This 1969 b&w installment of an education news magazine program for young people hosted by Bill Owen and Virginia Gibson offers an absorbing look at sponge fishing, covering hook and diving methods while touching upon the profession’s roots in Florida’s Greek community (TRT: 22:35).
Sponge fishermen of Tarpon Springs, Florida work in a small, docked fishing boat, with garlands of sponges draped above them on lines. They wear hats and raincoats as they process a catch from the gulf of Mexico (0:06). Underwater footage of sponges on the ocean floor. Title overlay: “The Sponge Fishermen” (0:19). Discovery ‘67 animated opening sequence (0:36). Hosts Bill Owen and Virginia Gibson introduce themselves in weatherproof jackets, looking down towards the Greek fishermen at work. Ship names in closeup, “Eleni, Kalymnos” (1:05). A bakery advertises “Greek Bread & Pastry, Phelo [Phyllo] for Baklava, Coca-Cola.” A Greek-style mural and signage outside Florida cafes. Greek men gather on the sidewalk of Dodecanese Blvd. (1:47). Tarpon Springs’ Mayor. A Greek Orthodox priest on the steps of a church (2:09). Sponge fishermen continue their work, cleaning sponges in closeup. An Alabama-born, African American sponge fisherman works alongside the Greek elders (2:22). Underwater footage of wool sponges, yellow sponges, grass sponges, and “miles and miles of beautiful sponges with no commercial value at all” (3:41). Virginia Gibson handles a wool sponge. Bill Owen holds up a rake-like sponge hook and a diving helmet (4:17). Sponge hookers at work in a small dingy with a bucket (5:05). A diver jumps out of a larger boat. Closeups of a sponge diver underwater (5:49). More boat names: “Poppie, Independent” (6:52). A fisherman peels an onion. The engineer puts a kettle on. The boat leaves the docks (7:24). The fishermen prepare diving suits. Sea birds and dolphins (8:19). The helmsman steers. The cook prepares a chowder (9:16). The boat cruises on open water. A lead sounding weight is marked with a hatchet, then soap is applied. When retrieved, it shows a shell, signaling a good location for sponge fishing (10:14). Divers suit up in heavy diving gear (11:05). Underwater, the diver collects sponges with a hook and places them into a rope bag. He tugs the lifeline and surfaces (12:22). The diver returns after several dives. Sponges pile up (13:39). Bread and soup are served at dinner time. A bunk inside the ship’s hold (14:07). The Independent returns to port, laden with sponges. Fishermen pound, brush, scrub, and wring out the fresh sponges (15:31). Spongers are hung up to dry (17:04). Sponges are carried to a cooperative warehouse for sorting. Fishermen watch the sorting in closeup. Wreaths are created (17:20). A man blows a whistle. A sponge auction is conducted (18:22). Sponges are trimmed with shears and packed into bales (19:05). Summing up (19:38). Owen and Gibson offer book recommendations for young readers: “The Luck of the Golden Cross, The Sea for Sam, Sea and Shore” (21:08). This installment of “Discovery” was shot by Richard E. Brooks, written, produced and directed by Jules Power with Daniel Wilson, and production assistance was provided by the Florida Development Commission. It was produced in consultation with the National Educational Association and in association with ABC News.
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