Florida Mermaid Meet-Up! (And those who want to come)

[Blondie]

@ Drowning: Ah I was only wondering xD Cave diving is WAY too intense for me. I watch tons of videos on back in high school because my old science teacher's husband was into it. It's so extreme... I could never cram my body down way underwater in the dark. Like there's no cry for help down there. You're on your own basically xD

@ Wavy: I am SO glad you brought that up about the logs! You are absolutely right! They would damage tails. I can just picture that snagging spandex and making a hole! And yeah you have to swim up the current through the branches and logs to get to the deeper part. I was watching videos of each springs and now I'm beginning to lean toward Alexander Springs. It's deep enough to swim in and it's pretty big! Silver Glen is pretty shallow from what I remember. For me when i stood up the water came to my thighs. I just watched these videos of the springs...
Silver Glen - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6JB32MDI9Q
Alexander - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEw1rItaS5A
Personally I think I like Alexander more. It seems like you can see/do more there. Although though I did find this picture http://www.scubadiver.cc/forums/gall...lligator_2.jpg and I'm a little concerned. Hopefully that's not near where the public swims :x wouldn't imagine an animal that size chilling there... And the positive thing about both springs is that they're relatively close to one another. So if something happens at one of them we can just move to the next.

@Gosalyn: Sliver Glen doesn't allow scuba diving I believe. But Alexander does. If that helps at all to those who are interested in scuba diving xD


For everyone!: So we're leaning toward the 14th or 15th of September. Debate between Silver Glen and Alexander Springs so we can get this thing on a roll!

[WavyMermaidy]

iblondie: Thanks for posting those videos...they are both beautiful places! The one of Silver Glen was cool where they had all the fish Alexander is really big, and there are shallow areas as well as those deep ones...lots of variety. And I actually have seen the gator that lives there, and it tends to stay on the edges (and I've only seen it one time out of the many I've been there). Every time I've been to the springs there are always park employees around that keep an eye on the wildlife.

That's a good point, too, that both springs are close to one another in case we need to move for some reason from wherever we start at

Oh, the videos reminded me of another I've seen with Alexander, just for another POV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDc1uuF5tDg This is of Mermaid Sasha (aka the Fire Gypsy) swimming there in a tail.

[NerineArcticMermaid]

not sure when i get tail back
im for which ever spring is deep and farthest north.
dates not isseu if on weekend
only money for gas issue as im still unemployed

[Mermaid Gosalyn]

Oh man, those videos are great! It does look like Alexander springs would be a better place to swim, since it's deeper. Does anyone know if it only has stairs? I think people will need to bring something soft to put their tails on then.

Also, does anyone happen to have any photography or video equipment for underwater? I might could make a casing for my camera, but it's just a point and shoot so I'm not sure how the pictures would come out...

[WavyMermaidy]

Alexander has the cement stairs as well as a seawall sort of thing that extends to either side of the main stairs. I think there also stairs for the divers entry near one end of the main swimming area, but I've never really looked at them to see what they're like...but probably cement like the main stairs and the seawall.

There are also some grassy areas to the other end of the swimming area that extend down into some very shallow water, and though there are some tree roots there it might be an easier (and softer) spot to put in tails and get in from. Either way I plan to probably bring a yoga mat just in case. Here are a few pics I found online...doesn't show the grassy entry too well, but it gives sortof a view of it in the bottom pic. The top pic shows the entry area from the viewpoint of being on the grassy area...the divers' entry is the farthest point away along the seawall, with the main stairs midway from the photographer to the divers' entry.




