d i a rm ENTERTAINMENT
BEING A
e m IS NO DAY AT THE BEACH
story by Camille Graham photos by Weeki Wachee Springs State Park Long before mouse ears ruled central Florida, mermaids captivated the hearts and pockets of tourists. Just 100 miles south of Gainesville
“That shock of cold water in the morning, you never get used to it,” Goodlet says.
lay a place so unique, so quintessentially Florida, that it hardly seems real. Mermaids swim freely, and the whimsy of old Hollywood is
As a child visiting Weeki Wachee, Goodlet was infatuated with the
around every corner and under every surface.
beauty and wonder of it all. Like so many little girls, she dreamed of
Weeki Wachee Springs State Park is home to the famous mermaid
its cast openings and the job posting went viral, Goodlet knew it
being a mermaid when she grew up. When Weeki Wachee advertised show. Since the 1940s, visitors from far and wide have come to see
was her one chance to be a real mermaid. While dozens of hopeful
living, breathing, swimming mermaids perform underwater in the
mermaids auditioned for spots, Goodlet was one of only three to
natural spring.
advance to the training phase.
The name Weeki Wachee means “little spring,” according to the
The training process for the Weeki Wachee mermaid show is no day
Seminole Indians. For a little spring, it gushes more than 110 million
at the beach. Before even thinking about getting in front of the crowd,
gallons of crystal clear water in sub-75 degree temperatures.
mermaids start surface training, figuring out how to move around under the water and getting scuba certified.
For Morgan Goodlet, a mermaid who has been performing at Weeki Wachee for over a year, every show is a new opportunity to be the
Mermaids spend two weeks practicing breathing and getting
best mermaid she can be. Every time feels like the first time, she says.
comfortable before learning the choreography for shows. They train
Before every show, the mermaids spend some time in the water just
for four-to-six months before ever performing in public. Though
breathing and getting comfortable.
vigorous, this process ensures that every mermaid can perform safely and to the best of their abilities.
orange&blue magazine
13
