Dry Tortugas Loggerhead Key East Mooring Buoy

Loggerhead Key East (LMBSE), for access to Loggerhead Key's beaches, snorkelling and historic buildings. National Park Service mooring buoy in the Research Natural Area of Dry Tortugas National Park, placed to protect the coral. Buoys are first come, first served, for daytime use only, with a two-hour limit, and are designed for recreational boats up to 100 ft in suitable weather. Approach slowly from downwind, run your own line from a cleat through the pick-up loop and back, and inspect the buoy yourself. Anchoring is prohibited in the Research Natural Area. Pick up a free boat permit at Garden Key when you arrive; the park entrance fee is charged per person.

Scuba and Snorkel Sites - Avanti (Windjammer) Wreck: N24° 37.4162 W82° 56.574. Built in 1875, this three-masted 261.4 foot vessel sank in 1907. Portions of the ship at the surface with depths down to 21 feet. Please refer to the Windjammer brochure for more information. - Offramp: N24° 40.156 W82° 54.506. Isolated reef outcroppings with Staghorn coral on the western side. Depths 25 feet and shallower.

Scuba Sites - The Maze: N24° 36.532 W82° 56.969. Coral caverns, swim-through pinnacles and straight up vertical relief. Depth 20-60 feet. - Davis Rock: N24° 41.209 W82° 54.440. Large crevices run through the middle of this pinnacle reef. Depths from 20-45 feet. - Texas Rock: N24° 40.820 W82° 53.125. Plan on 2 dives to explore the entire reef. Large crevices, caves, swim-through, cracks, pinnacles and lots of vertical relief. Look for the giant anchor. Depth 20-60 feet.

More information: https://www.nps.gov/drto/planyourvisit/drtomooringbuoys.htm