Home Care In Tarpon Springs, FL

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - In the heart of Tarpon Springs, where the river meets the sea, a tradition as old as the town itself is thriving.

On the waters of the Anclote River, Captain George Billiris is the custodian of the last remaining sponge tour boating business. The St. Nicholas Boat Line is 100 years old.

"When people come, you know, that's what they see," explained Captain Billiris of the St. Nicholas Boat Line. "They see that culture of the sponge docks, the sponging industry, and it’s still here."

READ: Historic Tarpon Springs sponge dock site changes hands, with renovations planned

His grandfather started the family business back in 1924, during the off-season for sponge diving.

"He bought several boats and began operating them in 1924. He was doing sponge diving tours. They were doing fishing tours, a lot of different things at the time," Captain Billiris said.

His family has been traveling these waterways for a century.

READ: 118th Epiphany in Tarpon Springs is largest celebration outside of Greece

"Just about everybody in the first generation is a captain. We had to start off with my grandfather," shared Captain Billiris. "My father, all of my uncles. The cousins, we had probably about eight or ten family members that were captains at one point."

The captain was just a kid when he started.

"I was doing it from the time I was about ten years old. I used to work on the boats here. I grew up through high school, and then when I went to high school, I actually went away to college and kind of disappeared for a while," he stated.

READ: WTVT’s Lost Archives: 1974 Tarpon Springs Epiphany dive reveals tale of 2 archbishops connected by a cross

Now he's back telling tales of yesteryears.

"Now, all these boats you see to my left, are working commercial sponge boats," said Captain Billiris added. "It's more of a historical representation of what we, how we used to work with the diving gear and all. And, it gives you a lot of history about the sponge industry."

Families aren't just on a tour but are part of a legacy.

READ: History, heritage alive and well in Tarpon Springs

"A lot of people coming up as older people now, bringing their grandkids to come onto the boat because of, they just remember how it used to be," he said.

Guests get to experience first-hand what it was like to be a sponge driver.

READ: Tarpon Springs man shares family tradition for crafting diving helmets

"I hope they leave with a little bit of knowledge of, of about our culture, about our history, how things used to work here in the old days. And just a good, pleasant idea of what Tarpon Springs was all about," Captain Billiris said.

The tour is the second-oldest attraction in Florida and it runs every day.

The tour leaves from 693 Dodecanese Blvd, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689

Call (727) 942-6425 for more information.

The 25-year-old Tarpon Springs native finished in first place in Florida State Park’s photo contest 2023 for her landscape picture of Hillsborough River State Park.

Credit: Florida Department of Environmental Protection

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — Hope spent much of her childhood in her backyard in Tarpon Springs, observing pets and critters scurrying around moist grass.

Soon, she felt the urge to capture nature’s happenings.

“From bugs to large mammals, each critter plays their part in the puzzle of mother nature and is worth protecting,” the student at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in Saint Kitts and Nevis wrote in an email.

Hope Bartlin, 25, is the first-place winner of the "waterscapes" category in the annual Florida State Parks photo contest “Capture the Real Florida.”

The contest provides an opportunity for people to “explore their favorite parks and win prizes for future adventures,” the Florida Department of Environmental Protection said in a news release.

The agency selected semifinalists and placed them into three photography divisions — professional/hobbyist, student and mobile phone. Each division included 12 photo categories highlighting specific picture features and subjects.

Bartlin’s “It Never Ceases” photo was featured in the “waterscapes” category. It captures scenes from Hillsborough River State Park.

“[It} is my most visited park in FL, it's just beautiful rain or shine,” Bartlin said.

The photo was taken on an overcast day, which Bartlin says was a perfect opportunity to capture the flow of the water.

Bartlin also champions living in the moment and appreciating everything around her — for as long as it lasts.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says if populations were to double in the next 40 years, 1.6 million acres of woodland and wetland habitats could become “more isolated and degraded.”

Bartlin was shocked her photo was chosen as the best among the dozens that participated in the competition.

