Dry Tortugas: Part IV

We ducked out of the fort your early in order to be first in line to get our lunch on the boat. After eating and with our island time running out, we decided to do one last snorkel trip. We dove in to explore around the pilings that Lindsay had checked out yesterday. The first thing I saw was a massive barracuda that scared the heck out of me. I didn't manage to get a picture but I gave him a wide berth.

I also swam around (not above) this hole as who knew what could lurk in there?

I really liked this spot to snorkel because it was really close to the beach but there were no people there. Probably because they didn't want to weave around a bunch of rotted wood sticking out of the ocean. I managed to scrape my leg on one of the beams but otherwise emerged unscathed.

There was much more coral growing on these sunken beams as well.

We got out with enough time to dry out before heading back on the boat. I was so in love with the Fort that I couldn't leave without taking some more pictures. I even discovered the old bakery! While wandering around I checked out the time on my camera and thought I had plenty of time so I continued on.

Eventually as I was about to head up to the third floor I noticed that there weren't a lot of people around. I looked at my camera again and saw the time hadn't changed since the last time I looked at it and I realized that I was looking at it wrong and it was actually 2:42 and the ferry was scheduled to depart at 2:45! I flew through the Fort and ran on the boat as the second to last person to board! That was a close one!

The ferry ride back was wild. I went to sit at my spot in the side near the back but the waves were so rough that I ended up getting soaking wet with all the spray so I moved to the very back where at least the sun could shine on me. I grabbed a spot sitting on top of the water cooler and was soon joined by about 20 seasick people who were moaning and groaning. Luckily I didn't see anyone puke but we were all hanging on as the boat rocked and rolled. I had never been on seas that rough before and it was a heck of a wild ride but we made it back safe.