Weeki Wachee Weekender II! Underwater Boogaloo! 2011

It was a blast last time! I'd be in if we did it again!

If our calendar was free, we'd be up for it as well!

OK, I know I said we would do it again last year, but then last year strangely turned into this year..... Well, better late than never. Or something like that.

Anway... we're ON for 2011!

2011 Weeki Wachee Weekender II - Underwater Boogaloo!

Labor Day Weekend, September 3, 4 & 5!

Saturday from morning-ish till late-ish - Pot Luck Dinner, Carving Jam, Uke Jam, Strawberry Jam, and other bits of tom-foolery involving the pool, some booze, and you.

Sunday with the Mermaids, the park opens at 10 am. And when you've had your fill of Mermaids, you can then enjoy the Atomic-Wedgie-Machine otherwise known as the water slide at Buccaneer Bay on the other side of the lagoon.

If you still have some energy left, we'll all meet up for dinner at this strange little dive bar just a couple of miles from the Springs. And if you still have some go after that we'll terrorize the poor Karaoke Man in the Hotel Lounge.

Monday we'll all have some breakfast, exchange blackmail demands with each other to not post 'those' pictures, and go home with huge smiles on our faces and fond memories.

More, and probably better written, details will show up with greater frequency as we get a bit closer to the date. For now just mark your calendar and stay tuned for more information about the hotel arrangements.

wait, are you telling me you for sure have the karaoke guy lined up? i'd totally come back just for that!

This sounds fun. I have lived in Florida for 15years and never been to Weeki Wachee. It's billed as the only city of live mermaids.

i run across postcards from there time to time, but this is my favorite vintage one so far...

A few pics from the last time we did this....

We had a Potluck table, two actually...

Some carving and crafts

Some would say music....

Some Mermaids

And a whole lot of laughs with good friends!

I didn't get that many pictures.... you can see what I did manage to get here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chipandandy/sets/72157607052225572/

And just to give you a hint of the how much fun this place can be....

Couples performing underwater at Weeki Wachee Springs near Brooksville by State Library and Archives of Florida, on Flickr

From 1951 according to the library.

I looked up in the bar while eating lunch today to see footage of Weeki Wachee on the History Channel of all things. Some show called "Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy." They dressed him as a mermaid and tossed him in the water.

On 2011-05-07 16:23, rev_thumper wrote:
I looked up in the bar while eating lunch today to see footage of Weeki Wachee on the History Channel of all things. Some show called "Only in America with Larry the Cable Guy." They dressed him as a mermaid and tossed him in the water.

wasn't going to post 'those' pictures to avoid scaring potential guests at our little soirée.....

But now that you have brought it up:

[ Edited by: Chip and Andy 2011-05-07 21:11 ]

I'm so down for this, please keep me posted!!

Yay! We will be there!
Make sure you save a bit of time for some of the roadside wildlife, the Spring Hill concrete Sauropods! Great for photo ops!!

Also, I am going to take a quick jaunt down to the Tahitian Resort and Tahitian Gardens in Hudson (a half-hour south on Hwy 19). My father was the architect for this now-disintegrating tiki-themed haunt and I want to compare some of the photos and renderings I have from the 60s before it all dissolves away...

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=29685&forum=2

On 2011-06-23 06:34, JonPez wrote:
Yay! We will be there!
Make sure you save a bit of time for some of the roadside wildlife, the Spring Hill concrete Sauropods! Great for photo ops!!

I have some insider information that there is also a third and headless dino in the area. Locals have knowledge of the relic that the gentleman who built the other 2 was working on when he passed away.

My oh my, how the time flies..... It is already the end of July, but I still have some fireworks left over. Anyway....

Hotel announcement for the Mermaid Weekend:

Quality Inn Weeki Wachee (FLA69)
6172 Commercial Way , Spring Hill, FL, US, 34606
Phone: (352) 596-2007Fax: (352) 596-0667

http://www.qualityinn.com/hotel-spring_hill-florida-FLA69

Same hotel as last time. It's a nice hotel and is directly across the street from the park. Rooms start at $66 and go up from there. The website has all the details you need for check in and such.

Added bonus! Hotel is Pet Friendly! Small additional fee applies.

The schedule of the weekend is:

Saturday, Sept 3 - Hotel Check in, Meet & Greet gathering including a Pot-Luck dinner and Pot-Luck Bar.

Sunday, Sept 4 - Breakfast at the hotel then off to the Park to see the Mermaids. The Former Mermaids are performing at 1:30. If you still have some go left in you, head next door to Buccaneer Bay and enjoy the wonderfully cool waters of the Spring.

Sunday, Sept 4 - Dinner at someplace fun. Still working on the details for this bit so stay tuned. And if you have had enough of the group we won't be offended if you head out on your own for dinner.

Monday, Sept 5 - Labor Day! Breakfast at the hotel, hugs and kissed, black mail demands to keep certain photos off of the internet, and everyone heads home full of smiles and memories.

