International Mermaid Day on St. John

Good Morning, Good Morning!  Tomorrow is International Mermaid Day!  And, if you happen to be on St. John this week, you might spot some mythical creatures of the deep during your drive down North Shore road tomorrow morning…

Mermaids are not a new business for photographer Steve Simonsen.  Eight years ago, former owner and founder of Mermaid Swim VI, Crystal D’Abbraccio, invited Steve to the beach for a photo shoot.  He had a ball of a time taking photos of the mermaids on the beach and videos of them in the water and those photos developed a relationship for him with Fin Fun, a purveyor of premium mermaid tails!  Over the years, they have sent him their new products as they hit the market for a mer-model to wear while Steve photographs her for the company’s marketing efforts in our beautiful waters.

Steve, an avid diver, recently received an email update from Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) containing a reminder about the upcoming International Mermaid Day.  And that got him thinking…So, he met up with Katie Rockefeller, current owner of Mermaid Swim VI, to see how they could collaborate on the day.  And, while it was not necessarily enough time to set up a larger community event (stay tuned for 2023!), the two decided that a clean up of North Shore Road with some strategically placed mermaids along the way would be a great way to celebrate the day!

Tomorrow morning, from 10AM-11AM, beautiful mermaids will be poised at the overlooks at Cruz Bay, Caneel Bay and Trunk Bay while Steve drives volunteers along North Shore Road for a trash pick up.  So, beautiful mermaids adorning the already stunning photo op views while the team beautifies St. John?  That’s a win for everyone!

If you would enjoy participating in the clean up, you can meet Steve at the Cruz Bay Overlook at 9:45AM tomorrow morning.  Please leave your cars in town and walk up the hill via the road or the Lind Point Trail from the National Park Dock.  If you simply want a mermaid photo op at one of the overlooks, please be speedy about it as parking is limited at these breathtaking stops along the way to the beaches.

And, if you are lucky enough to be heading to the beach tomorrow morning, please use caution between Cruz Bay and Trunk Bay as there will be pedestrians on the roadways picking up trash.  Steve will be driving the road slowly in his silver truck with flashers on to alert drivers to volunteers on the roads.  So, beep in encouragment and cheer at Steve, the volunteers and THE MERMAIDS tomorrow morning!  And stay tuned for a bigger collaboration next year!