of Fort Jefferson. March is Florida’s Archaeology Month and this weekend’s even allowed the public an opportunity to help sift and search soils taken from under a storehouse destroyed by fire in 1857.

Volunteers

Park Staff Sifting Soil

During construction of a brine concentrate reverse osmosis drain field in June 2003 National Park Service archaeologist Margo Schwadron found large concentrations of pipe stem fragments and bowls (most of the men stationed at Fort Jefferson smoked tobacco in clay pipes). Construction of the drain field was shifted to a new location and plans were laid for this archaeological dig. A joint effort of the National Park Service S.E. Archaeological Center, the Florida Public Archaeological Center, and the South Florida National Parks Trust resulted in the 4 day event. Bags and bags of artifacts were collected and catalogued from grids in the study area.

A collection of some interesting artifacts were found:

Bowl Pieces

Gun Flint

Ceramic Doll Hand and Woman’s Dress Clasp

Other items found were pieces of pottery, glass fragments from bottles and hurricane lamps and lots of coal. All will be carefully sorted, analyzed and curated at the S.E. Archaeological Center in Tallahassee, FL.

Yankee Freedom II passengers Erik and Susan Peterson from Columbus, Ohio participated in the dig on Saturday March 14th.

They first learned about the the dig from Park Service personnel and spent several hours sifting soil and helping collect artifacts. “A fabulous experience of history and nature – thanks very much!” they commented. “We can’t wait to come back again.”

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By: “Tortuga” Jack Hackett

Fort Jefferson Fort at the Dry Tortugas.

As “Silent Night” still lingers in the ears and resolutions are still forthcoming, here at Ft. Jefferson bricks, bricks and more bricks await the capable hands of returning work crews. The air is permeated with a sense of elation shared by masons on the embrasure project that is without a doubt akin to the feeling shared by those who toiled here in the 1800’s knowing that soon the men would be returning to their hometowns or to Key West for several weeks of comfort. Present day masons share the closest experience to the original laborers who fashioned the largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere.

Bring in the brick to continue restoration.

Yankee Freedom sailing by the renovation site.

Bricks are arriving on a barge-like craft which conjures up images of a construction project that was in progress one hundred fifty years ago. These bricks await special placement having been specially made in an attempt to replicate the original bricks in size, color and weight. This involves the use of custom forms and specialty clay mixes. The bricks cannot be shipped until they have met the National Park Service’s rigorous inspections and approval. Once the National Park Service has approved the finished product, the bricks are produced in larger quantities and shipped to Ft. Jefferson where they will receive placement designation.

For now, however, there is more embrasure removal, clearing of wall fragments from the moat and the wall straightening continues. Embrasure pieces are cleared and hauled away. These photos should help illustrate the huge amount of work involved and the complexity of the effort. It is truly astonishing to view the elaborate process that precedes the laying of a brick.

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Vessel New Orleans, an Army LCU (Landing Craft Vessel), visits Dry Tortugas National Park on January 10-13th 2008 in a cleanup operation. Hurricane damage from the four hurricane strike summer of 2006 left Dry Tortugas National Park with lots of rebuilding and repairing. The remoteness of the park makes garbage service a challenge, especially for larger items such as air conditioning units, old appliances and such. The New Orleans carried Waste Management dumpsters and a large Front End Loader to assist the Park Service personnel in eliminating trash items. The New Orleans has a permanent crew of four and is assisted by fourteen Army reservists.

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By “ Tortuga” Jack Hackett

Well, whatever sound you would make to indicate a thunderous explosion from a cannon, resounding throughout the bricked vaulted ceilings of the casement or gun-room in which it is heard. The decibels produced would exceed those of a heavy metal rock band with the volume cranked to the max.

One might arrive at this conclusion while standing inside one of the casements at Ft. Jefferson. This is just one part of the fort’s awesome architecture evident amidst sixteen million bricks utilized in the construction of the fort that began in 1846.

