Harvesters to Visit Tarpon Springs

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The motor coach from All Aboard Charters is reserved, and the Harvesters will be on their way for a day-long visit to Tarpon Springs on Friday, February 8, 2019.

The day will start with an 8:30 AM departure from the Harvest parking lot.  We will travel north with plans to arrive in Tarpon Springs around 10 AM.  The day’s first stop will be at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral where we will be given a guided tour by the cathedral’s sexton. 

St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral was founded in 1905 and is the first and original Greek Orthodox Christian parish of the Tampa-St. Petersburg area.  As you walk inside the cathedral, completed in 1943, you will be greeted by the miraculous weeping Icon of Saint Nicholas, over 60 stained glass windows, 4 large chandeliers from Czechoslovakia, and a 60-ton altar of Greek marble.

Much of the interior marble, including the iconostasis, is from the Greek pavilion of the 1939 World's Fair in New York City. The Cathedral contains actual relics of St. Nicholas of Myra and is a point of pilgrimage for those who seek the intercessions of this most beloved of Christian saints. The Cathedral tower is the tallest architectural structure in Tarpon Springs and serves as the heart of the downtown and city. In the plaza to the north of the Cathedral is the famous "Cross Diver" statue which captures the pinnacle of the annual Epiphany Day celebration for which the St. Nicholas Cathedral parish is known the world over.

Following the tour, the Harvesters will travel a short distance to Dodecanese Avenue, the heart of the world-renowned Greek sponge-diving industry and fishing village.

Reservations for lunch have been made at Hellas Restaurant and Bakery by the sponge docks.  Since 1970 Hellas Restaurant has been a proud cornerstone of the Greek community in Tarpon Springs. Owned and operated by the Karterouliotis family, Hellas Restaurant strives to provide you with the finest Greek dining experience. Other selections, besides Greek food, are available as well.  You will be ordering from the menu and cost of lunch will be on your own.

Your visit will not be complete without a visit to the Hellas Bakery which is part of the restaurant.  The bakery offers a large variety of rich, buttery and delicious authentic Greek pastries to top off your delicious dinner. Their pastries are so delectable you'll want to gobble them up right on the spot or take a little bit of Greece home with you.

Following lunch, the Harvesters will have the opportunity to learn about the development of Tarpon Springs’ sponge industry with a cruise on the Anclote River with the St. Nicholas Boat Line.  The 40-minute cruise is a sponge diving exhibition tour through the historic sponge dock area.  The tour includes a narrative of the history of sponge diving.   You will be treated to a demonstration of sponge harvesting by a live diver in traditional diving equipment.

For the remainder of the afternoon, you will be able to explore the many quaint shops and museums or just take in the ambiance of this Greek enclave.  Don’t forget to stop by the bakery for that last-minute treat!

 At 3 PM, we will board the motor coach for our return trip to Harvest with an anticipated arrival by 4:30 PM.

Cost for the day in Tarpon Springs is just $40/person.  This price includes motor coach transportation, donation to St. Nicholas Cathedral, boat cruise and gratuities for the motor coach driver and boat crew.  It does not include the cost of lunch.  Cost of the transportation portion of the trip is non-refundable.

If you have any questions contact Bob and Mary Stark at 231-564-0677.