“I was happy enough simply to reach the top 10,” Bartlin said. “I wouldn't have been able to be the judge, there were too many phenomenal photos.”

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - Approximately 20,000 people are expected to attend the 118th Epiphany celebration in Tarpon Springs on Saturday.

The annual event, which is the largest Epiphany celebration outside of Greece, includes a prayer service, dove release and ceremonial cross dive.

Epiphany event details

The day will begin at 8 a.m. with a morning prayer service at St. Nicholas Cathedral, located at 36 N. Pinellas Ave. in Tarpon Springs. Afterward, there will be a procession to Spring Bayou where the Archbishop of America will bless the waters as people gather along the water’s edge.

After reading the Gospel of the day, a white dove will be released to signify the descent of the Holy Spirit.

Each year, a member of the community, usually a young woman, is selected to carry the dove in the procession. This year, the dove will be carried by 17-year-old Chole Kotis.

RELATED: WTVT’s Lost Archives: 1974 Tarpon Springs Epiphany dive reveals tale of 2 archbishops connected by a cross

After the dove is released, the Archbishop will cast a cross into the water and young men will dive in hoping to retrieve it.

What roads are closed for Epiphany?

Several roads bounded by Spring Boulevard, Pine Street, Levis Avenue and Lemon Street, will be temporarilty closed Jan. 6 from 10:45 a.m. – 3 p.m. for the annual Epiphany event.

Major roads including Alternate US 19 (from Pine Street to Lemon Street) and Tarpon Avenue (from Levis Avenue to Spring Boulevard) will be closed, as well as many smaller roads within the area of the procession.

Map of roads that will be impacted by the Tarpon Springs Epiphany event. Image is courtesy of the city of Tarpon Springs.

Tarpon Springs says motorists should expect heavy traffic and are asked to take note of posted detours.

The city says there will be no overnight parking on Thursday or during the event within the procession area, which is Pinellas Ave. between Orange St. and Tarpon Ave.; Tarpon Ave. between Grosse Ave. and the Bayou; Orange St. between Pinellas Ave. and Ring Ave.

Who can dive for the cross during Tarpon Springs Epiphany celebration?

The annual diving for the cross is a time-honored tradition and whoever retrieves the cross is considered blessed for the entire year.

It’s a rite of passage to dive for the cross and typically about 65 teens participate. Those diving for the cross must be a male between the ages of 16-18, who is in good standing with the church.

George Stamas, 16, of Tarpon Springs, reached the cross first last year. He is the cousin of 2018 winner Christian Chrysakis. His great-grandfather also retrieved the cross in 1938.

Nikitas Loulias, the current Archbishop of Great Britain, retrieved the cross from Tarpon Bayou in 1974.

What is Epiphany and why is it celebrated?

Epiphany, which is also known as Three Kings Day, is Christian feast day that takes place on January 6. It signifies how a star led the Magi, the three kings, or three wise men, to visit the baby Jesus after his birth. In the East, it celebrates the baptism of Christ.

The ceremony also symbolizes the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of the new year.

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - The skies parted Saturday afternoon in Tarpon Springs for the 118th Epiphany, a long-standing tradition in the Greek Orthodox community.

Sixteen-year-old John Paul Hittos from Clearwater retrieved the cross in a matter of minutes, symbolizing blessings for him and his family for the next year.

It was a soggy start to the day with torrential downpours and wind, but around 10:00 a.m., the sun started to peak out. A church service was held at 8 a.m. at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral.

RELATED: Tarpon Springs Epiphany 2024: Here’s what to know

Then, a procession that included the 65 teenaged boy divers and His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, Archbishop Nikitas (Lulias) of Thyatera & Great Britain and Bishop Sevastianos of Zelon, made its way to Spring Bayou.

The Archbishop of America blessed the water, 17-year-old Tarpon Springs native Chloe Kotis released a dove signifying the Holy Spirit and the Archbishop threw a wooden cross into Spring Bayou. The boys dove in after it.

"I didn't really know what was happening," Hittos said. "I was just full of adrenaline. It was just a feeling. I jumped when I felt like it. I didn’t see where the cross was. I dove down. I didn’t see where it was in the water and until it was up against my face and then it was in my hand," Hittos said.

