the ocean and its many wonderful creatures.
♦ Want to readmore about real life mermaids? Check
out the website
iamamermaid.com
for the latest
news and newcomers to the mermaid movement.
Among the Mermaids
100
Mermaid Mizuko
I came across another young Australian mermaid, who goes
by the name Mermaid Mizuko, while reading one of my fa-
vorite mermaid blogs:
cynthiamermaid.blogspot.ca.
The inter-
view Cynthia published made me fall in love with Mizuko
right away—so, of course, I had to contact her and say hi!
She sent me this story about why she was drawn to the life of
a mermaid and what she’s done since becoming one. I loved
what she had to say so much I had to share it. You can read
more about Mizuko’s current events on her facebook page:
facebook.com/mizukomermaid
.
Mizuko’s Story
We all begin life the same way: floating in a warm bubble of
life-preserving fluid. Some of us, after birth, never lose that
connection. The water calls us, it is quiet and encompassing
and welcoming. It wasn’t always so simple for me, however.
When I was a baby I almost drowned in a rock pool.
I was only under the water for a little while before I was
rescued, but afterward I was terrified of water. My earliest
memories are of being at the beach and refusing to go into
the ocean, running away from waves, or sitting on the edge
of the pool and never going in. It’s not like I can even re-
member the near-drowning, but the experience buried itself
Mermaids: Firsthand Accounts
101
in my subconscious so that it became a fear I never truly
understood. Then, when I was five years old, my stubborn
Auntie lost her patience. Everyone in my family—even the
pets—loved to go in the water. We were at the beach ev-
ery weekend—surfing, snorkeling, fishing, or diving. All
the men in my family were fishermen. My father was also a
surfer, my mother was a surf photographer and ocean lover,
my Auntie and grandmother were swimming teachers and
avid snorkelers, and both my older cousins and older sister
were already strong swimmers and surfers. So you can see
how it would affect the whole family when the littlest blonde
child would refuse to get into the water. My Auntie had had
enough—she would MAKE me go in the water whether I
liked it or not. I honestly do not blame my Auntie for forcing
me into the water. In fact, I am incredibly grateful. I cannot
Among the Mermaids
102
imagine the looks she would’ve gotten from fellow swimmers
as she carried this little ball of screaming child out into the
pool. But she persevered, and after getting waist-deep in the
pool—having me scramble up her body to the highest point
possible—she told me to swim. This is where my memories
get a bit blurry. It was like, suddenly, after everything, I had
forgotten how terrified I was. Within minutes, I was swim-
ming. Not very well, mind you, but I was enjoying myself
like never before. Mum still says she couldn’t believe it—I
was immediately comfortable in the water, despite all those
years of tantrums and fear.
Every time I went swimming I would spend more time
under the water than on top, and I wouldn’t come out when
she asked me to! Even now, being under the water gives me
the same feeling it did when I was a child: like I’m being
wrapped in a cool, safe blanket, with only my heartbeat in
my head as company, but somehow it’s not lonesome. I think
my near-death experience gave me a greater respect for the
ocean—like almost losing my life to it led me to a deeper un-
derstanding of it. As the years went by, visiting the
surf beaches with my family gave me more time
to feel the pull of the ocean—the way the waves
crashed, the sucking undercurrents, the quiet be-
tween sets, the amazing roar of the swell.
Mermaids: Firsthand Accounts
103
In the mornings, if it had been a windy night before,
foam would lap gently onto the shore. My parents used to
tell me it was mermaid shampoo, from the mermaids out at
sea washing their hair. I have stood as waves thundered over
my head, been turned upside down for what feels like eter-
nity after jumping out of a moving boat, and felt the ground
swept out from beneath me by rips in the surf. I have been
scared, excited, elated, sad, and at peace in the water. And I
would not change a thing. After all this, it
seems strange to me that I only recently
(in the past year or two) began
to think of myself as a mermaid.
Growing up I used to tie my feet to-
gether and swim like a dolphin, pretend-
ing to be Ariel or some other mermaid I had created. Even in
my teenage years I still swam like this (minus the ties around
my feet) as it just felt more natural. I was eternally jealous of
Ocean Girl—the main character of an Australian TV se-
ries about a girl who could breathe underwater and speak to
whales—because she swam on the Great Barrier Reef just
like a real mermaid! It felt normal to be inspired by the no-
tion of mermaids. I liked to think my parents were secretly
ocean-folk who had moved onto land to start a family. I read
so many books about mermaids, watched movies, and got
Among the Mermaids
104
over-excited every time a mermaid made an appearance in
an advert or drawing.
