Tuesday, February 5, Weeki Wachee Spring

At 10:00, we decided to go to Weeki Wachee Spring, a 500 acre State park that opened 65 years ago.

Located about an hour north of Tampa at the crossroads of U.S. 19 and State Road 50, Weeki Wachee is more than just a mark on a road map. Weeki Wachee is an enchanted spring -- the only one of its kind in the world -- and one of Florida’s oldest and most unique roadside attractions. For  65 years, the fun, family oriented park has lured in visitors with beautiful mermaids who swim in the cool, clear spring waters. Weeki Wachee Springs is a magical entrance into a mysterious blue underwater world of mermaids, manatees, turtles and bubbles. Sitting in the Mermaid Theater, visitors feel like they are inside the flowing spring, and are transported back to simpler times, before super theme parks and super highways appeared.

The Seminole Indians named the spring “Weeki Wachee,” which means “little spring” or “winding river.” The spring is so deep that the bottom has never been found. Each day, more than 117 million gallons of clear, fresh 74-degree water bubbles up out of subterranean caverns. Deep in the spring, the surge of the current is so strong that it can knock a scuba diver’s mask off. The basin of the spring is 100 feet wide with limestone sides and there, where the mermaids swim, 16 to 20 feet below the surface, the current runs a strong five miles an hour. It’s quite a feat for a mermaid to stay in one place in such a current. The water is 99.7% pure and crystal clear.

 

An 18-seat theatre was built into the limestone, submerged six feet below the surface of the spring, so viewers could look right into the natural beauty of the ancient spring.

The first show at the Weeki Wachee Springs underwater theater opened on October 13, 1947 -- the same day that Kukla, Fran and Ollie first aired on that newfangled invention called television, and one day before Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier. The mermaids performed synchronized ballet moves underwater while breathing through the air hoses hidden in the scenery.

 

We arrived just as the world famous mermaids of Weeki Wachee Springs perform their version of Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid.

The Little Mermaid celebrates her birthday and comes face to face with her Prince!  Yearning to have legs like her Prince, the Little Mermaid makes a deal with the sea witch to give her what she wants in exchange for her beautiful voice.

A fierce battle ensues as the Prince and the sea witch struggle to save the Little Mermaids beautiful voice proving that "Love does conquer all."

The show was well done and clever the way the mermaids would catch a breath using a pressurized tube as they stayed underwater for the 30 minute duration of the show.

 

Following the show, we went on the Wilderness River Cruise, where we saw an alligator, bald eagles and Great Blue Herons. The river bottom was clearly visible as it looked to be only inches deep. It was a nice, relaxing cruise in the 24C (75F) sunshine.

                                                                      There was also an animal show which featured a Florida Pine Snake, Yellow-bellied turtles and an American Alligator.

                                                                               I auditioned to be a mermaid, but apparently you have to be an American citizen.......

 

 

The last show at the Underwater theatre was "Fish Tails", which is a retrospective look back at the history of Weeki Wachee Springs and the development of the mermaid shows. Fish Tails takes visitors on a video "behind the scenes" tour of what it takes to produce the mermaid shows at Weeki Wachee Springs and how the mermaids have been entertaining visitors for over 60 years.

 There is also Buccaneer Bay, which has thrilling flume rides, waterslides,   and a Lazy River ride  

 

Unfortunately, they are closed until March. All in all, it was an interesting day!