"First Swim" by Josh, 18 | Dry Tortugas National Park 2019

Dry Tortugas was named so by the first European explorers to visit there for two factors: Dry, since there is no fresh water on any of the seven islands; and Tortugas, Spanish for turtle or tortoise, for the historic population of Sea Turtles. Although sea turtles face constant threats from habitat loss and human impact, significant conservation efforts help to sustain them. Our group was able to witness a rare day time hatch of turtles and photograph their first swim in the water.

About Josh: Josh graduated from Northwest Passage in the winter of 2019. He is currently completing high school and is looking toward a promising future. In addition to his artistic skill as a photographer, Josh’s exceptional skill as classical guitarist brought a unique and welcome musical element to the 2019 Dry Tortugas adventure.