Erinnerungen an die Anfänge
Alle, die #Mermaiding machen, haben irgendwann mal angefangen. Oder tun das gerade, werden es noch tun, ... Ihr wisst schon.
Beim Südhessenschwarm wurde ich damals sehr lieb an die Flosse genommen und als Neuling willkommengeheißen – und das finde ich super wichtig. Klar kann niemand gleich alles, und einige lernen schneller, andere langsamer. Aber es geht darum, gemeinsam Spaß zu haben, und das ist alles, was zählt 🤗
About last weekend.
Am Sonntag war ich zum ersten Mal überhaupt mit im Alldomare – der Fulleschwarm Nordhessen trifft sich dort einmal im Monat und das Bad heißt Merfolk richtig cool willkommen 😊 Diesmal waren vom Südhessenschwarm viele mit, sodass ein toller, bunter Schwarm durchs Wasser glitt. 🧜🏼♀️
🧜🏼♀️🧜🏼♀️: ich & Katze (CatCraft)
📸: GoPro Hero 9
📽️: Dirk (CatCraft)
🎵: Kikoru – Tell It Later (#EpidemicSound)
#Mermaiding #Meerjungfrau #MerfolkGermany #Merpeople #Freediving #Magictail #Mertailor
✨ Our much-praised and successful performance at LoveSwim has already led to our very first show outside of Gay Swim Amsterdam!
A huge thanks to Aart-Jan and Bert for inviting us to join them in creating a watershow together at Het Mirandabad — opening the celebration of their 45th anniversary 🥳💦
#LoveSwim #GaySwimAmsterdam #Merman #LGBTQ #QueerSwimmers #MakeWaves #Celebration #Zeemeermannen #Merpeople #MermaidPerformance
From Barcelona to LINDA.magazine 🌊
—
Hoe één duik 🤿 in de wereld van het zeemeerminzwemmen 🧜♂️ leidde tot een demo tijdens LoveSwim 💦 én een portret in LINDA. 📖✨
How one dive 🤿 into the world of mermaiding 🧜♂️ led to a demo at LoveSwim 💦 and a portrait in LINDA. 📖✨
Ontdek hoe het begon → [link in bio]
Find out how it started → [link in bio]
📸 @ernstcoppejans | @karenschoolland | @elisehaman | @fleurkolfschoten | @nicolegabriels | @Linda
Die von mir nicht genutzte Domain mermaid.social sucht eine*n neue*n Besitzer*in.
Ansonsten läuft sie im kommenden Jahr aus. Wenn also wer Interesse hat...
#Mermaiding #Meerpersonen #Meerjungfrauen #Meervolk #Merfolk #Merpeople
Pop Cryptid Spectator 13
Hello and welcome to the Pop Cryptid Spectator no. 13.
In this edition:
The crypt-illogical slip into the irrational
I focus very much on the present, popular, news and views of cryptozoology, but when I look at traditional cryptozoology, I find that the most cogent writing clearly points in the direction of today’s Pop Cryptids. For example, Adrian Shine appeared on the latest episode of Monster Talk to discuss his lifelong research into sea serpents, and lake monsters claims in Scotland in his new book A Natural History of Sea Serpents. In this interview, Shine shares his wisdom gained from synthesizing decades of careful observation, and this is enlightening.
Among the wise things he said so eloquently, he noted that cryptozoology was a way to rationalize monsters. At its time of inception, that made sense: cryptozoology attempted to remove the magical aspects about mystery creatures, and apply science to the process of discovering amazing new animals. But, as he also says, hidden animals require lost worlds. We have very few of these “lost worlds” left, and people aren’t exploring them due to our natural limits (such as the ability to spend time in the deep ocean). If there are animals, there, they aren’t cryptids, they are just new to us. Therefore, that negates the formation of lore about them that defines a cryptid.
We aren’t going to find a Yeti or Nessie because it is clear after all these centuries that the stories were not reflecting real animals as collectively described, but a monstrous interpretation fed by cultural factors and confirmation bias. Current monster hunters will disagree but I’m being logical, here. The scientific evidence for real cryptids has not improved.
