Nearly 70 miles west of Key West lies a seven-beaded string of coral and sand called the Dry Tortugas. The islands are an isolated retreat in an ocean sanctuary with a long history of military use, first by the Spanish and then by the US. Renowned for its wildlife – Ponce de Leon named the island after the abundant sea turtles found there in 1513 – the islands also are rumored to be a place of sunken gold, due to the hull-piercing reefs nearby. view all details