As a teenager, I even discovered famous mermaid Han-
nah Fraser, but her stunning tail and magical appearance
were worlds away from where I was in life. It remained a dis-
tant, beautiful dream. I moved to the capital city, Adelaide,
when I turned eighteen, and my ocean life dwindled. The
water here on the east coast of South Australia was shallow,
and always crowded. The only times I was able to truly be
Mermaids: Firsthand Accounts
105
myself in the water was when I returned to my hometown
for holidays. I realized how much of my self was focused
around the ocean. After years of confusion, it dawned on me
that no matter how odd or farfetched my dreams seemed,
only I had the power to follow them. I wanted to become a
mermaid. When I discovered there was an online commu-
nity for people who loved being mermaids and mermen, the
feeling of isolation dwindled, and I was more enthusiastic
than ever.
I didn’t know where I wanted to take my mermaiding,
and the idea of making a career out of it wasn’t on my mind,
so in the beginning all I wanted to do was swim! I made my
first tail on the lounge room floor of my flat—the patience
of my partner was a godsend when my own patience had
jumped ship hours before. I finished the tail the evening we
few back to my hometown—just in time to test
it in my lo-
cal waters. I think the best thing about putting on that tail
for the first time, besides the incredibly natural way it felt
when I swam, was seeing the faces of my parents. They were
so proud of me. I have over 100 photographs from that short
swim, all taken by my mother and father, and I even had
a tail request from Dad. (He thought I should do a “more
natural fish tail” next time, rather than my bright pink tail!)
The support my parents, my partner, and my friends
have given me, and continue to give to me, is a huge driving
Among the Mermaids
106
force in how confident I feel, not only about my choice, but
about myself and my future. After a few months, I decided to
take my mermaiding a step further. My second love, besides
the ocean, is performing—I’ve been on stage since before I
can remember! It really is a natural high when you see the
smiling faces of people you’ve inspired, and being a mermaid
gave me the opportunity to spread this joy in a unique way.
There are always haters, those who think what I do is silly or
like to point out loudly to children that I’m not a “real mer-
maid”; but they are outnumbered by the smiles and laughter
and sparks of inspiration that I see in other people’s eyes. It is
tiring, swimming and splashing, all while staying in charac-
ter—but I’m lucky to have enough of myself embedded into
this mermaid persona that it flows easily.
Mermaids: Firsthand Accounts
107
Another thing I discovered I could do was educate.
Most men in my family are fishermen or had been in their
youth, so I grew up eating fresh seafood at least four or five
days a week. The tides and the moon ruled in our house—if
it was a full moon, Dad was on shore checking the swell for
a surf. If it was a new moon, he was out for two
weeks fishing to make a living. If not for sustain-
able fishing, many people in my town of Port
Lincoln would be unemployed and have to
leave. Over the last fifteen years or so, our
community has worked to make sure all
fishing in our town is sustainable. We have
farms that produce some of the biggest, most
expensive blue fin tuna in the world (just ask
Japan), along with abalone, kingfish, oysters,
and mussels. Our aquaculture is leading the
way, with farms also breeding endangered leafy seadragons,
which are only found in southern Australia. Fishing boats
have to do trials before each season, to check the quantity
and size of their catch—if there is not enough or the catch
is immature, they are not permitted to fish. This is also done
so researchers have an idea of how the catch and bycatch are
changing throughout the seasons and years, to help sustain
their numbers.
Among the Mermaids
108
I want to teach everyone about sustainable fishing and
farming in Australia. Being on both sides of the fence, I
understand the importance of the livelihoods of fishermen
and their families, and also of the delicate life cycles of the
creatures they fish. It is a balance, the evidence is clear: the
most successful humans have always lived in harmony with
their environment, and I believe it is no different here. Be-
ing a mermaid is a great way to encourage education about
this balance, as I can speak for both sea life and humans! I
have some great stories I can share with people about the
amazement and beauty of our waters. Most of them involve
my favourite sea mammal, the sea lion. South Australia is
extremely lucky to have eighty percent of the population of
Australian sea lions living here. They are curious and power-
ful creatures, who often remind me of playful puppies.
