Question: What European explorer first discovered Florida’s Dry Tortugas islands?
Answer: Juan Ponce de Leon
Juan Ponce de Leon first stumbled upon the Dry Tortugas stretch of islands in 1513, when they were nothing more than clusters of coral inhabited by sea turtles. Upon his discovery, de Leon named the islands Las Tortugas, meaning “the turtles.” “Dry” was later added to the islands’ name to warn mariners of the lack of fresh water in the area.
