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There she was…no hoax, no tricks…a fabled creature only seen by ancient sailors in distant waters. Just out of reach, a live mermaid swam before us under the warm Florida sun. We stood as if frozen in time, confused and unsure of the wonderment we were witnessing.

Mermaid Tammi playfully swam from end to end, occasionally surfacing to cautiously investigate us. With each pass she gained a bit more trust as we remained perfectly motionless. Each time she surfaced, she stayed just a few seconds longer; each time allowing us to gaze on her just bit more. A remarkable calm filled the afternoon as we seemed to bridge the great divide between land and water.

Finally, our mermaid understood we had only child-like curiosity. She shared a huge, watery smile and a wink from her eye and that was all invitation Brittany needed. With one, very unplanned leap, she splashed into the mermaid’s world. She simply could not pass up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to swim, if even for a brief moment, with a live mermaid. One from the water and one from the land, a true connection was made.

As for me, I was lucky enough to capture this mystical moment as proof mermaids are real and dreams can come true.

Behind the Scene: Single Frame, Processed in LR, PS and Nik Analog Efex

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