In June of 2015, I started a weekly #mondaymorningmermaidlesson hashtag to start posting on Instagram about Mermaids and anything mermaid related. Going beyond the pop culture and cute, I wanted to bring awareness to the actual history and different cultures of mermaids around the world. You would be surprised how many countries have their own version of the mermaid, siren, water spirit, etc.
This was also for collateral when I was putting together a pitch for a TV series I wanted to create and produce. A traveling Mermaid history show in the similarity of (at that time) ‘Ancient Aliens’. I still have a healthy and professional association with the production company, Natural 9 Entertainment that I went to for my Mermaid Travel show. (More on that soon in another blog!)
My first post for Monday Morning Mermaid Lessons was a special one; posted on June 8, 2015, in honor of World Oceans Day (and still on Instagram…you got to deep dive scroll). It was a post of a picture of a REAL Sea Angel. Most people don’t know about Sea Angels or that this was where my mermaid name, Sea Angel Jenn was inspired from.
I chose Sea Angel Jenn (rather than Mermaid Jenn) not only because it’s different but I truly have always found these little guys so fascinating and they have such a unique beauty about them….here are some fun facts about them.
- Type of open sea pteropod (sea snail that lacks shell) called the common Clione Iimacina, the naked sea butterfly.
- Widely distributed in North Atlantic, Subarctic Oceans. Also found in North Pacific Ocean and along Atlantic Coast of North America.
- Reaches only up to 5cm (2inches) in length.
- Transparent body revealing a red heart.
- They can go almost a year without food.
Funny enough, when I went back to Jeff, my producer and writing partner at Natural 9 with (another) mermaid project, I will never forget his surprise in learning about these. He is an active scuba diver and never even knew these little creatures existed. Always trying to get him back on board for the Mermaid Traveling show; Covid sort of shifted things there.
That’s it for this weeks Monday Morning Mermaid Lesson! If you are interested to learn more little tidbits on Mermaids or other historical posts in relation to them, follow my blog! I am excited to bring this back to life and share quick, fun facts and images. Something to go along with your coffee or tea break.
Photo credit: Tara Macken (Stuntwoman Elite)
Have you purchased your tail of a tale book by Sea Angel Jenn?