I’ve been very lucky these last two years. To think that
my path has led me here: from a nearly drowned baby, to
a water-phobic child, to a young, confident swimmer, to an
avid water lover as a teenager, and now to a woman who
knows her path in life. If there is anything I want to teach
Mermaids: Firsthand Accounts
109
people, of all ages, it is to follow your dreams. Amazing
things can happen!
Fishermen Tales
Spears have been found inside the fish that fishermen catch
in their nets. A German fisherman, Hans Bauer, witnessed
this several times. He believes he is in competition for fish
against a creature of another sort—a merman, perhaps.
In some places, like Brazil, Coastal West Africa, and
Southeast Asia, dolphins help fishermen fish. Fishermen go
to the edge of the water in the shallows and call the dolphins,
which drive in schools of fish so the fishermen can grab them
with their nets. When this is done, the fishermen toss them
their share, their reward. The origin of this communication
between dolphins and humans is a mystery. The theory is
that mermaids, half humans, taught dolphins to do this, and
the dolphins recognize that partnership still.
Puts Nessie to Shame
Everyone knows about the legend of the Loch Ness Mon-
ster, the huge, snakelike creature that supposedly terror-
izes a lake in Scotland. Fewer have heard about Caddy of
Among the Mermaids
110
Puget Sound, Washington. Caddy sports a long neck and
a shrunken, horse-like head, and is estimated to be at least
forty feet long.
Lake Memphremagog, on the international border be-
tween Vermont and Quebec, boasts its own sea monster,
nicknamed Memphre. Sightings of the huge, serpent-like
creature date back to the early nineteenth century and have
continued into the twenty-first century.
Make Mine a Male
Remember when I said a merman would have six
pack abs? In the sea of mermaidens, Eric Ducharme
is a stand-out, and not just because of his abs! This
22-year-old Floridian found his true calling as a young
merman (he was 16 at the time) at the famed Weeki
Wachee Springs in Florida. One of the few male
merformers, Ducharme is also a master “tale-or.” He
founded Mertailor, LLC, a manufacturer of “quality
custom silicone mermaid tales” for men, women, and
children. He also makes tops that look like scales,
shells, and even octopuses along with detailed fins,
and wetsuits with incredible artistry. Visit him online
at
www.themertailor.com.
111
This wonderful little story was originally published as part
of something called
Legend Land
, a 1922 publication put out
by The Great Western Railway headquartered in London,
England (at Paddington Station). It appears to have been the
antiquarian version of an airline’s in-fight magazine. It was
a collection of stories from “those Western Parts of Britain
served by The Great Western Railway," among them the fan-
tastic “Mermaid of Zennor” along with th
e gems “The Ven-
geance of the Fairies” and “The Old Woman Who Cheated
the Devil.”
The Mermaid of Zennor is a rather famous mermaid.
The legend, which residents of Zennor have been telling for
generations, was first recorded in print in William Bottrell’s
CHAPTER
6
A
LL
A
BOARD!
Among the Mermaids
112
1873 book
Traditions and Hearthside Stories of West Corn-
wall.
The Church of St. Senara in Zennor sports a bench
with a mermaid carving, known more commonly as The
Mermaid Chair (and the inspiration for Sue Monk Kidd’s
novel by that same name). This particular retelling of the tale
finishes up with a lovely description of the area, brought to
you by The Great Western Railway.
The Mermaid of Zennor
by Lyonnese
Carved on one of the pews in the church of Zennor in West
Cornwall is a strange figure of a mermaid. Depicted with
flowing hair, a mirror in one hand and a comb in the other,
the Zennor folk tell a strange story about her.
Years and years ago, they say, a beautiful and richly
dressed lady used to attend the church sometimes. Nobody
knew where she came from, although her unusual beauty
and her glorious voice caused her to be the subject of discus-
sion throughout the parish.
So attractive was she that half the young men of the vil-
lage fell in love with her, and one of them, Mathey Trewella,
a handsome youth and one of the best singers in the neigh-
bourhood, determined that he would discover who she was.
All Aboard!
113
The beautiful stranger had smiled at him in church one
Sunday, and after service he followed her as she walked away
towards the cliffs.
Mathey Trewella never returned to Zennor, nor did the
lovely stranger ever attend church again.
Years passed by, and Mathey’s strange disappearance was
almost forgotten when, one Sunday morning, a ship cast an-
chor off Pendower Cove, near Zen-
Among the Mermaids Page 9
