Crazy Busy

The blog has suffered a long stretch of silence recently, but things have been crazy busy here at CORAL central. I mean things are always busy, but the past two weeks have seen a pronounced uptick. We have two major grant proposals to the tune of half a million total dollars that are about to head out the door while still waiting to hear on another pending proposal that would allow us to expand our conservation work in Hawaii to the Big Island. All good stuff to be sure, but it's also a lot of focused, structured writing that has drained my more creative writing well.

But fear not, I've surfaced long enough to post some news of the sad yet weird. Seems as if an American kitsch icon in Florida, Weeki Watchee Springs, may have to close its doors for good. Since 1947, Weeki Wachee has been entertaining Floridians and visitors world-wide with live mermaid performances–yes,real mermaids! I have photos to prove it! Just an hour drive north from Tampa, I recall many a fond visit to Weeki Watchee during a year spent in South Florida. Sporting dazzlingly sequined tails, bikini tops, subtle nose clips and a hookah like air tube, generations of Miss Florida-wannabees have smiled and waved to tourists while swimming about the springs.

The current park's owners and the water-management agency have continued to butt heads over issues ranging from the wording and amount of the lease to the unauthorized dredging of the spring and whether the little city of Weeki Wachee is even allowed by law to own the attraction. Things don't look promising for the mermaids, so if you happen to be in Florida try to find time to witness this classic slice of Americana before it's replaced by a Winn-Dixie.