The January 2016 Merfolk Meetup is On!



The January 2016 Merfolk Meetup is On!




Attention Mermaids, Mermen, and Souls of the Sea - Mark your Calendars for the First Weekend in January 2016! 




Per the information I have gleaned on Facebook and MerNetwork, NC MerFest is on hiatus, pending a possible change in location and time of year. While the weather was an issue for some, it seemed that the first weekend in January was a great time for an indoor gathering. After months of negotiations, I have secured the use of the Greensboro Aquatic Center for a January Mer-Meetup!




Envision swimming in a 17’ deep pool in waters that average 84ºF. There are six “bubble curtains” adding effervescence to the pool while underwater speakers play an assortment of tunes. There are two sets of semi-submerged stairs to rest on, classrooms we can utilize, and modern locker facilities. I have reserved January 2nd and 3rd but could add Friday the 1st if desired. 




Should there be sufficient interest in the event, I can add the use of the shallow 4’ recreational pool for children as well as booking events at local attractions. The nearby Carolina SciQuarium rents its facility at night and would make a wonderful location for a dinner or ball. A short distance away is The Atlantis Room at Graylyn Estate, a mermaid-themed pool built in the 1920s. It would be drained in January as it is unheated but they have a dance floor which is placed over the pool for events.




While I envision a small friendly gathering of mermaids and mermen, adding vendors and workshops are possibilities. I can also investigate local hotels to book a block of rooms. The Greensboro Sheraton is on the same road as the GAC and has a wonderful pool. 




This is just the first round of information, so that those who are interested can mark the dates on their calendars. In the coming days I will post additional details. I look forward to seeing each end every one of you again this January! 


Good luck and great work

Excellent! Definitely into that.

Signed,
One of the weirdos who actually voted for January

How exciting!!!

Oooooh, interesting! I might have to try and plan for this!

I'm going to plan to attend too! :D

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Oooooo that sounds awesome! Wish I weren't stuck on the West Coast :-/

I'll get a better video when I am able...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a4dfIEsflY

That looks like a lot of fun, all depends on funds and vacation time at that point, as well as weather for travel but I'm interested.

Oooh, just did the calculations and it's only 4.5 hours away from me! This might actually be doable!
Just checking, this is so far a free event, yes? We would simply be paying our way? Or would there be a cost for the meet-up as well?

Wow! This sounds amazing! I am also in awe of your event planning skills and sad that Im on the west coast and won't be able to attend.

I so would love to go to this meet up with everyone! It's twelve hours away by car and a five hour 450 dollar flight, but I'll see if something can be arranged for me to go... I would hate to miss it!

I would love to attend! Whether I actually can depends on a lot of factors, particularly my health. But I'll mark it on my calendar.

That sounds like a lot of fun! Maybe I'll have to plan a swim across the Atlantic ocean...

I would love to come to this!


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Merman Dan, THANK YOU!! That sounds like a dream. I swear I will do everything in my power to save and make it up there. I don't care if I don't have a tail by then. I'm really excited. That venue sounds legit. <3

When I went for my Wednesday swim I met with the manager and event coordinator, to ask a few preliminary questions. For the curious, they do have family changing facilities and the maximum capacity of the deep diving well is 193! Within the next few days I will be posting additional information.

Attachment 32533

Good luck!! It's not in the (credit) cards for me this time but i hope you have a good turnout!!


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Sounds like a ton of fun. Now I just have to look up hotels and flight information.

Is the event free and we just pay for everything else? I really want to come but need more info!


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I intend to keep the finances for this event as open and transparent as possible. The event will be classified as a non-profit. Any funds remaining after paying the various venues will be given to a North Caolina-based charity such as savencsounds.org or seaturtlehospital.org.

The event will have a nominal ticket price for the swim, basically to cover the pool insurance and liability. This will NOT be a huge cost. They typically charge $5/day for swimmers. I had to pay to secure the exclusive use of the diving well but I will not be passing that cost on to anyone else. It is my treat. If there is sufficient interest I will add a Friday (1/1/16) deep well swim and half-day use of the shallow recreational pool for all three days. This should not be a large cost by any means.

There is a nearby Sheraton on the same street (Gate City Blvd, Greensboro NC) as the GAC with which I will try to book a block of rooms. It has a nice pool. However some folks have mentioned that they have points with Marriott, which also has a nice pool but is farther away.

Tomorrow I will confirm my reservations with the local aquarium, the Carolina SciQuarium at the Greensboro Science Center, for our formal Ball. I will also confirm the availability of the Atlantis room at Graylyn Estate for a dinner event. These events should cost $30-$50 a person, with a small crowd and $20-$30 a person with more attendees.

There are a few other surprises I have in mind, but I will get to those in due time.

I am so excited!!! This sounds wonderful and amazing!! Thank you for putting this all together Dan!


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I don't swim around MerNetwork very often, but I had to come and find any info that you posted here about your January event, Dan. I'm SO very happy that you decided to plan your own gathering in January. The timing was perfect for me; I too was one of the weirdos that liked NC Merfest at that time. I'm SO EXCITED!!! XD Thank you, Dan!!!

Sounds like I need to save up for a mermaid vacation!! If I can afford it, I'm 100% interested.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mermaid Coralia

I so would love to go to this meet up with everyone! It's twelve hours away by car and a five hour 450 dollar flight, but I'll see if something can be arranged for me to go... I would hate to miss it!

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I have a car that can hold 4 people comfortably, if there were people on my way or close to it we could ride share... ... ...
hmm...
...
Rule 34.3!
Yes!

I found a car pool setup website so I created an event. Its at http://www.groupcarpool.com/t/0mg4bz. Everyone can use it, you can say your a driver or a passenger for a car or put yourself on a wait list and wait to see if someone is driving a car that works for you. I myself am driving from Des Moines, IA thru Indianapolis.

I will do my best to attend. And Chatfish I am in MI if that is close enough.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Amphitrite

I will do my best to attend. And Chatfish I am in MI if that is close enough.

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Depends on where in MI but I will be deffently going by it. You could even just put yourself on the wait list, and if I am the closest driver I can come get you, or another mer might be closer.

Okay. I am between Lansing and Detroit in Brighton. :) And I will check out that list. :)

i reeealy hope to go <3 this sounds awesome <3

Well I am in Muskegon, Michigan. So, all the way to the west of it and about half way up the side. Anyone near there?

Muskegon wouldn't add too much of a drive heading to get Amphitrite.

Its dreamy! cant wait to swim there with all of you again! thank you MermanDan for putting this together your awesome, but i already knew that :)

Im so thrilled you have put this together for all of us, i was sad when merfest was postponed since that was the only one that i could go to and have been to, but of course I understood considering the circumstances. i have no other events to swim with my merfamily until you created NCMANIA!! So Thank you!!!! We're so there! God willing of course

Ohhh I love surprises!!!! and coming from you with your witty sense of humor, i know they're going to be fun and awesome!

I'm MI too and would be interested in going if the dates and stuff work :)

Oh, this sounds so lovely! If my health cooperates, I will do my best to get there!

Great job Merman Dan! You have made a lot of mers very happy! :)

If anyone from the midwest wants to carpool or split a hotel please send me a message. :D

Can't wait!
I found out about Merfest a month after it had passed. xD Never had a chance to hang out with other merfolk before, so I'm super excited for this!

If it wouldn't be too much of a hassle I would love to be able to go, given that I can afford it, Ha. :money: But if I know how much I have to spend soon enough then I can just save all my pennies! Do you have any price estimates or hotels that we are all staying at or anything of the sort?