Sponge divers would dive to the bottom of the sea on just a single breath of air, weighing their body down by a piece of flat stone that weighed up to 15 kg. The heavy stone would drag the naked bodies quickly to the bottom. ... A skilled diver could dive up to depths of 30 meters and stay under water for 3 to 5 minutes.

How do they harvest sponges in Tarpon Springs?

The sponges were harvested off the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico using surface boats and long poles to bring up the sponges. In 1905 John Cocoris came to town and introduced sponge diving to the industry.

How much do sponge divers make?

The salaries of Diver Sponges in the US range from $40,496 to $56,978 , with a median salary of $45,283 . The middle 50% of Diver Sponges makes between $45,283 and $48,722, with the top 83% making $56,978.