November 1, 2026: We hadn’t planned on leaving Crystal River today but Tom decided there was a weather window that would allow us to get to Tarpon Springs and get some services (specifically: a pump-put).* So very quickly this morning we left Crystal River and headed back onto the Gulf trying to get to Tarpon Springs before the rain. The ride was much smoother today. We got into our slip just as the rain started - which means we were tying up the boat in the rain.
Tarpon Springs has two special things: First, it is one of the largest Greek colonies in the United States. (Which of course means we went to Hella’s, a Greek restaurant, for dinner tonight.). Second, it has a sponge business. That means people go out in boats, dive down into the water (or send a piece of equipment down) and harvest live sponge. Tomorrow we will get out opportunity to purchase real sponge.
A pump-out means we empty the black water tank or, as we called it, the “doogie tank.”
