Sponging

TAYLOR COUNTY, FL GENWEB

Sponging in Taylor County

     In the early 1940’s my father, Harry Mantzanas, began financing sponging trips. The influx of Greeks in Steinhatchee and Perry began when these spongers started sponge fishing in the waters off our northern coasts. The spongers who sponged the shallow waters were called "hookers". Rather than diving off the boat for sponge, they hooked the sponge using a long pole with a hook attached. Each dinghy was manned by two men. One man was the oarsman; the other was the hooker. Once the dinghy was loaded, they would row back to the large boat, unload and then begin again. This process continued until sundown. One man, the cook, remained on board the big boat all day. His main responsibilities were to cook the food and clean sponges as they were brought aboard. At the end of the day, when all the men were back on board, they too cleaned sponges. The days catch was then hung on the line to dry.

     All hook boats sponged the northern coasts in the winter because the northerly winds cleared the waters, which allowed the hooker to see the bottom of the gulf more clearly. During the summer months, these hookers sponged the southern part of the state. This trade was one that was passed down from generation to generation. Sponge fishing was the main avocation in Greece.

     Some sponge trips lasted up to six months. When the sponge fishers anchored in our coastal waters at Keaton Beach or Steinhatchee, they would come into Perry. Here they would buy supplies, meet other friends, eat and drink heartily and talk about their catch. Some of them married local girls and made Taylor County their home.

     In order to prepare for the lengthy sponge trips, much preparation was needed. The boat and dinghies had to be painted, a crew had to be signed on, financing had to be settled, and food and supplies had to be secured. One thing I remember very clearly was my grandfather preparing KAVROOMA. This was small bits of meat fried in large wash tubs over an open fire. KAVROOMA was always prepared in my grandfather’s back yard. It was then stored in tins and covered with huge amounts of salt in order to prevent spoilage. Bread that was prepared for sponge trips was baked solid. This is why it was commonly known as hard tack. When the spongers prepared to eat, they soaked the bread in water to soften it. Cheese and water was also stored aboard the boat. Seafood was abundant and as fresh as it could be.

     Once the trip ended, the sponges were taken to the market place and sold to the highest bidder. This phase ended a trip but the captain was already preparing, in his mind, for the next trip.

     Life on a sponge boat was difficult because the men worked hard from sun-up to sundown. They had to be strong in order to endure all kinds of weather conditions while they struggled to pull their oars at record pace. Using the hook was a back-breaking chore as well. Time was essence. They had to arrive quickly at the best sponge beds and work diligently in order to hook the best sponge and retrieve them before their competitors arrived. You see, the best quality and largest sponges brought more money to the captain and crew.

     Disaster struck … a blight called the RED TIDE disintegrated all the sponge in the gulf. Even the rocks were bleached white. The damaged sponges literally fell apart when handled. This was a time of grave concern for the sponge community. At the same time, synthetic sponges, which were cheaper, flooded the market.

     Families who until now knew only sponge fishing as a way of making a living, began leaving Tarpon Springs. They headed north to the steel mills. Young people were being encouraged to go to college. Sponge fishing was too difficult and unpredictable.

     Even when the sponge industry began recovering from the RED TIDE, no one returned from the north to pursue sponge fishing. In order to preserve this industry, local officials of Tarpon Springs, with the help of their legislators requested that immigration quotas become open to sponge fishers of Greece. Through special legislation this was accomplished and young Greek islanders were brought to Tarpon Springs to revive this art form. The sponge business is still in operation today but not to the extent that it was before the blight.