scorecard
BUSINESS
TECH
MARKETS
REVIEWS
AI
VIDEOS
  1. Home
  2. life
  3. Inside Florida's Beautiful And Strange Mermaid Theme Park [PHOTOS]

Inside Florida's Beautiful And Strange Mermaid Theme Park [PHOTOS]

Welcome to Weeki Wachee Springs, the vintage mermaid park that was first opened back in 1946 by a former Navy officer named Newton Perry.

Inside Florida's Beautiful And Strange Mermaid Theme Park [PHOTOS]

Newt trained the girls to swim with air hoses that were peppered throughout the landscape so they didn't need to use a visible breathing apparatus or carry an air tank on their backs.

Newt trained the girls to swim with air hoses that were peppered throughout the landscape so they didn

The women perform 16 to 20 feet below the surface where the current runs a strong five miles an hour. Even staying in one place takes an immense effort.

The women perform 16 to 20 feet below the surface where the current runs a strong five miles an hour. Even staying in one place takes an immense effort.

To become a Weeki Wachee mermaid, the performers must be able to swim without air down a tunnel with their heavy tails on, according to photographer Annie Collinge.

To become a Weeki Wachee mermaid, the performers must be able to swim without air down a tunnel with their heavy tails on, according to photographer Annie Collinge.

Women from all over the world used to come audition to be a Weeki Wachee mermaid. Today, the park has 17 mermaids, including three men who play Prince Eric in "The Little Mermaid."

Women from all over the world used to come audition to be a Weeki Wachee mermaid. Today, the park has 17 mermaids, including three men who play Prince Eric in "The Little Mermaid."

The mermaids have 3 shows a day: Two performances of "The Little Mermaid" and one show that is instructional on how the mermaids breath underwater.

The mermaids have 3 shows a day: Two performances of "The Little Mermaid" and one show that is instructional on how the mermaids breath underwater.

In addition to the mermaid shows, the park also has a river boat cruise, wildlife show, and even a kid's water park called "Buccaneer Bay."

In addition to the mermaid shows, the park also has a river boat cruise, wildlife show, and even a kid

Photographer Annie Collinge spent three days with the mermaids, watching them perform and taking pictures of the park.

Photographer Annie Collinge spent three days with the mermaids, watching them perform and taking pictures of the park.

Usually the park is full in the summer, but Collinge visited in February so it was less busy, providing her with more opportunities to photograph the performers.

Usually the park is full in the summer, but Collinge visited in February so it was less busy, providing her with more opportunities to photograph the performers.

The park still has a very vintage feel to it, despite the recent renovation it went under after becoming an official Florida state park in 2008.

The park still has a very vintage feel to it, despite the recent renovation it went under after becoming an official Florida state park in 2008.

Collinge spent a lot of time with the female mermaids taking hauntingly beautiful portraits of their make up and performances.

Collinge spent a lot of time with the female mermaids taking hauntingly beautiful portraits of their make up and performances.

She was also able to photograph them in their locker rooms and outside the spring, watching them get ready for the live shows.

She was also able to photograph them in their locker rooms and outside the spring, watching them get ready for the live shows.

I wasn't really into mermaids but have always been drawn to sort of childish things with a dark edge," Collinge said. "Mermaids fit the bill perfectly and if you look at the history of them in mythology it really is completely dark.

I wasn

[Mermaids] essentially coaxed sailors into drowning because they hadn't seen women for so many month/years at sea," explains Collinge. "The whole idea of a woman that is part fish is also pretty surreal and when you seen them performing in the theatre it really is pretty amazing.

[Mermaids] essentially coaxed sailors into drowning because they hadn

One last haunting look at the Weeki Wachee mermaids.

One last haunting look at the Weeki Wachee mermaids.

Can't get enough mermaids?

Can

Popular Right Now

Advertisement