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Fast Cat
The Dry Tortugas National Park is located 70 miles west of Key West. It consists of seven tiny islands and the surrounding waters. When Ponce De Leon originally discovered these islands he named them "Las Tortugas" (meaning "the turtles" in Spanish) because of the abundance of sea turtles. Even though hunting drastically reduced their numbers, many varieties of the species are still present in the area.
Almost 70 miles, 112.9 km, west of Key West, Florida lies a cluster of seven islands called the Dry Tortugas. These islands, along with surrounding coral reefs and waters, make up the Dry Tortugas National Park. Snorkeling, kayaking, camping, legends of pirates and sunken gold have drawn visitors to this national park from all over the world.
Ponce de Leon discovered the Dry Tortugas in 1513 when he caught over 100 sea turtles there. Subsequently the islands were referred to as the "Tortugas" (turtles). Later the name was changed to Dry Tortugas to notate to mariners the lack of fresh water. Construction of Fort Jefferson began in 1846, and in 1847 the islands became a military reservation. During and after the Civil War, Fort Jefferson and the Dry Tortugas began to be used as a prison for deserters and other criminals, most notably Dr. Samuel Mudd, who was sentenced to life in prison for his part in President Lincoln's assassination. Fort Jefferson and the Dry Tortugas was turned into a National Monument in 1935 and later a National Park (1992).
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