Deschutes River mermaids make quite a splash

“The river is a better gym than any other gym that you would go to,” mermaid Stephanie Villanueva said Thursday.

The water can be used as all forms of exercise for the people who feel right at home in it.

“Always, ever since I was little, I was always first one in the water, last one out of the water,” Villanueva said.

The Deschutes River is no stranger to all types of recreation, but it’s the new residents who are making a splash.

“Mermaid!” one child said upon making a sighting.

“Mermaids in Bend, Oregon!” an Australian tourist said.

“I like doing magical things that not many people do,” mermaid Katie Scott said.

The magic of freshwater mermaids catches the eye of the young and old!

“It’s unique, and magical!” one girl said.

“I never thought I’d see a mermaid in my whole life,” a tourist said.

The price tag on the magic can be steep, with a silicon fin costing more than $2,500.

“Kind of pricey,” Scott said. “But as an artist myself,. I totally understand that.”

This hobby also involves sharing the river.

“It feels like you’re swimming down a freeway,” Villanueva said.

They are surprising river-goers as they go all out with their fishy antics.

“Then I usually do a little tail flip, and they all start freaking out,” Villanueva said.

These mermaids swim from Farewell Park to the Old Mill Bridge in Bend, a total trip of 30 to 45 minutes.

“Keep life young and interesting,” Scott said.

While also keeping the young very interested.

“Every time I went down, people would start taking more and more pictures, and people would start yelling, ‘It’s a mermaid! We saw you yesterday!'” Villanueva said.

A magical hobby that is simply fin-tastic!

You can follow the Deschutes River Mermaids on their Facebook page.