Memsahib's Voyage

Loopers readily agree that Tarpon Springs is the gold at the end of the tough crossing rainbow.  It is scenic, it is different, it is fun and it is WARM!

Tarpon Springs has the largest concentration of residents of Greek descent in the United States — and for obvious reasons, more every day.  Their heritage permeates the entire town, not just the touristy waterfront — restaurants, architecture, churches, social clubs.  The rest of Florida tries to have that sort of beige/terra cotta Mediterranean motif.  Tarpon Springs is the whitest white and bluest blue right out of the Greek Islands.

It all started in 1905 with the discovery of a huge natural sponge colony right outside Tarpon, and an entrepreneur began encouraging Greek sponge divers to emigrate.  It was dangerous work in those old copper diving helmets between storms, predators, and the risk of the bends.  The fishery died out with the discovery of synthetics, but you can still buy local, natural sponges — for about $20 each.

We all stayed at Turtle Cove Marina, a beautiful facility on an island within a block of the waterfront and sponge exchange.  The owner saw us all down at the Tiki Bar kind of in shock after the crossing, and when some of us showed up at the cruisers lounge a bit later, a free hamburger/rib/sausages dinner was on the barbecue ready and waiting!  Word spreads fast in the Looper community and no Looper will probably ever go anywhere else.

But the greatest attraction of all in Tarpon Springs has got to be the incredible Hellas Greek Bakery.  I think Greeks make the world’s greatest pastry.  As a young reporter in Salinas, CA, I did a story on the local Greek Orthodox community and discovered the wonders of filo and baklava.  (I was the paper’s religion editor, by the way, since they figured as a known atheist, I would be fair to all parties.)  So one day we had a little rum-infused sponge savarin for lunch, a small baklava pick-me-up in the afternoon, and honey-soaked walnut cake with a spun-filo top after dinner.  All washed down with hold-on-to-your-heart-rate Greek coffee.

Looper pictures are from Catherine from Next to Me, who has a wonderful blog at

http://olallabay.blogspot.com/

Restoration of a sponge boat from the heydy of the sponge industry. They are very beautiful, very Greek and made of cypress, which is impossilbe to find now

“Modern” sponge boat. Most of them are set up for shrimping, too.

In Tarpon Springs, you want sponges, they got sponges! We counted 12 sponge markets on Deodocenase Avenue alone.  John bought a preserved aliigator head for Sparta here.  Sweet boy!

Tarpon Springs has a huge Greek cathedral with a bishop and the whole nine yards.

Hellas Greek Bakery — the best reason of all to visit Tarpon Spring

Loopers at Hellas Restaurant.

Everyone at Hellas Restaurant has to try the flaming cheese and yell “OOPA!” when they fire it off. They light it off with Greek brandy that could also be used in Memsahib’s stove in a pinch.

Looper ladies celebrate the engagment of Laura and Ross from The Zone at the Turtle Cove pool.

Looper Central, Tarpon Springs — the Turtle Cove Tiki bar.

Leaving Tarpon Springs for points south. But Hellas Bakery will always bring me back. Memsahib still looks pretty good.