Been a crazy weekend here, what with the Super Bowl, ACDC in town (as witnessed by thousands of peeps with little flashing red devil horns wandering around Nashville last night), and some serious Salsa dancing!! Gotta get in shape for the big reef adventure, you know!
So I promised I'd show you a picture of a mermaid, and uh, drum roll please - HERE SHE IS!
image: october_lee photobucket.com
Well, uh, ok, so the REALLY real ones look like this...
photo: Paulyd - flickr.com
Yeah, and, they're also known as sea cows, not exactly a flattering term to a mermaid...
But more realistic for sure. Actually these mammals, which breathe air and eat grass on the sea bed in warm waters (hence the name "cow"), are credited for the inception of the mermaid legends.
Sailors apparently, seeing them from above slipping through the waters, mistook them for half women and half fish (maybe a little too much rum??), and reports of them from the far seas began to trickle back to the civilized world. These mammals are also known as Dugongs (the Tagalog word for the sea cow).
There are a few thousand Dugong along the Great Barrier Reef, but they are found all over the world in temperate/tropical waters - where it is warm enough for sea grasses to grow. They belong to the order Sirenia and are related to Manatees. They live as long as humans, and can grow up to 9 feet long and weigh up to 880 pounds - so much for the vegetarian diet...
Aaannd, yep, some folks still believe in real mermaids. Check out the link below for the REALLY REALLY real photos of a mermaid (where are all the mermen, I wonder??)
http://www.jacksdivinglocker.com/new/mermaid.htm
SO, if you make it to the Great Barrier Reef, be on the look out for the legendary creatures - you might just find Ariel down there eating some leafy greens...
And if I make it down there, I promise to track one down for you and get a real-live photo of my own for ya!
NEXT TIME: What in the world is a wonky hole?
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Very cool! Don't forget to tell them you have to be here June 5th! : )
ReplyDeleteLove you mucho! your big sister
I grew up with a mom who believed in Atlantis, so I have always had a fondness for mermaids. When I lived in Austin, a local pub had this gorgeous wood carved sign of a mermaid. One day, I was walking by, and saw the sign sitting next to the garbage bin. I tried and tried to figure out how I could leverage the sign and take it home! But, as it was easily 100 lbs, and large, and I lived in campus housing at the time, I couldn't figure out how to save this jewel. Plus, the breasts were bare, and I couldn't see my conservative friends being okay with this objet d'art in view at all times. Though I still wish I'd got it, and had the courage to display it.
ReplyDeleteoh, right June 5. That'll be just in time for the big send off, if I make it that far! Thanks for commenting.
ReplyDeleteHey, loved the story of the mermaid. But seriously, if there really were real ones, wouldn't their skin be a bit more pruny? No one ever thinks about that...
ReplyDeleteI would've helped you dig her out.