General Joseph Totten, chief of engineers, is the man most responsible from Fort Jefferson’s construction. He was a meticulous calculator and super micro-manager. Masons of today when arriving at Fort Jefferson to begin and/or continue major projects, marvel at General Trotten’s innovations and designs. For example, methods of cutting castings and fittings of stone and metal (in particular massive iron shutters known as “Totten Embrasures)” are remarkable. In order to prevent mortar from fragmenting, General Totten made lead concrete which was used to mount the shutters.

Oh, this kind of thing just scratches the surface; talk to someone as enthused as Kelly Clark about these projects and you will be engulfed in a sea of amazement. Kelly first arrived in the Dry Tortugas for the “Hot Shot” project in 2003. She, of course, fell in love with the area but had to return to Santa Fe in order to complete other assignments. She has now returned to lead, coordinate and supervise several of the Historic Planning Programs. Not only does she have a good understanding of the hurdles encountered during the original construction, but also has a firm grip on the challenges present at this time. There are a myriad of glitches that arise in the field that find their way to her desk.

On the other hand, they are well underway to remove seventeen shutters and salvage brick for reuse. Next they will duplicate these shutters from the original design plans, and install them following the rule of preservation as closely as possible. This rule, in a nutshell, is to use the same materials, methods and tools as were used in the nineteenth century. One deviation from this rule will be the use of reinforced fiberglass concrete as a substitute for iron. This will prevent rust, expansion and the fading of the color of the embrasures.

All of these multifaceted restoration projects will be performed during the next three to five years. Currently, the most visible project is the “Totten Embrasure” project. So head on out to the Dry Tortugas National Park and to Ft. Jefferson, find your way across the parade ground, read the information posted there, stroll into the gunroom, cover your ears and be amazed.

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“Salty” the Hawksbill Sea Turtle Released at Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas National Park

On Sunday, October 28, 2007 Salty, a three-year-old Hawksbill turtle, was released at the Dry Tortugas National Park aboard the Yankee Freedom II. In July a local fisherman, Ed Sanchez, encountered a Hawksbill Sea Turtle with it’s front flippers entangled in a braided fishing line near the Boca Cheeca Bridge. Mr. Sanchez brought the helpless three year old turtle, later named “Salty”, to The Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Florida where it was determined that she sustained multiple injuries to the back of her shell and front flippers.

Salty’s flippers were entangled in fishing line and her right front flipper was severely tangled and swollen. Because blood had been cut off from her flipper, Salty was in danger of having her flipper amputated. However after three months of intense physical therapy, antibiotics, and TLC by the capable staff at The Turtle Hospital, Salty was almost as good as new with just a small scar where the line had cut her. Salty was also fitted with two tags and a microchip.

Preparations for Salty’s release began early Sunday morning when the staff at The Turtle Hospital removed Salty from her aquatic holding pen and placed her into a specially prepared turtle carrier . The Hawksbill Sea Turtle was then put in The Turtle Hospital’s ambulance by Ryan Butts, a Sea Turtle Rehab Specialist, who transported her 1 hour South to Key West and to the waiting crew and passengers aboard the Yankee Freedom II . There she was carefully placed on board The Yankee Freedom II for the 2 hour cruise to Fort Jefferson Dry Tortugas National Park.

About half way to Fort Jefferson National Park, a remote sub-tropical park located on the southwestern end of the Florida Keys, Ryan brought Salty out in the air conditioned galley and did an educational presentation of her injuries and rehabilitation. The passengers aboard the Yankee Freedom II enjoyed the demonstration and the oppurtunity to view first hand the positive impact The Turtle Hospital has on these endangered species.

Once the Yankee Freedom II Ferry reached Ft. Jefferson National Park, the park rangers escorted Salty to the beach for his release back to the sea. Immediately after Ryan removed Salty from her protective container the Hawksbill Sea Turtle immediately started flapping her flippers and bobbing her long neck and head back and forth excitedly. While the crowd clapped and cheered “Goodbye” Salty”, Ryan wadded out to his waist to release Salty back to her natural habitat!

