Beautiful mermaid at Weeki Wachee - Kelly Shannon Kelly
I thought I'd try something different this weekend, so my husband and I decided to visit one of Florida's oldest attractions - Weeki Watchee. The last time I visited was in 1985, so I was long overdue for a visit.
Located about an hour north of Clearwater at U.S. 19 and SR 50, Weeki Wachee got its start in 1947. This fun park is famous for its beautiful mermaids swimming in the spring's clear waters.
The Seminole Indians named the spring "Weeki Wachee," which means "little spring" or "winding river." More than 117 million gallons of clear, fresh 72-degree water bubble up from the springs each day. The mermaids swim 16 to 20 feet below the surface, where the strong current runs five miles per hour.
Weeki Wachee reached the pinnacle of popularity in the 1960s. ABC purchased the park in 1959 and built the current theater, which seats 500 and is built into the side of the spring 16 feet below the surface. Girls came from as far away as Tokyo to try out for the privilege of becoming a mermaid. As many as half a million people a year came to see the mermaids, who wore one-piece suits and were treated like royalty wherever they went in Florida. Elvis, Don Knotts, Esther Williams and Arthur Godfry were some of the celebrities that visited Weeki Wachee.
The tiny city of Weeki Wachee is one of the nation's smallest cities, with a population of nine - including the mayor of Weeki Wachee (who's also a former mermaid!)
Weeki Wachee Springs became a state park on November 8, 2008. Click for more about the history of Weeki Wachee.
Another mermaid in the spring - Kelly Shannon Kelly
The park was by no means crowded when we visited, but plenty of families took advantage of the water slides and white sandy beach at Buccaneer Bay.
We saw a beautiful peacock show off his plumage while eating lunch at The Galley. Naturally, I had to grab my camera and run outside to get a few shots.
During our visit, we watched the infamous mermaid show. Pretty girls wearing colorful costumes performed amid turtles in the clear blue springs. In the Mermaid Theatre, visitors feel like they're actually inside the bubbling water. (Be sure to see below slideshow for more photos.)
Next, we took a riverboat ride down the Weeki Wachee River. We saw turtles, a blue heron, and even a bald eagle nest with two young eagles inside! This was the first year the bald eagles had nested at the park, our guide, Captain Carol, explained. Carol had worked as a riverboat guide for 17 years and said that alligators rarely came up to the springs. In all her years, she had seen exactly eight alligators. Manatees were often spotted, but mostly in cooler weather. Captain Carol pointed out a smallmouth bass and said other fish in the river included jack, sheepshead and gar. The enjoyable ride turned out to be relaxing and we spotted a blue heron and two turkey vultures before docking.
The park also has an animal show. Visitors can pose with mermaids, and even swim in the spring with the new Sea Diver program. Children can attend the summer Mermaid Camp and fulfill their dreams of becoming a little mermaid or a merman.
Waterslides at Buccaneer Bay - Kelly Shannon Kelly
To learn more about the history of this iconic roadside attraction, read Weeki Wachee, City of Mermaids, written by Lu Vickers. Some samples:
Approximately 1,500 mermaids have swum at Weeki Wachee since mermaid shows debuted 60 years ago.
Mermaid Marti Nosti-Monaldi is a double record-holder: for the longest run with the show (18 years) and the longest time holding her breath underwater (six minutes, 21 seconds).
The oldest mermaid still performing is 76-year-old Dottie Meares.
One of the few men to swim in the show was Ricou Browning, later a Creature double in three Black Lagoon movies, creator of the Flipper movie and director of the underwater segments of the James Bond thriller Thunderball, which won an Oscar for special visual effects.
Weeki Wachee was the setting for TV shows such as What's My Line? and The Simple Life 2 and the movie Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid.
Related articles about Florida's attractions.
Follow me on Twitter @kellyskelly
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