new Mer in Atlanta, GA area seeking local mer-friends!

Hi y'all! My name is Jennifer "Fer" Young, local to Jonesboro, GA on the south side of Atlanta currently. Erilene is going to be my mersona, she's one of my primary NPC (non-player) characters in the LARP (live action roleplaying game) that we run. I wanted to say HI and wave my fins at any other local mer's, as I would love to find a regular swim and photo buddy in the area!

I am stupid excited about getting my first tail in May when Finfolk releases their new spring fabric line! OMG! I'm starting now to try and find other mer's in and around Atlanta, GA or the surrounding areas, but I'm not having much luck on Facebook or Google thus far.

I am very interested in trying to find a local meeting, or maybe get a local meetup started if there's enough folks in the area who are interested. I would really like to do some group photo shoots and group swims/tubing/etc this summer to break in my new tail when it comes in, but so far I've only made contact with about 4 people around here.

Does anyone know if there already is a local meeting, or anyone organizing group activities around here yet? If not, would anyone else be interested if I tried to get something like that started? My hubby and I have a ton of commitments already, but I could probably manage to wrangle organizing 4 to 6 events per year for the local community if I put my mind to it, or maybe a once a month or bimonthly meetup at the very least.

Additionally, I would dearly LOVE to take a mer-themed or tail-friendly water aerobics class too, so if anyone knows of anything like that in the area, please let me know! I have a good lead on a local swim instructor who is at least willing to look into it for me if we can drum up enough interest to justify adding the course or altering one of their existing courses! :)

Also, I should note, I'm willing to drive a few hours for group outings if need be. I'm already planning for a personal photo shoot up in Helen at Helton Creek Falls, and I want to go tube the hooch in my new tail as soon as it comes in! Helton Creek is nice because the pool is swimable and about 6 feet deep most of the year. I also know of a great place with safe shallow river access out in Porterdale, and there are several other good river access spots around here too that I've found out at the Concord Woolen Mill ruins off the Silver Comet Trail in Smyrna, Sweetwater Creek State Park, and Sopes Creek in Marietta. Any one of them could give us a great backdrop for some fun river shots. Hubby and I are also willing to drive to the GA coast if need be for ocean shots, though we're only really familiar with Jekyll Island, which is too far for a day trip, we'd have to overnight that one, but we love it out there.

Any and all ideas, advice, feedback, etc are welcome and appreciated! I look forward to meeting some new folks in person someday soon!!!

That's so cool! I'm from Jersey, but I want to LARP really bad. What goes into running a LARP?


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oh lord, it's SO much work but SO much fun! it's like running a haunted house, escape room, murder mystery party, theater company, and event planning company all in one! my passion is the story and world setting, I'm the Creative Director but also doubling as Game Director currently while my husband deals with some medical stuff. I also do all of the scheduling for events and site reservations, coordinate with the Tavern Mistress to make sure everyone gets fed and chips in on food for the weekend, plus I schedule all of the modules and encounters for the weekend long events, making sure everyone has their costuming and makeup ready to go for each character they're playing. I serve on Rules Committee also, marshal field battles and fights, brief monsters and NPC's with their stats/abilities and any necessary costuming, design and sew costumes, construct masks/props/etc, purchase special effects and lighting supplies, help with peoples' makeup, etc. it's very involved, and a TON of fun, but it tends to eat up most of my time. with mermaiding, I'm trying to branch out into a second hobby that will get me out of the house and hopefully motivate me to get into better shape! :)

of course, what we run is a Boffer LARP (foam swords, nerf guns, birdseed packets for magic spells, etc). running a salon style larp, which does not involve live combat, is not nearly as complicated. most salon LARP's only do minimal props and special effects, whereas we do total immersion events.

Hi Erilene! I'm a new mermaid from Athens, GA! I also really appreciate your passion for LARP! My bf is a LARPer and we're both into D&D and other nerdy things lol. I haven't found a home base pool lol, but I'm excited to start swimming when it gets warmer!

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I bounce back and forth between South Carolina and GA right now but when I am in GA I am close to Atlanta and would absolutely LOVE to help with organizing a meet up for those of us in the area since it doesnt seem like there is one yet.
I also play D&D and find LARPing amazing but have never found a group/participated.
As far as the Mermaid swim classes: I have been searching high and low for some and found one but the Mer who offered them just moved to Key west so now there are no classes anywhere nearby. at least none that I can find. So if you have found someone willing to teach one you can definitely count me in for them!

Thank you so much for listing off all these great places to go meet!I havent heard of or been to any of them besides Helen. It would be amazing to set up a meeting in Helen. There are a lot of really nice Cabins up there that we may even be able to rent for a weekend on the mountain as a Pod.
I will be more permanently in GA by the end of this year. But can easily plan to be there for specific weekends or even full weeks if I know far enough ahead to be able to ask off.

Late reply, I am also near Atlanta and would love a meetup. Feel free to shoot me a message and we can see about organizing somehting!