Thanks to the great teamwork from the Yankee Freedom II, The Turtle Hospital, and the wonderful rescuers and volunteers, another Hawksbill Sea Turtle has been saved.

About The Turtle Hospital

The Turtle Hospital opened in 1986, is a part of Hidden Harbor Marine Environmental Project, Inc. whose main objectives are to repair injured sea turtles and return them to the wild, educate the public through outreach programs and assist with research which aids the sea turtles. Four species of sea turtle are treated at the Hospital: Loggerhead, Green, Hawksbill, and Kemp’s Ridley. Just like Salty, many of the hospital’s patients are brought in by boaters, divers, or commercial fishermen in the surrounding area. The Turtle Hospital has successfully treated and released over 750 Sea Turtles since its inception.

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By Wayne Landrum

After 26 years of working in National Park areas across the country, I moved to the Dry Tortugas; a unique and remote sub-tropical park. It is located in South Florida at the southwestern end of the Florida Keys. I was assigned the position of park manager for the 100 sq. mile park, a small group of islands surrounded by the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

It was 1992 when I packed my bags and moved to the Dry Tortugas from Biscayne National Park in Homestead Florida. This was shortly after hurricane Andrew had blasted the southern tip of Florida.

That year, 1992, was the year Fort Jefferson National Monument, was designated by Congress as Dry Tortugas National Park. My position as manager was to supervise and take care of the operations in the park and to supervise the employees living there. Usually there are about 15 people living and working in the park at any given time. There are maintenance employees to operate the facilities and equipment, including boats, generators, water systems and all other types of equipment, to keep the “small city” operational and there are law enforcement rangers, naturalists and biological researchers, to interpret care and protect the parks natural and cultural resources.

What is it like to live in a remote location, 70 miles at sea from the nearest town with access only by boat or seaplane?

There are the hurricanes that visit the place and have frequently over the past 150 years. The park closes to the public before the arrival of predicted hurricanes but the employees usually stay in the fort. The walls are 40 feet high and made of brick. There are designated shelters for employees on the second floor in the power magazines. These rooms were built with walls eight feet thick and are stocked with food water and all necessary provisions to exist through the storm and until outside conditions are again safe. During hurricane Georges in 1998, all the park residents chose to ride it out in the park. It is probably safe to say that Fort Jefferson is the safest place to be in the Florida Keys during a hurricane.

Communication with the rest of the world was spotty at best; the one radio telephone we all shared in the office was often out for months at a time. The marine radio allowed us to communicate with the boats in the area and we had our own park radio system often reaching only 8 to 10 miles.

Technology changed considerably from l992 until I left the park in 1999. Cell phones did not work in the lower keys with adequate coverage until about 1995, and still don’t at the Dry Tortugas. However, other improvements have made life easier at the park. Each resident now has satellite television if they want it. There is now a satellite phone for use in emergencies and overall communications have improved.

There are other differences out at the Dry Tortugas from living in a place with a road. Planning for food and supplies had to be based on the park supply boat coming out to the park once a week from Key West. If you ran out of basics you just had to wait for the boat to return the next week and it occasionally did not make it out due to repairs or storms too strong to allow safe passage. The supply boat also takes employees to and from the park for days off, park business or private travel.

Living in a remote National Park has some great benefits for those who enjoy the outdoors. The park is a birding paradise, with Spring and Fall migrations of rare birds passing through the park. The park is also a premiere nesting area for frigate birds, masked boobies, noddy terns, and sooty terns. Species of birds are often seen in the Dry Tortugas National Park that are extremely rare in the continental United States.

Sea turtles cruise through the area and Loggerhead and Green Sea Turtles are commonly seen next to the beaches inside the park. Fish and tropical reefs are attractions to divers and swimmers.

From Garden Key one can watch the sun rise from the sea in the morning and set in sea in the evening. At dark the night sky lights up with stars and planets because there are no cities obscuring the sky with their light and air pollution.

Many park employees are attracted to the more remote national parks because the natural setting is still intact, remote and exciting. It has been a good career for me and my family spending our time working in places where others spend their vacations.

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