The third level — the top — of Fort Jefferson is open to the public and affords extraordinary views of the fort itself and the area beyond. Magnificent frigatebirds fly high above the fort, but climbing the granite spiral staircases to the top of the fort almost makes you feel that you're among them. You can walk around most of the top on sandy trails, but there are no rails or barriers, and a bit of common sense should be used particularly on windy days. The arched structure to the right is the large parade magazine built during the civil war but never completed and never used, because improvements to artillery and munitions made it vulnerable to shelling by attacking ships. The gun in the center is a 15-inch Rodman capable of firing a 450-pound ball more than three miles. It was state of the art for its time. That's me leaning on it. This shot also gives a pretty good view of the fort's interior architecture. In the center background is the area that houses staff and volunteers. Photo by Cynthia DeLeon
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