Catch the SEA LIFE Mermaids!

Florida and mermaids go together like peanut butter and jelly. The legend of mermaids dates back to the days of Christopher Columbus (that’s the 15th century, just in case you flunked history class!), when his sailors mistook Caribbean manatees for seagoing sirens of the deep. Hard to imagine, we know, but when you’ve been at sea for months on end in an all-male environment, those flippers can be awfully fanciful.

Fast forward to the 21st century and mermaids are still very much a part of Sunshine State folklore, a celebrated fairytale that is primarily embodied by the denizens of Weeki Wachi Springs, the state park 90 miles west of Orlando, where regular mermaid shows have been the order of the day since 1947.

And, just for this month, these wonderfully whimsical aquanauts of a female persuasion will be doing their underwater thing for much of the month of May at the fab SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium at bustling ICON Park on International Drive.

The Weekend Wonders!

Each weekend this month (Friday to Sunday) will be marked by daily appearances of these daring marine marvels in the main aquarium of this splendid family attraction, swimming among the sharks, stingrays, turtles and other occupants of the 25,000 square-foot exhibit, which includes a 360-degree tunnel – the only one of its kind in Florida.

And, having been at the opening weekend presentation, we can safely say this is definitely a sight you will want to see with your own eyes, as these graceful seagoing sensations turn on the style for an awe-inspiring display of underwater gymnastics.

Children in particular seem absolutely entranced by the lissom lovelies and their agile cavorting amid the creatures of the deep, and the mermaids go out of their way to greet kids on a one-to-one basis from their watery station, blowing kisses and offering heart signs in their own unique style.

Each mermaid dive lasts from 90 minutes to two hours, and the usual times for their appearances are 11.30am to 1pm, 2-4pm and 5-6.30pm. There is also a Mermaid Meet & Greet on each of the weekend days from 11.30am to 6.30pm, which takes place in an enchanting grotto next to the main tunnel (not in the aquarium itself, parents will be pleased to know!). From May 1-23, SEA LIFE is open from 11am to 8pm, and from 10am to 8pm May 24-31. The mermaids will be in attendance May 2-4, 9-11, 16-18 and 23-26, including the Memorial Day bank holiday on May 26.

A Serious Message

In keeping with SEA LIFE’s own commitment to conservation and eco-awareness, the mermaids also have their own credo to pass on, with the aquarium insisting: “Our mermaids are passionate about protecting the ocean! They work with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the SAFE Shark & Ray organisation to help conserve marine life and educate humans about the importance of conservation. They love sharing their mission with our guests, encouraging everyone to reduce plastic pollution and take action to protect the sea.”

The message goes hand-in-hand with SEA LIFE’s gentle educational elements that are highlighted regularly through the centre’s series of 13 different exhibits, showcasing the likes of Ocean Caves, the Jelly Wall, the curious Axolotls, Seahorse Temple and Coastal Rockpools, all of which have been designed with children in mind.

There is also the Sub-Aqua soft play and climb area, a series of behind-the-scenes tours and the inevitable gift shop, with come cute soft toys and other souvenirs to tempt you. There is a surprising amount of interest packed into the full tour of the aquarium, and it can easily take two to three hours to see it all (and take in the mermaid performances!).

Tails of the Ocean

As if all that is not enough to keep children’s attention for the duration of their stay, there are two other cool programmes to enjoy while you navigate through the series of set-piece sections, and which are great for kids of all ages.

First up is the Tails of the Ocean, a maritime scavenger hunt through the aquarium to discover various activity stations – and secrets of the deep! – that come with a series of special stickers for the little pamphlet you get at the entrance. Each station offers the chance to complete a challenge and earn a sticker, and there is a “mermaid treasure” (i.e. a small prize) at the end if you collect them all.

Finally, you might want to pay $8 extra to experience SEA LIFE’s new Undersea Explorer virtual reality experience, which is a surprisingly high-tech mini theatre featuring pod-like seats and VR headsets for various journeys into the sea-going world. It currently features two 10-minute features, A Mermaid’s Quest, with a young sea-farer discovering some serious undersea secrets with the help of a mermaid, highlighting the importance of ocean conservation, and Dolphin’s Reach, the chance to “swim” alongside a pod of dolphins as they reveal an extraordinary bond with coral ecosystems of the world’s oceans.

It all adds up to a highly entertaining programme of sea-going delights packed into this one ICON Park location, which also boasts the likes of Madame Tussauds museum, the daring Sling Shot, the oddball Museum of Illusions, the vintage Carousel and the Pearl Express kiddie train, as well as fully 19 places to eat and drink, making it one of the biggest attractions outside the theme parks!

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