As for the photos and such, I plan to bring my underwater bag for my camera. I've used it in the recent past at Alexander and other springs and have gotten some pretty good pictures and video, and it's just a basic Olympus digital camera. But hey, if anyone has anything better (or anything, really) bring it anyway and we'll get what we can

[Blondie]

@Wavy: I did some more searching on the gator. That big one apparently was removed back in 2008. But there is a good sized one still there. I'm guessing the gators would try to keep away from the people who are swimming. They're not going to just "attack" you. You'd have to spook it or something first. I'm glad they keep an eye out for the wildlife while people are swimming. My mother hates gators and I'd hate to explain to her there was an accident while swimming in a mermaid tail .-. And that's Alexander springs in Sasha's video?? I was in 7th grade last time I watched that XD Wow! I can't believe that. That's cool ^^

@Gosalyn: I had bought this waterproof case/bag for my iphone. It works very well for all smartphones actually! You can press the screen still even when it's in it's case. I'm bringing that to the springs. It's pretty cheap too! Here's the link to it http://www.amazon.com/Lewis-N-Clark-...waterproof+bag

@Nerine: Alexander Springs is deeper. But it's a little more south. Here's a map for you to look at...

[NerineArcticMermaid]

anyone checi tge spring near the florida caverns? not sure what its called but the spring head is like 100ft deep!

[WavyMermaidy]

nerine: From what I'm seeing on Google, that spring is called Blue Hole Spring. Seems very cool, as do many of the springs in Florida (and I don't know about anyone else, but eventually I'd love to visit all the public springs at some point in my life My only thought about this one is that it's pretty far north (as far as Florida goes, anyway) and, though I'm not sure how many people would be coming and from where, I think it might be better to have one slightly more centrally located...which I think is why the ones in Ocala Nat'l Forest have been suggested as the main options.

I do know that it would be closer for you by about two hours (according to Google Maps and the city you have listed below your avatar). I'd love to see some more thoughts/suggestions/opinions from anyone else? I feel like I shouldn't be someone that should make too much of an opinion on it b/c the ones in Ocala Nat'l Forest would only be a little more than an hour or so away from me, so of course they seem appealing (even though I also think they are good springs for various reasons) whereas everyone else will probably be coming from farther distances no matter what.

[NerineArcticMermaid]

Let me know.. itll be a long drive either way for me

[Blondie]

I'm going to have to agree with Wavy. I think the Florida Cavern one is too far. Well I know for a fact I wouldn't be able to go to that one. That's 8 hours of driving for me in total. My parents would never ever let me do that to go mermaiding. The Ocala springs are centrally located for the Florida mers. It shouldn't be more than a two hour drive for anyone. I know you're in Georiga Nerine and that's going to be kind of tough for you. But it is a "Florida" mermaid meet up. And others are more than welcomed to join! But I think we should keep it centrally located for the Florida mers. I'm not trying to not include you at all! I'd love for you to be there and meet you! I just think we have to take the majority of mer's locations into mind. And if you look at the spiffy new map that was made, central Florida seems like the ideal place for everyone to gather.

Personally I'm going to put my vote in for Alexander Springs. I think that's a perfect place to mermaid. And I had a dream we were there last night xD So... I wonder if I can put a poll on this thread...

[WavyMermaidy]

Cool idea putting in the poll, iblondie! And that's so fantastic about your dream of us all being there

And nerine, I certainly hope you can still make it even though it will be quite a drive...like iblondie said, we definitely do not want to exclude you. At least it won't be quite as far as MerPalooza was

[Stephanie Sims]

I would love to go and hang out..Try my new tail. Silver Glen is nice and there is a beachy area where getting into the water seems pretty easy...very picturesque!! *Please let me know!! @Nerine - I would love to see you again!! Never saw your tail! Alexander is also very nice, seems very safe. Seems like you might want to go early in the morning there, though, as they seem to do a lot of scuba training there. *

[Blondie]

Steph! I'd love to see you come!! I want to hear more Mer-Palooza stories xDD Where did you get your new tail? Or did you make it?

I found this site about Alexander Springs http://underwaterflorida.homestead.com/alexander.html It seems like it's a very well known and respected spring. It think that's what we're going to aim for since it's the most central for all of us. Have you been to Silver Glen a lot though? One of the main reasons we weren't into it is because it's pretty shallow **From what I remember almost 5-6 years ago** Do you think it's deep enough to swim in with a tail?

