Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks

Last weekend, we spent part of the day visiting the famous Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks.  This was a "must see" that everyone talks about.  However, most of the time people talk about it, they say how fun it is to "just wander up and down the street, looking in the little shops" and then eating some Greek food for dinner.  That should have been my first red flag.

Did I not learn that our family does not enjoy just "walking up and down the streets looking in little shops" from our recent Disney visit.  We don't.  It's just not our thing.

I have a hard time enjoying a day, when I know everyone else is miserable.

See...they look like they are having fun, right? hahaha

In their defense, it was hot...really, really hot.  There were lots of people, the shops were tiny, crowded, old, and well...just not our thing.  We did it though...because that is what people tell us to do (rolling my eyes right now)  We walked in and out of shops.  Touched over prices sponges, melted in the sweltering heat, and listened to whiny voices and for the sake of fun and the experience.

Ok, it wasn't all THAT bad....but parts of it seemed to be.

So, we started our little trip at "Sponge-O-Rama", with a free viewing of a film made in the 60s or 70s in a run down room (literally with holes in the walls), and a TV that desperately needs to be replaced.  Then, we walked through a not so great little museum with some creepy displays (including one with a dead lizard in it.  I bet it died 3 years ago).

We ended in their little Sponge Factory store, where I am pretty sure I was lied to.  I know for a fact all of those sponges didn't come from the Gulf, even though they told me it did.

However...there were some really cool, HUGE sponges that were over $100!!!

Eventually we found our way into the Sponge Diver's Supply store, which is a legit store with a real family of Sponge divers.  They were even on Dirty Jobs (it was a pretty pathetic episode, that clearly almost didn't even make it into the rotation...funny, a little informative, and then more humor).  However, we recognized the guy in the shop when we saw him in the store.  I wish I would have bought a sponge from him.

This is their boat, hanging their sponges out to dry.

We decided to splurge and go on a 2 hour "Dolphin Watching and Island" cruise because someone gave Jeremy a "Thank you" gift card for installing a TV.  We were not able to all sit together on the boat.

A boat filled with sponges

Do they look thrilled?

As expected, Nathan started to fall asleep almost as soon as the boat started to move.  Poor guy, he just can't help himself :)

So, I grabbed him and let him take a little nap before we reached the Island.

The island was not impressive, however the kids had fun trying to find shells, and hoped to find a Sand Dollar.  I think Red Tide was moving in because I saw some dead fish, which made me want to just get back on the boat and go.

Clearly, I was having attitude problems.
But, the kids, really did have fun.  We didn't see any dolphins though.

We ended the day, not by eating Greek food, but by ordering pizza and picking it up on the way home.

I don't know.  The Sponge Docks were kind of a bust for us.  Maybe we missed something.  Maybe we went at the wrong time (summer is not suggested, it was SO hot!).  Or maybe, we are just not the type of people who like to wander in and out of shops.