The Mermaids of Cove and Seaton

The weak sun wavers as it drops below the horizon. The endless blue-black wash of the sea reflects and refracts like crumpled tin foil at golden hour. She summersaults and glides beneath the water, feeling the rush of bubbles graze her skin as they pop to the surface. Rumours of her legend whisper along the coast and sweep through the villages with the wind. You know she is there, you’re sure. Yet the ocean’s cloak conceals her, and she dodges your curious gaze.

Do you believe in mermaids?

Throughout folklore, culture, and mythology mermaids are imagined in many polarizing ways. From kind, charming, and innocent to vicious, cruel, and destructive. The Cove Mind & Body icon features a mermaid, of the serene and beautiful kind. She was designed by Rachel from Wilding Studios, who shaped the branding. I wanted an icon as part of the logo family and imagined it to be something folky and related to the local area, possibly a selkie or mermaid. Rachel presented a range of ideas featuring mermaids and Cornish choughs. It sealed the deal. I was instantly drawn to the mermaids and asked some friends to help me choose which design to go with as they were all so gorgeous.

I think our mermaid completes Cove so well. She embodies so many of the things that inspire me and that I want to manifest through my class, workshop, and gathering offering. Mermaids come from folklore and storytelling. They connect people to the natural environment and the sea. They spark imagination, creativity, magic, and adventure. In more contemporary culture they’re becoming synonymous with self-care.

There is a mermaid resident along the coast here, between Looe and Downderry. The story goes that the sandy beach of Seaton was once a thriving fishing village, the ocean brimming with bream and bass. A crew of fishermen cast their nets into a shoal of pilchards near the harbour. Intrigued by the burly giants, the mermaid approached and began to flirt. But the men, busy with the task at hand, rejected her advances in favour of securing their catch. In the flurry, the mermaid became entangled with the nets too. A young sailor noticed and cut her free with his knife. But the mermaid was insulted and angry. Scorned, she shrieked her curse and whipped up a whirling sandstorm. Sand heaps over the harbour and destroys the village. From then on, Seaton was simply a beautiful beach nestled in the coast of South East Cornwall.

We may never catch a glimpse of the mermaid in the sea. And there will always be contrasting stereotypes of the enigmatic mythical creature. But the Cove mermaid represents looking after yourself and nature and connects us to folk culture, imagination, and creativity.