Tarpon Springs Sponge Divers: Richard is retired, but when I met him, he was part of a group of divers that called Tarpon Springs home. Over the last hundred years, these modern-day pirates have foraged the Gulf floor for sponges - a practice brought over by Greek immigrants. Divers will head out to sea to harvest a new load, sometimes for weeks at a time. The work is grueling, and the days are long. Downtime usually comes in the form of eating, drinking, and sleeping. Not always in that order. Here are a few shots from our three-day adventure at sea together.