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one of many boats docked on the Anclote River |
Although last week's adventure (and resulting blog post, "Island Hopping to Key West") was enough to satisfy any of the wanderlust the two of us have, with this week's Valentine holiday, we decided to observe it in a special way.
Of course with our usual pre-dawn* coffee there was the exchange of cards and chocolate.
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headstone blurred for reasons of privacy |
Then we drove to the cemetery to place flowers at the graves of our Valentines from years gone by.
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headstone blurred for reasons of privacy |
They are never forgotten, always in our hearts. They helped make us who we are, and without a doubt prepared us for where we are today.
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Dodecanese Blvd. |
Then we drove the nearly 70 remaining miles to Tarpon Springs, on the Gulf coast, located north of Clearwater. For those who have not heard of this place, it is the "Sponge Capital of the World," a leader in the global natural sponge market. Home to the Sponge Docks, visitors can see the sponge industry from harvesting to auctions. (thank you, Wikipedia, for this information)
This fishing village is known for its very Greek style, white-columned Hellas Authentic Greek Cuisine Restaurant and Bakery. After parking our car, that was our intended destination, but we first needed to get our tickets for a boat tour. If we learned nothing else from our trip to Key West last week, we knew to secure tickets for such tours sooner rather than later, then do all the other things that can be more flexible.We hoofed it down the street (past our lunch choice) to find the ticket window for the boat, and not seeing it, we had to retrace our steps to discover the address on their website was actually a white tent near this plaque on the waterfront. Okay, that was a little strange, but our tickets were purchased without a problem.
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ticket stubs |
By this time we were some distance from the famous Hellas. We didn't want to get too far away lest we miss our boat's launch time in a little over an hour. Dimitri's was literally just next door and highly recommended, so that's what got our lunch money that day.
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Dimitri's https://dimitrisonthewater.com |
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Gary, waiting to order (west is behind him) |
Tarpon Springs sits on the Anclote River, which pretty much runs east to west, emptying out into the Gulf of Mexico (or Gulf of America, per President Trump).
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the moussaka wasn't quite as large as this picture shows |
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kayakers on the river |
As to be expected, we saw lots of marine traffic go past our table on the literal water's edge. The weather was perfect for all of it. I highly recommend Dimitri's food and the waterfront tables, the service was good, and the rest rooms clean.
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our tour boat |
The timing of our lunch and the launch of our tour boat was perfect. We climbed this metal staircase and stepped onto that wide orange lip of the boat (with help from the crew members) to get on. That was a little dicey but okay. The seating was wood benches lining the outer part and more benches in the middle. We sat on the edge and I'm so glad we did. We could see and hear (relatively) everything.
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the sponge diver, in his 60s, and from Cheyenne, Wyoming! |
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me |
Before he put on his helmet, passengers were encouraged to try it on themselves. I was the first to step forward. While I did not line up the windows with my face, I could easily see Gary snapping my picture. I had to smile to myself -- this headgear gave illustration to the popular hair style from about 20 years ago, "Helmet Head."
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Anclote River |
While this voluntary 'fashion show' was in progress, the diver continued to get geared up for his dive. The boat captain described what is involved with diving for these natural sea sponges. They are the second lowest form of life, just above the amoeba, and invertebrate animal. Thriving in abundance all along the Gulf coast waters from the Big Bend area (north of Tarpon Springs) clear down to Key West.
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diver under water |
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diver with a sponge he had just harvested |
From the deeper location, he walked under water to a depth of only about 5 or 6 feet where he used a grabbing, fork-like tool to pull a sponge from where it was attached on the river floor.
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diver returns to the boat |
In total on this trip, the diver was probably in the water no longer than about 15 minutes before he climbed back into the boat -- with help.
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the freshly-harvested sea sponge |
The sponge he harvested was passed around to everyone. They are black like this under water. The slimy black stuff is cleaned through a somewhat laborious effort and then they are put out to dry.