Today’s shift back to seeing cryptids as less zoological is, in a way, rational – in a cultural sense. As people attempt to create an alternate world of magic and mystery, adding cryptids to the fantasy environment makes sense. The colorful world of pop cryptids is what we get from that reconstruction. The cryptids don’t make zoological sense, but they make cultural sense.
As I wrote in a review of Shine’s book in PCS 7, A Natural History of Sea Serpents is a fantastic book and I could listen to Adrian Shine talk all day long, he’s astute and articulate. I deeply appreciate his careful research that helps me see old cases in a new light, find the through-lines of this complex subject, and understand the wider view.
Meanwhile, I hate to admit, the cryptid content that mostly appears in media – made by amateur researchers, people seeking an alternative reality, or just jokers – is not high quality (with only a few rare exceptions). It’s not even very creative. But because cryptids are a mainstream thing now, anything goes. And anything, no matter how poorly done, how ridiculous, or how misleading, will get clicks. See the following two examples.
News people don’t know their animals
You can bet that the “mystery animal” videos that get shown on the local news reports are going to contain some cringeworthy comments by the reporters. TV news anchors read what’s been written for them and respond and ad lib based only on whatever background info them have. They usually don’t know anything about a natural subject. One sad side effect of Pop Cryptids is that many now know the names of local cryptids and throw them out there as “possibilities”. In the process, they reveal shallow knowledge of the lore and history of the creature, and ignorance of the local wildlife. These three news personnel from Pueblo, Colorado speculate on what this animal is from a dark and grainy video. At least they recognize the red eyes may be a camera artifact, but one suggests it’s a chupacabra. In a broadcast on another station, the pair of presenters also give ridiculous opinions (such as it’s a person dressed up). The Colorado wildlife officials said it might be a raccoon with mange.
Not a chupacabra.My initial thought is that it’s a coati, an animal found as far north as Arizona and sometimes kept as a pet. It’s not unusual to see coati in unexpected places. It’s unclear what it’s doing in Colorado, but it’s only a “cryptid” is the loosest interpretation of the word. Meanwhile, mystery mongering sites like Coast to Coast AM promoted this story with a sensationalist headline. This kind of treatment is really disappointing and leads to the audience being misinformed or alarmed. There is no good excuse for such awful framing of an interesting animal story.
AI cryptid articles – It’s how stuff works
I have mentioned AI generated cryptids several times in this publication – videos, photos, and monsters that came from AI image-generation apps. But now I’m starting to notice that AI-written articles on cryptids are becoming a common thing. Several “infotainment” sites quickly generate pieces to capitalize on a trending news story or subject. Cryptids are one of those topics. The popular site How Stuff Works revealed just how their stuff works, by using AI to produce a recent article on the Loveland Frog. This article followsr news coverage for the frogman’s festival in March. The content is unoriginal, just more AI slop we have to wade through.
Squishables Mothman series
Squishables are sold in many toy and gift stores across the country. Their newest series of cuddly plushies is an array of fun Mothman critters. My favorite is the Rosy Maple mothman (genius!) – modeled after the stunning yellow and pink rosy maple moth (Dryocampa rubicunda). I remember the first time I saw a rosy maple moth and could not believe it was real! And now it’s a variety of mothman. Check out the other varieties.
The Hebridean Mermaid
A woman who pretends to be a mermaid landed a gig promoting a new BBC series about mermaid tales and folklore around the waters of northern Scotland. Looks like a cool topic for programming!
Many people “become” mermaids by donning tails and learning how to dance underwater. If you aren’t aware of how popular indulging in mermaid fantasy is these days is, you can check out a series on Netflix called MerPeople. It’s an eye-opener.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7hUc8HVSFk
Old-school cryptozoologist-types reject mermaids as cryptids, calling them “fantasy” creatures. But this take is proof of how the idea of ‘cryptids’ is selective and changes over time. There are undoubtedly cases in the centuries gone by, and even now in non-Western news reports, of people who say they have seen mermaids. It’s no joke. Although many faked videos attempt to capitalize on that belief, most are poorly done hoaxes.
