Fish float and swim through the gin-clear water of the natural spring, framed by a landscape of rocks and swaying plants. A cascade of air bubbles rises on one side. While the narrator introduces the story you can hear the audience chatter in the background.
A minute into the performance, mermaids appear from the bottom of the spring, a bit of magic. The chatter goes silent. Welcome to the world-renowned Weeki Wachi Mermaid Show , an old-Florida attraction that costs a pittance and delivers a blockbuster experience.
In this classic tale, the Little Mermaid comes face to face with her prince as she celebrates her birthday. Longing to have legs like him, she makes a deal with the sea witch, exchanging her exquisite voice for what she wants. The prince, and love, prevail. Where the mermaids perform, 16 to 20 feet below the surface, the current runs a robust five miles an hour, making it a notable achievement for a mermaid just to stay in one place.
Arising from the spring, the Weeki Wachee River wends its way 12 miles until it merges with the Gulf of Mexico. In , Perry scouted out Weeki Wachee for his new business.
It was nothing to brag about. Brimming with the remains of rusted refrigerators and abandoned cars, the spring was sited on U. After clearing the junk, Perry investigated underwater breathing hoses and came up with a way to breathe underwater from a free-flowing air hose supplying oxygen from an air compressor, instead of from a tank strapped to the back.