A few of the locals are working with Siesta Key Distillery trying to organize a tour for Saturday Morning followed by Lunch at Trader Vic's Island Bar and Grill. More details as they are available.

Siesta Key Distillery Tour is on! It's in Sarasota, a little under 2 hours south of Weeki Wachee. We'll tour at 11:00am then have lunch at Trader Vic's Island Bar and Grill. Please let me know if you want to join this part of the trip. I'd like to give them a headcount when it gets closer. And by all means, "like" them on facebook if you haven't already: https://www.facebook.com/siestakeyrum Their new spiced rum is available to the public today.

Tristan & I are IN!! We've made hotel reservations and are super excited. I'm particularly excited to go see the Sauropods, I had no idea they were there. Dinosaurs & Dino kitsch are at the top of my fav list (along side tikis & "Peekies").
We will not join the distillery tour, it's a bit early for us to drive out to make it in time, but that sounds like a nice adjunct to the weekend festivities.

Into which airport should one fly?

Just thinkin'.......

On 2011-08-16 16:06, Formikahini wrote:
Into which airport should one fly?

Just thinkin'.......

Tampa is closest, about an hour away.

Orlando is about three-ish hours away.

The potluck dinner was so much fun last time. Loads of delicious food.

Chip and I will bring Kaulua Pork and Hawaiian sweet rolls again.

See everyone at Weeki Wachee!
Andy

Made reservations this morning! Trevor and I will be driving in Saturday. Can't wait to see everyone!

A few more details about Saturday....

Saturday from about mid-day until the wee-hours of the night will be one big giant party. Equal parts of Pot-Luck, Room Crawl, Meet & Greet, Carving Jam, Uke Jam, Strawberry Jam, and top it with some whipped cream and a cherry.

Well, maybe not the whipped cream. Unless your into that kind of thing. And there's nothing wrong with being into that kind of thing, just please keep your curtains closed so as to not offend those that may be on a diet.

Anyway....

If you are driving in and are inclined to crafts of any nature that are portable, bring them along and stake out a piece of grass to show off, teach, buy or sell. Last time we had a bit of wood carving as well as some ceramic work going.

Anybody want to share a room?
Text me at 754-281-9739
Q...AKA...conchchowder...aka...Keith

Continuing information for Saturday.... Pot Luck Dinner!

Well, dinner is not quite right because it is going to be an all-day kind of thing.

Nothing really to explain for a pot-luck... bring something to share and enjoy. Protein, vegetable, dessert, beverages, any combination of those things if you are creative.

Andy and I are bringing crock-pot pork and a large Sweet-Tea punch.

Please share here if your bringing something specific. Or don't share and keep it a surprise because that will be fun too!

Excited!! Trevor and I will probably bring boozy brownies and a seafood/pasta salad. Hope I can talk him into bringing his chisels and a chunk of wood to do some work and get some tips from experienced carvers. I'll probably just sit in the background with a drink and make caustic comments :)

I'm definitely in for the distillery tour and lunch at "Trader Vics" (snicker).

Anyway - working on getting up to the springs as well.
It ain't for lack of want to - just time is all.

If anybody hits the Sarasota area Friday night, a couple of us are hitting the Bahi Hut, could be tours of the robot room after

Robotiki
Mira Mar League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

[ Edited by: robotiki 2011-08-29 08:04 ]

The goat pissed me off. Good news? Curried goat for Saturday's grazing event!

How is the weather looking for the weekend?

Ify....that tropical storm will be dragging stuff across the state. Hopefully we'll have more sun that rain and I'm bringing a canopy and I'll have my local bring another one or two.

Trader Trick and I had a most delightful time with our ohana & new friends. Thank you for all the food, fun, spirits & great company.

You are the best!!!

It really was a perfect weekend. The weather held out for us. It did not rain and wasn't too terribly hot, and we could not have asked for better company. Loved it! I vote we do Silver Springs now!!!

I was accepted to Mermaid Camp and went back 2 weeks later to be trained by the former WW mermaids!!
We spent 2 days learning & practicing in front of the underwater theater between shows. This was the most magical time of my life. Getting to know the former mermaids was a treasure & it was an honor to swim with them.

On 2011-10-24 06:51, Tiki Bree wrote:
I was accepted to Mermaid Camp and went back 2 weeks later to be trained by the former WW mermaids!!
We spent 2 days learning & practicing in front of the underwater theater between shows. This was the most magical time of my life. Getting to know the former mermaids was a treasure & it was an honor to swim with them.

Thats great. Glad you had lots of fun. Are you going to get to swim with them in a show now? That would be very exciting. You will have to keep us posted. It was my first time there. We really enjoyed seeing WW.

Alas no, TikiRenee. The training for show mermaids takes several months & also requires a scuba certification. Because of the scuba requirements none of us were trained to use the air hose, so all underwater time had to be holding our breath. But I hope to go back to camp again in the future even though it took me 2 days to thaw out after being chilled in the cold spring water.

Here's a photo of Tiki Bree when she was a Weeki Wachee mermaid! Her photo was taken during mermaid camp! Tiki Bree definitely made a splash! :)