Top Ten Ways to Catch a Mermaid

Welcome to Splash into Summer, home of mermaid lovers everywhere!
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With the start of Splash into Summer, the first thing we need to do is catch ourselves a mermaid. 

 (Unfortunately, mermen are less curious about humans and stay below the surface, so these tricks won't work if you're looking for some arm candy.  Sorry!)

©Laurie Leigh Art

1) PEARLS
Believe it or not, the easiest way to catch a mermaid is by flaunting some pearls.  Mermaids often pluck pearls from oysters and use them as decoration.  They'll be attracted to the pearl's sheen and come up out of the water to investigate like a fish to a lure.


2) MIRRORS
Mermaids are actually quite vain.  They love sitting atop rocks and staring down at their reflections.  Use a mermaid to grab a mermaid's attention and she'll swim right up to you!


3) A SCHOOL OF FISH
Grab a school of fish from the environment of the mermaid you're trying to catch (breed will vary depending on what ocean you're in).  Make sure they're small and bite-size.  A mermaid will rush over and pop the fish straight into her mouth.  Mm, nothing like fresh sushi!


4) A CONCH SHELL
Have you ever noticed how hard it is to find a large conch shell in the wild, or seen how much money they sell for?  Even under the sea, these shells are coveted for the way they make music.  (Unfortunately, undecipherable by human ears!)

©Primitive Ways

5) A FISH-BONE COMB
Remembering that mermaids are vain, create a perfect comb from fish bones and leave it atop a mermaid's favorite resting rock.  She'll find it the next time she goes to groom herself above land and be so busy dolling herself up that she'll never see you coming!


6) TREASURE (Especially gold coins!)
Mermaids can often be found near shipwrecks because the wreckage is full of shiny, foreign objects they've never seen before.  They especially love the flash of a bright gold coin, which reminds them of the way fish scales glean when hit just right by the sunlight.  Leave some gold coins out near a mermaid's resting rock to get her attention.


7) STARFISH
Mermaids love to have fun.  One of their favorite games to play is Fetch the Starfish with the porpoises, dolphins, otters, and other sea-dwelling friends.  Throw a starfish towards a mermaid like a Frisbee and she'll come over to play with you!

©Tom Cross

8) SHELL COLLECTION
Mermaids use shells in many different ways.  They often collect them after the shells have been vacated and spend hours cleaning the shells and polishing them to perfection.  Leave out a collection of perfectly cleaned shells and seeing how little work she'll have to do, the mermaid will come right over to grab the booty before another mer does.


9) HARP
Mermaids love music, but they don't hear sound the way humans do.  The most pleasing sound to their ears is the enchanting thrum of a harp.  Pair this with a sweet, clear singing voice and mermaids will flock your way.


10) A BOAT
This is perhaps the most obvious method of catching a mermaid.  There's a reason sailors are always the ones to spot mermaids.  The mermaids see the ship outline above them and swim up to explore, thinking a whale is passing by.  Enchanted by the foreign object that is, in fact, not a whale, they'll be too curious to leave you alone.

Once you have your mermaid, make sure your spare bathtub or pool is full of sea water.  If the water is chlorinated or hard, you'll accidentally kill your new friend!


Good luck!