Spring Bayou is a small freshwater inlet a short walk inland from the Sponge Docks, surrounded by old houses and oak trees draped in Spanish moss. It is one of the most pleasant spots in Tarpon Springs — quiet on most days, with egrets and herons working the shallows and the occasional manatee drifting through in winter.
Every January 6th, Spring Bayou becomes the site of the Epiphany ceremony, one of the largest such celebrations in the United States. The Greek Orthodox bishop blesses the water and throws a gold cross into the bayou; young men dive in to retrieve it. The one who succeeds is considered blessed for the year. The event draws thousands of spectators to the banks and has been held continuously since 1903.
The waterfront around the bayou is lined with Victorian and early-twentieth-century houses, many of them built by Greek sponge merchants who prospered in the first decades of the industry. An evening walk here, away from the bustle of Dodecanese Boulevard, shows you a quieter and more genuinely lived-in side of Tarpon Springs.