Quote:
Originally Posted by Hunter34StPete
That's right! I've heard before you can't jet ski to Dry Tortugas from Key West. Yikes. I hadn't thought about that. So getting clever (please don't hate)....my davits can lift my smaller ski at 798lbs. If I were to go in this configuration with one ski I don't see a problem. If I do get caught while in the water what would the fine be? Several hundred dollars could be viewed to me as an expense for enjoying my trip.
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While you don't see a problem from what I understand the rangers do see a problem. While my experience with rangers has always been good I know of others who claim rangers had it out for them and went out of their way to find minor violations and enforce them.
The problem I suspect you would have is when you reach the DT you have to check in with the rangers and are required to
anchor less than one mile from the
ranger station. The rangers keep 24/7 watch for a number of reasons, not the least of which is Cubans frequently land at Loggerhead and the USCG then gets involved. So as soon as you checked in your jetski would be noticed even on davits. Not sure where you think you would be using it but it would be obvious as soon as it hit the water. It is not realistic to think you can get to the DT without passing through several other federally controlled areas where US
Navy planes overfly, the USCG is looking for Cubans/Haitians, and the FWC is looking for what ever they look for; not to mention Fat Albert is always looking.
In previous CF threads about jetskis in the Everglades there was no fine; they just made the
boat leave. As in leave right now. The OP in that thread was bashing the rangers because they made him leave in bad weather with a
forecast that the weather would be getting worse.
Bottom line is it would be no fun to take a jetski to the DT and be told to go away right now and don't stop till you get to Key West which is probably the closest place to the DT that jetskis are allowed.