Hanging out in my new maternity tail in the tank.
Petting the dogsharks, Ned and Nibbles, who also had babies in there with me.
One of the jobs I love to perform is swimming in aquariums. I've already posted about swimming in a mermaid aquarium that's freshwater with no animals while pregnant, and now I will share with you what it's like sharing another fish's home as a pregnant mermaid.
Whenever I get into an aquarium, whether as large as the Georgia Aquarium's Voyager or small, I first ask the person in charge of the animals as many detailed questions as possible. I'm never afraid of looking dumb, and know better than to act as if I know everything. If you own a pet dog for example, I bet your dog has different likes/dislikes than mine. It is the same with fish. They do have personalities. Some love to swim close to people and like physical contact. Others may like to come close to get a look at you but do not like contact. Then there are those that it's best to keep your distance from and avoid certain movements. These are a few of the things that I like to know before I get in other animals' homes. Something that is true for every aquarium fish that I've encountered is that when people enter the tank, it usually means they're being fed. Getting in especially for the first time is precarious as you don't want to excite the fish to the point where they're nibbling at your fins (especially the larger sharks), and you don't want to get the smaller ones so excited that you accidentally hurt one. It's a balancing act that does get better with practice, and the best thing a mermaid can do is be mindful of the precious life around her.
Ned and Nibbles were at first put off by my large presence in their home and I got in about 30 minutes early before the first show to help calm their nerves before I swam around and blew bubbles for the audience. Once submerged I remained very still in the water, and meditated on my feelings of respect and love for these animals. I can't vouch that there's any real science behind "putting out my feelings" around me, but I do think that sharks especially sense our feelings underwater and when we are calm, loving, and respectful, that they react to it in our favor.
Ned and Nibbles also had babies before I got in their home. As a pregnant mother myself, I could totally relate to their feelings of protection for their young from this huge fish that just entered their home. Once the sharks were calm and not whipping about my face I slowly and very delicately moved their babies to one side of the tank for their safety. My role as a mermaid is to teach about conservation, and what kind of mermaid would I be if I crushed baby sharks? When I held the babies I felt such a beautiful feeling, connecting the life within me to the new life within these pouches often referred to as "mermaid purses". Nibbles swam around, seemingly checking on her babies and then laid down next to me. Both sharks allowed me to pet them often and the shows went smoothly and beautifully.
I'm so thankful that Mermaid Jessica came and joined me for these shows! She was a perfect mersister to have. I'm more of an underwater mermaid whereas she was highly interactive with the audiences climbing to the top of the tank and speaking with them at length. We were the perfect yin and yang balance! The initial goal was to be in the tank together, but because we did not want to injure the babies, we took turns rotating. The audience and aquarium staff immensely enjoyed our performance and we look forward to returning there in the future.
Mermaid Jessica playing "high five" games with the kids.
I look back on all that fun from just a week ago and I miss my two tank mates. I always get a bit attached to the animals that I share a space with. I especially get attached to sharks. There's a reef shark in the Voyager that I made friends with and still fondly think of. I can't believe not long ago I was deathly afraid of sharks (thank you Jaws), and that fear almost kept me from mermaiding in the oceans all together. I chose to become educated on them and have discovered through research, dialogue with shark conservationists, and in my own experience that they are not these heartless, mindless, man eating creatures. They have a spirit, and they feel pain and joy. Some are playful, and others are strictly business-just like some people I know. No matter how you feel about them personally, I do hope that maybe just by reading how I feel about them, that you would take the time to reconsider your life choices that impact them.
