Tarpon Springs' Sponge Industry

Many tourists vacationing on the Florida beaches of Clearwater or St. Petersburg have made the short trip north to the small town of Tarpon Springs. The charming town is lined with Greek restaurants, bakeries, gift shops and of course, the sponge merchants. One ponders, after eating the Gyros, the sweet honey-laced baklava and the powdered sugar-coated wedding cakes, how it all started? How could this small town in Florida boast that over 70% of its residents are Greek-speaking? The answer: because of the sponge industry, this melting pot just didn't melt.

The beginning of the sponge industry in Tarpon Springs actually traces back to Key West, in the early 19th century. Many fishermen would find grass sponges washed ashore after storms. This led to the development of "hook boats" which were small boats that would row or sail a short distance off-shore. These early spongers used a log pole with a three or four prong rake at the end to hook sponges from the shallow waters.

Soon thereafter, the sponge industry boomed in the Key West area. Word of the new industry spread as far away as New York City, which by 1849 Antique Model Airplane Kits a lively sponging market. Because there was no direct link from Key West to New York by sea or by land, the sponges were first shipped from Key West to Tampa Bay, then carried by wagon from Tampa to New York City by livery business owner Granville Noblit, Sr. Key West became the leading source of natural sponges for the Northeast. This soon changed with technology advancements that enabled men to dive for sponges. The sponge divers found Antique Linen Uk beds filled with new and different varieties of sponges further north in the Gulf of Mexico.

In 1889, John K. Cheney, a wealthy Antique Cash Register Repair banker, observed the sponge industry at Key West, and realized that the sponge variety offered in Gulf of Mexico just off of Tampa Bay was greater and more diverse. He recognized the natural advantage of locating the sponge harvesting closer to both the carriage routes and the richer sponging waters of the Gulf of Mexico. He soon built warehouses in what is now known as Tarpon Springs to try to make it the leading market. He and Ernest Meres became the first sponge merchants in Tarpon Springs, buying for New York interests.

In 1896, John Cocoris, a Greek immigrant and sponge buyer working in New York City, arrived in Tarpon Springs. He went to work for John Cheney and with Cheney's financial backing, recruited 500 sponge divers from Greece. The first diver hired was Demosthenes Kavasilas, who brought his experience from the Mediterranean Sea, as did the second diver, Stylianos Besis. The divers were amazed at the natural fortune of the Gulf of Mexico. Sponges by the thousands darkened the virgin and un-trodden sea floor. The bottom was so thick with sponges, that every 10 minutes the divers sent up baskets filled with large wool-sponges, the best and sturdiest in the world. By evening, the diving boat would be filled with sponges. They began to add more boats and men as fast as possible.

By the end of 1906, 1,500 Greek sponge divers and workers had arrived in Tarpon Springs. The sponge industry grew tremendously in the 1920's and 1930's with a fleet of about 200 ships. In 1936, Tarpon Springs was recognized as the sponge capital of the world, and more than 2,000 Greeks had moved to the area. However, in 1946, a disease (red tide) attacked the Gulf of Mexico and killed almost all of the sponges. To make matters worse, the invention of the synthetic sponge in the 1940's by the DuPont company also devastated the Florida sponge industry. By the 1960's and 1970's the sponge industry began to rebound - although the sponge divers of the Mediterranean and Aegean seas had now become the leaders of the industry. Fate had something else in store because in 1986, the Mediterranean sponges were exposed to blight disease and nearly all sponges in the Aegean sea were destroyed. Tarpon Springs was able to once again claim its title as the "Sponge Capital of the World."

Tourism has now replaced sponging as Tarpon Springs' major economic activity. Thousands of visitors come to the city each year to enjoy the outdoors, play golf or fish. While shopping for art and antiques or touring charming Victorian neighborhoods, tourists have the unique opportunity to take a break and visit the Sponge Docks to experience Greek culture right here in Tarpon Springs.

Marc Washburn is not only a resident of Tarpon Springs, but also a Sea Sponge merchant. His e-store Natural Bath & Body Shop carries traditional Greek Olive Oil Soaps, Loofah and the largest selection of Sea Sponges available online.

Cost-Effective Solutions For Moving House

Moving house is a big deal and for some, it can be a trying experience. Because of the great amount of stuff that Foam Wall Insulation to be moved, it is necessary to be well organized and even to have a game plan. A good solution to make everything easier is to hire a moving company to do everything for you.

They would take care of everything: putting things into boxes, moving, transporting them to your new location, and so on. All you have to do is to tell them what to do, and where to put every little thing. Unfortunately, this would cost you a considerable amount of money, and sometimes the people who will move your stuff wont be so careful and attentive with them. If something gets broken, they will not be responsible. So, what I suggest is you do it yourself. Renting a U-Haul truck and loading Buy Insulation your possessions into the truck is a viable option for those looking to save on moving expenses. They offer an option to rent their dolly or hand truck but it is rather expensive for renting an item that doesn't help you move everything such as very large items. Buying a variety of moving equipment such as hand trucks and carts can increase your moving costs. Not to worry, there are plenty of cost-effective solutions for moving your precious possessions from your house.

