By Olivia McDonald

Mermaid Sighting In Prince George

Nov 3, 2018 | 1:56 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – It’s not every day you see a mermaid in your local pool. In Prince George, it’s more common than you think.

There was a big splash at the Four Seasons Leisure Pool on Saturday, and it wasn’t from a cannon-ball. It was members of the Northern Pod group sliding on their tails for their weekly swim.

Korin Burke started the pod in Prince George about a year and a half ago after seeing a few tails at a pool in Vancouver. Burke says most of his family doesn’t even know he swims with a tail and when he brings it up in conversation, it typically gets brushed to the side. 

“This is more of a second family to me now and that is what I try to really push through. People battle insecurity, people don’t want their family to know they are maybe a little bit of a bulkier person and if you swim like a mermaid that’s fine, come join us,” says Burke. 

Every time the pod gets into the water their group seems to grow as the tails create questions and interest from other swimmers. 

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“The young kids absolutely love it. Anywhere from toddlers to six years old, it’s ‘Where did you guys get your tails, did you make them?’ They are enthralled by it and it’s really cool just to see their completely natural reactions of just ‘Omg mermaids exist again!’ You see their minds just tick and they love it,” Burke adds. 

Swimming with a tail is not only a great workout but once they slip it on, Burke says it’s a boost of confidence as well. 

“There’s a few of us that are pushing the boundaries of being camera shy, being out in public or actually being what they’ve always dreamed that they want to be. So I think it’s just more freeing than anything else.”

Burkes tail is ordered from a special Mertailor in the US and costs roughly $600 but other members of the pod chose to hand make their own for just over $100. The group encourages the public to approach them with curiosity and questions because they love expanding their mermaid pod.