There's something about merfolk that captures the imagination of kids of all ages. There's a sense of wonder and excitement, and very often that sense carries to our world and our oceans. Sapphyre the Abilene Mermaid hopes to share some of that excitement with others and also teach how you can respect the environment you live in - even if you're in the middle of West Texas! You can make a difference in your community and ultimately a difference in our world!

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Look for Sapphyre in Abilene's annual Childrens Arts and Literacy Festival (CALF) Parade in June! She's spending a lot of time out at sea, but she hopes to visit Abilene a lot more soon. Thanks for visiting!

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What Can You Do?

How can you help the oceans all the way from West Texas?

• Think about what you use. The less plastics you use, the less there will be for being thrown away and possibly ending up in oceans.
• Pick up after yourself. No matter where you go in the world, don't leave trash behind. You'll form good habits that will protect all wildlife and nature, which will include the ocean if you ever go visit.
• Be smart fish owners. Don't release pet fish into waterways, since many aquarium fish are invasive to wild fish. This means aquarium fish don't live very peacefully with the wild fish, and that isn't good for our natural ecosystem.
• Love where you live. One way to get involved in the Abilene community is by visiting Keep Abilene Beautiful. They often hold trash clean-ups, tree and rain barrel giveaways, and share great information about how to keep Abilene a great place to live!

Ocean Facts

Here's some cool facts about the ocean:

• There are five oceans that cover the earth: The Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, and the Southern Ocean.
• The earth is 70% covered in oceans - which means there's more water on the earth's surface than there is land!
• The longest mountain range is actually underwater - the Mid Oceanic-Ridge forms a single, global ridge system.
• The largest living structure is also found in the ocean - the Great Barrier Reef. You can even see it from space!
• Humans have only explored about 5% of the world's oceans (and merfolk haven't done much better!)
• The deepest point in all of the oceans is within the Mariana Trench. Called the Challenger Deep, its depth is around 35,000 feet (10,920 meters).
• Some ocean-dwelling creatures are bioluminescent, which means they can produce their own light. Many animals of the deep ocean have bioluminescence.
• The largest animal on our entire planet is an ocean-dwelling animal: the Blue Whale! It is almost 98 feet (30 meters) in length - that's longer than a basketbal court!
• Most of the oxygen we breathe comes from the oceans. Thanks, oceans!

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View some photos from Sapphyre's many adventures!

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When not donning a mermaid tail, Sapphyre is a human named Jill D'Entremont. She works for the City of Abilene as a graphic designer and webmaster, and her hobbies include illustrating, writing, and singing. You can check out her artwork portfolio at Blue Raven Artworks.

Her mermaid name is from her original character, Sapphyre. She has been drawing and dreaming of mermaids ever since she was a kid, so being a mermaid now is truly a dream come true!

Jill got started with a FinFolk Productions fabric tail, but she now sports a Mertailor Custom Whimsy fabric tail made to look just like her illustrations of Sapphyre! While she is often seen on land, she's a skilled swimmer and can really move once you put her in the water! And yes, even mermaids have to wear glasses - or goggles - sometimes!

Jill was born in Abilene, Texas and attended Hardin-Simmons University where she majored in Graphic Design. She is a Christian and is happily married to her husband, Sean (aka the "Mer-tographer") who has always been incredibly supportive of her endeavors. She is a hu-mom to a dachshund named Amber and a tabby cat named Roulette, and she is a step-mom to Gregory. She has always felt a special connection to Abilene, and she loves how family-friendly and artistic the city can be. The designation of Abilene as the Storybook Capital of America only proves it!