Tarpon Springs

Tarpon Springs is a historic North American small city that was greatly influenced by Greek culture that is definitely worth visiting. Located along the shore of the Gulf of Mexico, not far from St. Petersburg and only 30 miles from Tampa, the downtown area is a charming city that depicts a unique mix of Victorian and Floridian architecture.

History

The area has been inhabited for thousands of years by various Carib-Indian and American Indian tribes, and the Tocobagas Indians lived throughout the area in small villages when Spanish conquistadors Vasco da Gama and Pinida landed near Clearwater in the early 1500s. The name Anclote was given by Spaniards to the small islands near the mouth of the river. The literal translation of "Cabo de Anclote "is "Cape of the Kedge Anchor", named after the kedge anchors that sailors had to use to measure the depth of the water to make their way through this shallow bayou. French sailors also called the islands Cap d'Anclote, which has the same meaning.

There is an intriguing legend about Anclote, the “Old Spanish well” is a freshwater spring that was located on the river bank near the mouth of the river. The exact location is unfortunately unknown. The legend says that the locals obtained fresh water from the well, as they did from many other wells throughout Florida by diving into it with large jugs turned upside down over the flowing water to capture the freshwater and keep the saltwater out. In one account that gave the well its name, in 1528, needing to resupply his ship's water rations and knowing about the well, Spanish conquistador Narvaez lost eight men to the Tocobago Indians as he finally gave up and sailed away.

Long after the Tocobago Indians had been wiped by diseases brought by the invaders, Pirates and buccaneers are also said to have used the well. Legend says pirates like Gasparilla and Captain Kidd restocked their water from the “Spanish well” and also buried their treasure along the banks of the Anclote River and on the islands surrounding the mouth of the river, though no pirate treasure has been found here.

The first immigrants arrived in 1867 and settled on the north bank of the mouth of the Anclote River. Tarpon Springs was named after the Tarpon fish, which were abundant in the river. In 1852 the settlers discovered that they could harvest loads of sponges near Anclote Key. This discovery kick-started Florida’s sponging industry and made Tarpon Springs the world capital of sponging. In the early 1900s, many divers from Greece settled in the area, leading to the rich Greek heritage that the city still enjoys.

Areas of Interest

One of the main attractions of Tarpon Springs is the Greektown Historic District near Dodecanese Avenue and the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks. Many restaurants in that area serve traditional Greek cuisine, such as Hellas Restaurant & Bakery, as well as fresh seafood. While Rusty Bellies Waterfront Grill, Inc. is one of the more renowned Seafood restaurants in the area, we prefer the nearby and less busy Bayou Bistro, which mostly caters to locals and offers great food with friendly family-style service.

If you have time, take the 1/2 day fishing trip from Gulfstar Fishing and enjoy your own fresh catch.

When in Tarpon Springs, you have to visit the Fred Howard Park. The park offers great beaches with clean bathrooms and outdoor showers for rinsing off the sand and salt before heading home. It is definitely more laidback and less crowded than other local beaches and kayak rentals are also available.

Sandy barrier islands offshore shift position over time depending on waves and storms. They are only accessible by boat and are a great place to see bottlenose dolphins at play (see our video below).