Tarpon Springs 2008

It was a month ago when Linda, Mayra and I headed for Tarpon Springs. I had always wanted to catch on of the boat rides, but never got around to it. Mayra liked the idea, and for less than 20.00 what a value. We parked at the Sponge Factory, bought our tickets, and headed down the street for lunch.

Linda and I like eating at Santorini's. It sits right on the water. Most of the Greek restaurants in Tarpon Springs don't have water front views. The waitress thought we were nuts for wanting to sit out side. The temp. was just up in the upper eighties. The breeze off the water and the overhead ceiling fan keeps you from roasting. (I always prefer to sit outside. If I wanted to freeze I would have stayed in WA. I've never experienced anything like indoor living in Florida. You where your jacket at you desk, and remove it before leaving the building.)

Tarpon Springs used to be famous for sponges. The 1953 movie Beneath the 12 Mile Reef with Robert Wagner was filmed there. Today, the boats are used to take site seers out to see dolphins, manatees, and other wild life. Like the osprey family on the channel marker.

If you want to see dolphin up close, and don't have a kayak or canoe, go to Clearwater Beach, and ride The Little Toot. It's not a very big boat and the captain usually get the dolphins to swim in the bow stream.

Our little dolphin encounter wasn't too disappointing. We seen a pretty large group of them. I just used this picture because you can see the spray from one of them.


The Lighthouse on Anclote Key State Preserve was built in the late 1880's. Only a few years ago was it restored.

Like to buy a boat? It has air conditioning.

The old sponge docks may have been turned into tourist traps, but some of the water front property is used for a cannery and boat yards. Some of the boats in the slide show could use some work, or be towed out to the Gulf to be used a reefs.