[NerineArcticMermaid]

I'll try like hell to go.... Jesse should have my tail finished up in a week or so.. he's already taken it in and cut the fluke down.... now is just finishing up the changes to the paint for me


Keep me posted

[WavyMermaidy]

Stephanie - re: scuba divers, funny enough as many times as I've been to Alexander I've rarely seen any Scuba-ers there, training or otherwise...so hopefully if we do decide to go there we won't have to worry too much about a crazy influx of divers.

It does get busy during the summer with just swimmers/snorkelers, as I'm sure Silver Glen does too, although it has never been too bad at all in my experience. Now to be honest the times that I have been to Alexander this summer are generally week days, so weekends might be a bit more crowded...but hopefully since it will be post-labor day when we go the crowds shouldn't be too bad, even on weekends (now watch me go say all this and then it be like National Scuba Diver day or National Visit-A-Spring Day and it's completely packed, LOL).

Have we decided on the 14th or on the 15th? The 14th is a Friday which would almost guarantee smaller crowds no matter what, but it might be harder for some of us to make it on a weekday (although I personally have no problem with getting there on a Friday).

[Blondie]

Friday the 14th is the best day do me as well. I dont have school on Fridays and my family is working or at school. So I dont have to worry about people needing me for a ride or what not.

Next question would be what time are we looking at going? I was thinking around 11-12 in the morning. Or is that too early/late?

Also, I was thinking we should all try to bring a food of some sort. So we can have a small picnic or lunch . It doesn't have to be anything big. Like someone can bring drinks, someone can bring sandwiches, ect... Is anyone whose interested in going a vegan or vegetarian? I dont want to bring something wrapped in bacon and then you can't eat it xD

[Stephanie Sims]

I can bring a fruit tray or something. There are a LOT of overly friendly squirrels, and kind of a lot of flies..so while barbacue-ing and all of that is an option, the reality is that from what i've seen, it seems best to eat quick! How about grapes, melon chunks, pineapples, etc. I'm down for bringing all of that!

I was there the other day, and scuba divers seem to start coming a little before noon. The group that came the other day had about a dozen in it...So, if we are doing pics, etc., we might have a lot of company..But that doesn't matter to me!

[WavyMermaidy]

Ha ha, there is definitely some squirrel begging going on there

I agree with Stephanie that bringing "quick" or at least non-cooking food is a good idea. I am vegetarian (thank for thinking of that, iblondie!) but not vegan. There is a great bagel place in my town so I could get some assorted bagels and could bring cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo...*if someone else wanted to bring lunchmeat for the meat-eaters*...then we could use those as sandwiches? Alternatively I could bring just bread instead of bagels for sandwiches...but yeah, either way I'll volunteer to bring bread or bagels and the aforementioned sandwich fixins. And if anyone else wants any other condiments toppings they are welcome to bring those too.

As for drinks I think it's always best to stick with water when outside in the heat but that's just me.

[Blondie]

I just made a facebook group for this. (Facebook is my life and keeps me uber organized and what not.) So if you want to join, send me a PM with the facebook you're joining on and I'll add you into the group :3

And yes! I remember those begging squirrels. When I was at Silver Glen as a kid, our bus driver was sitting and eating in a chair when a squirrel came up to her. She thought it was cute and went back to eating. Then it wacked her with it's paws because it wasn't giving her food xD I thought it was pretty funny...

I was thinking about bringing one of Publix's sandwich rings. They're really yummy and you can get them half veggie and half meat ^^

Oh and for the scuba divers, I have no problem with them mingling around us xD

[WavyMermaidy]

Hmmm...the Publix sandwich thing sounds a little better than bringing sandwich supplies. I can switch to bringing chips and a really good cream cheese salsa mix