Theme Park Posts Job Listing For "Mermaids" - No Experience Required

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Theme Park Posts Job Listing For "Mermaids" - No Experience Required

Tampa Bay Times

If you've always dreamed of working under the sea, your only option was to work on a submarine.

Until now, that is, because a theme park from Florida is looking to reel in some mermaids for one of their attractions.

Mermaids performing at Weeki Wachee.AP

The Weeki Wachee Springs State Park outside of Tampa will be holding auditions for professional mermaids this month. No experience is required, but a strong reference from any other mermaids would probably help.

Weeki Wachee bills itself as "the only city of live mermaids," and has been hosting shows featuring the underwater performers since 1947. The park's original owner, Newton Perry, trained Navy Frogmen in the Second World War, before opening his park and underwater theater.

An illustration of the park from the 1950s.Weeki Wachee

Today, the park has a team of 17 working mermaids and three "princes" on staff. It's a glamorous job, but not an easy one. The mermaid show is live twice a day, 365 days a year (the water is heated).

But before you can get your feet wet, prepare for a pretty grueling audition process.

The park's spokesman, John Athanason, expects at least 50 women will audition for this year's mermaid jobs.

A mermaid at Weeki Wachee.Glen Lakes

"It's not easy what they do," he told the Tampa Bay Times, "and a lot of girls find that out."

To make the cut, you'll have to complete a timed 300-yard swim, then demonstrate that you can tread water for up to 15 minutes. If you make the cut for those tests, you'll still need to prove your skills at water ballet, which is a big part of the show.

"It's an inherently dangerous job, and you need to be able to not only save yourself, but save a colleague," says Athanason.

Being a mermaid performer isn't as easy as it looks. Weeki Wachee

Anyone thinking of signing up for the auditions should be at least 18 years old, and willing to work four days a week. Don't expect to be raking in the clams either, since the mermaids are paid just $10 an hour.

If working as a mermaid isn't your dream job, you can still try on their fins for a little exercise. "Mermaid fitness" is a growing trend for fitness seekers who like to think outside the box.

It doesn't just look cool, the mermaid fin is said to help exercise your upper body and core, plus you burn fat faster while wearing it.

Know anybody who would take to this job like a fish to water?

[H/T: Tampa Bay Times]

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