Dry Tortugas

Dry Tortugas National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Dry Tortugas National Park P.O. Box 6208 Key West, FL 33041 Windjammer Wreck In the dark, early morning hours of January 21, 1907, heavy winter wind and waves buffeted the Avanti. A navigational error while attempting to pass around the Dry Tortugas contributed to the crew’s misfortune. At 6:44 a.m., thirty-two years to the day after it was launched, the Avanti struck the Loggerhead Reef. Its iron hull, nearly as long as a football field, scraped along the jagged coral reef with a sickening sound. Howling winds muffled the cries of the 19-man crew as they frantically tried to save their dying vessel. Losing the port anchor in an attempt to slow the ship’s movement, the crew became desperate. Unsure of the holding power of the windlass, the anchor cable was brought out of the forecastle and wrapped around the starboard bits. Taking on water and inching deeper into the rumbling seas, the remaining anchor was dropped to prevent the vessel from slipping off into deeper water and sinking. Heavily damaged and stranded, the ship eventually broke apart. Though the crew was saved and much of the cargo later salvaged, the Avanti was a complete loss. Today the wreck offers divers and snorkelers a haunting glimpse of a once-proud sailing ship. The Avanti is also the most complete wreck site in the park, and provides a breathtaking backdrop for a wide variety of colorful reef fish, coral, and marine life. Window to the past Greyhound of the Seas The Windjammer Wreck, located less than a mile southwest of Loggerhead Key, has gone by several names over its long history. Its association with the famous class of sailing vessels known as windjammers has led to its more popular, though less accurate name. The Norwegian ship was officially known as Avanti when it sank in 1907. significant new possibilities. Iron hulls could be built much larger and cheaper, had greater capacity than wooden vessels of the same dimensions, and were far more durable. Importantly, the use of iron contributed to higher profits, a crucial factor in the highly competitive shipping industry of the late nineteenth century. The Avanti is an important example of large sailing vessels built relatively late in the age of sail. It combined smooth, traditional architectural lines with newer, more durable building materials. The development of iron hulls in the mid-1850s offered ship designers Even these structural breakthroughs could not postpone the inevitable. With the birth of steam propulsion, the age of sail was rapidly coming to a close. Large sailing vessels like the Avanti were some of the last tall ships built during the romantic age of sail. Built in 1875 in Liverpool, England, the threemasted vessel was originally named Killean. Large for its day, the Killean had a length of 261.4 feet, a beam of 39.3 feet, and a draft of 17.5 feet. The Killean had a gross tonnage of 1,862 tons. In its prime the vessel combined impressive size and speed to compete with rival shipping companies carrying cargoes to worldwide markets. Exploring the Site The Killean was sold in 1894 to the French shipping company A.D. Bordes and Fils. Renamed Antonin, it became part of a large fleet of ships used in the shipment of nitrate fertilizers from Chile to European farmers. After seven years the Antonin was sold for a final time. The new owners, Acties Avanti of Norway, renamed the vessel Avanti. The aging Avanti was used in its final years as a tramp carrier seeking cargoes wherever available. While in Pensacola the vessel was damaged and stranded during the October 1906 hurricane. On January 9, Avanti departed Pensacola bound for Uruguay carrying a load of lumber. It would prove to be Avanti’s final voyage. The Avanti is one of many wreck sites within Dry Tortugas National Park. These islands, shoals, and reefs have been the scene of nearly 300 shipwrecks. The proximity of these reefs to The wreckage and its associated coral are fragile. Please do not touch! A mooring buoy is provided for anchoring. If you choose to drop anchor, pick a location that is a safe distance the nearby shipping lanes of the Gulf of Mexico has made them a natural “ship trap.” from the wreck site. Make sure that you anchor on a sandy bottom that is free of coral. Fishing is prohibited at the Windjammer Wreck site, as it is within the Research Natural Area. The wreck site lies in approximately 18-21 feet of water. The site is in two main wreckage fields. The bow portion, approximately 110 feet in length, lies in a generally east-west direction. It includes the bow, midships, and foremast. The second field, also roughly 110 feet in length, lies in a generally north-south direction. This second field is composed of midships, stern, mizzen, and main mast structures. E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A™ Please remember that all shipwrecks, artifacts, and coral are protected within the park. You are the key to preserving this and other important sites. Only with your help will future generations be able to enjoy the park’s rich maritime heritage. 01/14