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cleaned sponges drying on a boat |
While we typically see these sponges as brown or a golden yellow, when harvested from the river floor they are covered with a black slime.
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sea sponge art |
After we exited the boat, we began the walk back to our car, with some shopping along the way (of course!). Since we are bikers (bicycles, not motorcycles), I had to capture this example of art using the sponges.
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logo on my shirt front |
Just as with our shopping in Key West and the Everglades last week, my primary purchases are refrigerator magnets and T-shirts. I did not find any magnets that I liked (I'm very particular on that), but Gary got this T-shirt for me, which I modeled after we got home:
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a slice of Baklava |
It was way too sticky to eat in the car on the way home, so last night we enjoyed some of it. Look closely to see the extremely thin, very fine layers of phyllo dough that make this treat so special. Below those layers is a delightful mixture of nuts and honey.
I have said many times over the past three years that ours is a "Hallmark movie romance." Many of our friends have said the same.
14 comments:
Bill and I have been to Tarpon Springs many times. It's one of our favorites. We did that boat tour once and really enjoyed it. We've done other boat tours there as well.
Its a great place ! Love the food, as well! Enjoyed your blog!
I loved your trip to the coast. Quite fun to see it through your eyes. I have not visited that location. Maybe I should put it on my list.
Oh Pooh… that was my comment. Technology sometimes does me in.
My sister and BIL went to Tarpon Springs last year and enjoyed the Greek style and food. Looks like a beautiful place and your sponge diving tour looks fun!
I love that you two can go together to visit the cemetery and honor your first spouses.
Bob doesn't like chick flicks either but he humors me sometimes too. :)
OH, that looks like such a fun trip! thank you for sharing it with us! In all my years of living in Florida, I've never been there (or many other places of interest either!), so it is interesting to learn all about this from your perspective. You are such a great sport about things, of course, gathering "blog fodder" is always a good excuse for trying things! This was great. That Baklava sure looks good! Now THAT I could enjoy...a little bit at a time! Thank you for sharing this today. Have a lovely rest of your week.
We love Tarpon Springs and have eaten at Dimitri's and got treats from Hella's. We have never taken a boat ride though, interesting. You guys lead such an interesting life, smiles. P.S. I think it's time to visit Tarpon Springs again.
What a fun outing you had, Barbara! Thank you for sharing your pictures along with the narrative. Happy Sunday!
We were in Tarpon Springs last year when my mother-in-law passed away.
We didn't do the boat tour, and now we don't have to, ha, you did such a good job taking us along! It's been an extremely cold and snowy winter here in New York State, and your Florida adventures are wonderful, thank you for sharing!
Aaaah ... baklava, and ouzo, and dolmades and more ouzo ...
Bon appetit. God bless.
Tarpon Springs sounds like a fun place to visit, Barbara! (Of course, any place in FL sounds fun right about now to this northerner who got another three inches of snow yesterday :). Have never had Moussaka, but it sure sounds yummy. My husband and I do the same as you and Gary on Valentines--a simple exchange of cards and chocolate for each. Enjoy your new week!
There is so much we know nothing about! What a great outing and eating experience. I love that combo of seeing and eating! Happy belated Valentine's Day! I'm a wee bit behind on my visits around blogland.
Thanks for taking us along on another adventure, Barbara. I never really considered how natural sponges are harvested, and would not have imagined them to be covered with dark slime. Always something to learn! Makes life interesting.
What a beautiful way to spend Valentine’s Day—combining love, memories, and a little adventure! I love how you took the time to honor past Valentines while also embracing the present with a scenic boat tour. Tarpon Springs sounds like such a charming spot, especially with the Greek influence and waterside dining. Your day really does sound like a perfect mix of nostalgia and new experiences.
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My goodness but you guys have packed a lot in during one month! What fun...and so much good eating. I agree with you - I love to eat on the water! You had a great seat:) So nice to be enjoying the perks of Florida. Oh, I really liked how you celebrated/remembered Valentine's Day at the cemetery. Very sweet.
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