AN event highlighting a Dorset mythology has seen swimmers meet face-to-face with a mermaid.
A group of swimmers on the island of Portland, visited Castletown Beach, and whilst they were braving the chilly waters, the group say there were astonished to encounter a mermaid.
The stunt has been part of the Islands of Imagination: Portland and Japan project from artist Sophie Fretwell, which looks to encourage locals and visitors to engage with stories that have shaped the island’s identity.
Oona, the not-so-mythical mermaid, is part of the Portland Merpod and she quickly made friends with the swimmers and even joined them for a post-swim sauna session at The Island Sauna.
One of the swimmers, Clare, said: “The island has an excellent community of water lovers and I have made so many friends through a shared love of swimming in the sea, who knew one of them would be a mermaid?”
Oona the mermaid, now fully comfortable with her new legs, will be dancing her way to the Portland Parade on September 8- part of the Island’s B-Side festival taking place between 6pm to 9pm at Easton Gardens.
The project encourages locals and visitors alike to engage with the stories that have shaped Portland’s identity, from mermaid myths to other legends. The Portland Merpod group, which swim dressed in mermaid tails, is welcoming new members with a love of the sea and a sense of adventure.
To learn more about joining the group, visit the Portland Mertails on Facebook.
Mermaid sightings on the Jurassic Coast aren’t new. In 1757, there was a mermaid caught in fishermen’s nets at Burton Bradstock.
Other displays that have featured as part of the Islands of Imagination project in the past month has included the discovery of a mythical mer-chicken fossil- created by the artist, which also raised the issue of the area's ocean conservation.
Another project saw a two and a half metre bunny be installed on top of Portland Bill, in a bid to challenge the perceptions and pay homage to the island's aversion to the use of the word rabbit, which dates back to the quarrying history of the site.
For more details on the Islands of Imagination project, follow @sophiefretwell on social medias.
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