I have recently had to move, and needed something to carry all the heavy stuff, boxes and so on. So, a friend recommended a product called total trolley. What is this? Well, as a friend of mine said, its four things in one. It's a dolly. It's a hand truck. It's a cart. It's a step ladder. It is a great product. Once you get it, you get an assembly tape, and if you follow the instructions carefully, it would take you about 10-20 minutes to put all those parts together. You get a manual and a pamphlet that will how you how you can use the trolley.

The first use is as a step ladder, it is so sturdy that you can even step on the last of the three steps. Best Home Insulation top one is 27 off the ground and it can hold about 200 pounds. The second function is the cart mode. They suggest pulling a heavy load and pushing a light load. The trolley comes with a plastic deck, so when you have to carry small boxes or parts, they are less-likely to fall through to the ground. The package also includes two bungee cords to secure cargo to the trolley. The flexi-deck option also doubles as a shelf in step ladder mode. This is great for projects like painting or just an area to put your small tools.

The last of the modes is the hand truck or upright dolly mode. It is said to support about 150-200 pounds. Furthermore, you will also get some plastic boxes that fold flat when not used. They are great for little things and take little space to be stored. In the dolly mode you can even carry a sofa. And all with very little effort from you and without hurting your back.

So the next time you move, you can save a quite a bit by not having to hire a moving company and buying/renting a dolly. Moving is so much easier now and can finally become a more joyful experience rather than a stressful one.

By Kim Thompson for TVProductsHQ.com. Find time and cost-saving solutions for your household such as Total Trolley, Miracle Blade, GT Xpress 101, Bun and Thigh Roller, SmartWare, Ionic Pro, and Ultimate Chopper.

Aqua Pillows - Is it the Sleep Miracle You Have Been Searching For?

If a cup of warm milk just doesn't cut it, and the idea of taking sleeping pills makes you cringe, an aqua pillow may be just the thing you need. They are a good medium between two extremes, and have been proven to be quite effective.

One of the most popular water pillows is the Mediflow Waterbase Pillow. They are different than memory foam pillows in that the firmness is adjustable. Each pillow has a pocket in the center that can be filled with water so that it is soft, medium or firm. As one customer puts it, "It's like a water bed for your head."

According to Mediflow, their pillow has had a great reputation since 1994. It is known for its ability to greatly reduce back pain, neck pain and morning stiffness. This pillow became more widely known when it was part of a study at Johns Hopkins University. This study was done on adults with chronic neck pain, and Alternative Therapy For Sleep Apnea different types of pillows were tested: water pillows, foam pillows, and standard pillows.

Mediflow received a rating of "best" in how fast subjects fell asleep, how fast subjects woke up and overall quality of sleep. In the same study, this pillow was linked to reduced morning pain intensity and increased pain relief.

A simple pillow as a sleep aid may help take pressure off doctors to prescribe sleeping pills, which can involve many side effects. The worst case scenario with an aqua pillow is that it is ineffective and you are out about forty five bucks. This is a great alternative considering the things that can go wrong with sleeping pills, such as dependence and addiction. And when you add aromatherapy to the mix, such as lavender, you are just asking for a good night of rest.

Another great thing about water pillows is that they are designed to naturally position the head and the neck while you are sleeping. This is important because everyone's body structure is different and there are, on average, twelve major body shifts and fifty movements in head and neck positions during sleep, according to Water Pillow Online.

Water pillow's specific height of eight to fifteen centimeters contributes largely to the users comfort also. Pillows that are too high can affect backbone muscles as well as circulation in the brain. At the same time, pillows that are too low can cause excessive blood flow to the brain, causing uneasiness when you wake up, swollen eyelids, and can be especially bad for those who already have high blood pressure.

So if you are looking for a sleep aid that is safe to try and inexpensive, an aqua pillow might be just the thing you need.

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A History of the Gallowglass in Ireland

The Gallowglass derive their name from the Gaelic, Gall Gaeil meaning 'foreign Gaels'. They were a mercenary warrior elite that originated amongst Gaelic-Norse clans residing in the Western Isles and Highlands of Scotland. They served Irish lords from as early as 1259. By 1512 there were reported to be around sixty groups operating throughout the country under the control of the Irish nobility.

Initially they were mercenaries but over time they settled and their ranks were filled by the native Irish. Their preferred weapons were the two handed Sparth axe and the claymore broadsword. For amour, they wore chain mail shirts over padded jackets and iron helmets. A gallowglass was usually accompanied by two squires who carried his spears and Boating Accident Attorney Tulsa They began to arrive in Ireland in considerable numbers to bolster the resistance of the Irish lordships against the Anglo-Norman invasion.

In Spring they would plough their fields, plant their seeds then gather their arms and armour and sail to Ireland to offer their services to the highest bidder. When the summer season of fighting was over, they would collect their earnings and return to Scotland to harvest their crops. In time, they began to secure lands for their services. During the escalation in military conflict of the sixteenth century, the gallowglass were joined by native Irish mercenaries known as Bunadha and a new breed of Scottish mercenary called Redshanks. In spite of the increase in the use of firearms, Gallowglasses remained in demand well into the seventeenth century. Their clan names endure to this day in Ireland, prominent ones include: Gallogly, MacCabe, MacDonnnell, McDonald, MacDowell, MacRory, Sheehy and MacSweeney.

Russell Shortt is a Mega Yacht consultant with Exploring Ireland, the leading specialists in customised, private escorted tours, escorted coach tours and independent self drive tours of Ireland.

http://www.exploringireland.net

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