Hittos goes to Holy Trinity Church in Clearwater and is a junior at Calvary Christian High School. He plays lacrosse, the piano, fishes and is one of five kids. His brother had a dream just days ago he’d retrieve the cross.

"I thought it was just a dream, but it clearly meant something," Hittos said.

Hittos is the first in his family to retrieve the cross, and Saturday was his first Epiphany dive, but his parents have prepped him for a while.

"We have started this family tradition when they were little, we’d make them dive in our cold pool just to get ready for diving for the cross," Sarah Hittos, John Hittos’ mother, said.

READ: Shia LaBeouf converts to Catholicism, was confirmed at New Year's Eve Mass

"I’m super proud of him. He’s deservant, very deservant. I wish nothing but a great year for him," Sarah Hittos said.

Sarah Hittos said she knew right away it was her son who retrieved the cross.

"I could hear his voice from as far away because he's got the loudest voice and I knew it was him and everyone's like, ‘How do you know?’ And I’m like, ‘It's his voice. I heard him,’" she said.

The other young men carried Hittos on their shoulders down the block to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral shouting Axios, meaning worthy.

While it was a soggy start, the weather didn’t deter the crowds.

"I think we were here by 8:30, and it was pouring," Lisa Gingola, who has been coming to the celebration with her husband Carl for decades, said.

"We’re both retired, so we just decided we'll just get wet on this one, and this is our first one in the rain, and we figured if the boys can do this, we can do this too," Gingola said.

The skies cleared just in time, though.

"It feels amazing. I feel blessed. I'm incredibly grateful and thankful. I'm so blessed to have this opportunity and have to been able to do this. And I'm glad my parents encouraged me to dive and encouraged me to do this. I'm just extremely grateful," Hittos said.

"I really hope for nothing but health for my family, my friends, those I hold dear, those I love. I just want them to be blessed as well. Every other boy who entered that water as well, the water is blessed. We're all blessed. Everyone who had the opportunity to participate is blessed. It’s truly a wonderful and beautiful experience," Hittos said.

The festivities continued throughout the afternoon with food, music and dancing at the Glendi celebration, and the Epiphany Ball Saturday night.

The ceremonial Cross Dive of the 118th Epiphany Celebration is scheduled for Saturday in Tarpon Springs, but event organizers are closely watching the forecast, which includes the potential for severe weather.

This celebration of the birth of Christ typically draws around 20,000 people to Tarpon Springs. Friday’s weather was beautiful for the Blessing of the Fleet event before the Cross Dive this weekend.

"[The clergy] are going to come and bless the boys that are diving for the cross tomorrow as well as the businesses throughout the sponge docks,"St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral’s Johanna Gatzoulis said.

Unfortunately, the forecast for Saturday – when several outdoor events are scheduled – includes the potential for severe weather.

"Tomorrow is fluid," Michael Kouskoutis, one of the organizers for Saturday’s Diving of the Cross event, told FOX 13. "Whether or not there's a full procession, I won't know until tomorrow. But regardless, the boys will meet, and we will proceed. Whether it's a full procession or just a short procession down to the bayou, but they will proceed down there."

There is no set time for the Cross Dive, which has never been canceled before, according to Gatzoulis.

Saturday’s celebration begins with a church service at 8 a.m. After the service ends, there will be a procession to Spring Bayou where the waters are blessed and a dove is released.

Then around 70 teenage boys will dive into the water for the cross.

Organizers told FOX 13 they’ve had to deal with unfavorable weather before, including rain and cold water temperatures.

"I can tell you, when I dove 40 some years ago, it rained, and it rained pretty hard," Kouskoutis said.

"Now if there’s a storm that’s coming in that’s not favorable to be outdoors because of lightning, then we’ll adjust accordingly," Gatzoulis said.

In addition, low tide is an issue this year, according to Gatzoulis. Organizers had to change the direction the boys will run off the dock before later diving for the cross.