Remember in 2012, there was a huge hubbub about Mermaids: A Body Found aired on the Discovery Network. There was NO doubt that more than a few people who knew nothing of nature accepted that Mermaids: A Body Found was a science show about real mermaids.
Are mermaids cryptids? Absolutely. They are legendary, culturally known, and we have plenty of documented claims asserting they really exist, and some that claim they had been captured. There is no line between cryptids and folklore/fantasy creatures now. It’s all the same concept.
Ogopogo float may sink
The City of Kelowna, B.C. has had a parade float for decades. The most popular design for the float has been that of the local Lake Okanagan monster, Ogopogo. According to The Kelowna Courier, for more than 50 years, the float has featured various representations of Ogopogo. Back in 2016, there was an idea to highlight other tourism opportunities of Kelowna with the float. That didn’t go over well, and after a public outcry, the town’s beloved cryptid was restored. Now the float requires repairs and the city council determined they just can’t afford the steep price tag. So, Canadian parades will be without Ogopogo for a time.
Cryptid Media: More podcasts
Here’s another podcast recommendation. Check out Squaring the Strange episode no 250 – Cryptids go Pop! where I was invited to discuss my interests, and this publication, with Ben and Celestia.
For some deep dives, check out the Bigfoot two-part episode and the Loch Ness Monster three-part treatment from the Mythillogical podcast – a well-researched tour through the folklore aspects of these two cryptids. If Charles and Crofty are reading, feel free to message me if you need help with North American pronunciations.
Thanks for reading! Send comments, questions, or suggestions to sharon(at)sharonahill.com. If you want to send some cryptid plushies or other merch, or books to review, email for my physical mailing address.
For more, click on Pop goes the Cryptid landing page. Make sure you subscribe to all the posts – it’s always free and I don’t send annoying spam.
Pop Cryptid Spectator is also available on Substack. Please share this with cryptid fans you know!
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#1 #chupacabra #cryptid #Cryptozoology #deathOfAUnicorn #popCryptid #reddit #rollerCoaster #scientific #seaSerpents #Skinwalker #Wendigo
We’re delighted to get to talk with Adrian Shine, who has worked for decades to raise awareness about Loch Ness and investigated the legendary creature said to inhabit the dark waters of that deep Scottish lake. He’s written a new book about Sea Monsters and their connection to the Loch Ness Mystery which releases April 1st, 2025. A Natural History […]
Das wären #Dinge gewesen. Morgen wäre ich zum Dreh gefahren. Stattdessen mussten wir vor vier Tagen alles canceln. 😞
https://www.instagram.com/p/C8Hzu7MozZT/
#Mermaiding #MerfolkGermany #Merpeople #Meerjungfrau #Highscale
4 likes, 0 comments - highscale_mermaids on June 12, 2024: "Hi, das bin ich. Ich bin Janika, höre hier aber auch auf mein #Mersona Meggie. Im Herbst wollte ich mit Mermaiding anfangen, hatte dann...".
Hello, Myth Lovers! To celebrate the last #Monday in #MerMay our theme is #merfolk! Share your favourite myths about mermaids, mermen, and other mythological sea creatures! Which myths feature #merpeople in a central role? Did you create #MerMay mythological art? Use the hashtag #MythologyMonday for boosts!
🎨 https://www.pngall.com/mermaid-png-transparent-images/download/33152
#mythology #mermaids #mermen #selkies @archaeodons @mythology @folklore @TarkabarkaHolgy @juergen_hubert @curiousordinary @wihtlore @FairytalesFood @bevanthomas @FinnFolklorist @Godyssey @GaymerGeek @starrytimepod
Janika_Hoffmann
Ariel out of his Shell🧜🏻🐚
Meerjungfrauengrotte
Sharon A. Hill
ShadowPlay
Mythology Monday ✨