Sponge diving, sponges, Osprey, waiting

We are waiting.... There is a weather alert in the Gulf of Mexico with brisk winds and waves that just keeps getting worse. As of today we are here until Thursday  5/30 . We are hoping that we will be on our way before June 1 which coincidentally is the start of hurricane season.

The next leg is 144 miles with no place to duck in so we want a good three day window to leave. 

Meanwhile we are exploring Tarpon Springs, the Sponge Capital of Florida and once of the world. 

In 1905, John Cocoris introduced the technique of sponge diving to Tarpon Springs. Cocoris recruited Greek sponge divers from the Dodecanese Islands of Greece, in particular Kalymnos,Symi and Halki leading, by the 1930s, to a very productive sponge industry in Tarpon Springs, generating millions of dollars a year. The 1953 film Beneath the 12-Mile Reef, depicting sponge diving, takes place and was filmed in Tarpon Springs.^[6]

When a red tide algae bloom occurred in 1947, wiping out the sponge fields in that region of the Gulf of Mexico, most of the sponge boats and divers switched to fishing and shrimping for a livelihood. The city then converted most of its sponge-related activities, especially the warehouses where they were sold, into tourist attractions. The Sponge Docks are now mostly shops, restaurants, and museums dedicated to the memory of Tarpon Springs' earlier industry. Most sponges sold on the docks are now imports; relatively few sponges are harvested from the area, although attempts have been made in recent years to restart local sponge harvesting. Led by local businessman George Billiris, in the late 1980s the sponge industry made a comeback, and in the fall of 2007 a record harvest of sponges by a single boat was made.

In 2007 and 2008, Tarpon Springs' mayor, Beverley Billiris, established Sister City relationships with Kalymnos, Halki, Symi, and Cyprus, honoring the close historical link with these Greek islands.

Tom and I went on one of the tour boats, it was interesting. I have purchased several sponges and really do like washing with the real thing. 

this boat returned from a 16 day run filled
with sponges

around two weeks ago this boat caught fire just
after they topped off the fuel tanks. The owner
did not have insurance, so right now the salvage/
removal is in limbo

they still dive in hard hat suits for the sponges
This is Dave the diver on our boat

what a sponge looks like before it is processed 

we have a pair of Osprey that fly around here
This one landed on the mast... I don't think
it is smiling for the picture

Tom did not appreciate the Osprey sitting on our wind
gauge so he shook the mast, made a neat picture

another early morning visitor