Free the mermaid!

File this one under taking fun away.

LITHIA - A rule against fins in some FishHawk community pools is making it hard for a woman in a mermaid suit to find a place to swim.

Jenna Conti, "The FishHawk Mermaid" is gaining fans from all over the world after she was banned last week from appearing at one of her local pools wearing her intricate, eye-catching silicon tail.

A Mermaid at FishHawk, making waves

Sounds like fun.  I have some swim fins (I'm an old swimmer swimming against time), but no mermaid merman gear.

Conti - who began performing under the mermaid name "Eden Sirène" before changing the spelling of the last name to "Serene" following a whirlwind week - was asked to leave the pool at the Aquatic Club of FishHawk Ranch because of the no-fin rule. The rule also prohibits the use of goggles and swim masks unless swimmers are taking part in a class.

No goggles?  Even Olympians use goggles.  Me too.  But not at FishHawk.

We have rules, you see.

Ryan Lochte, Olympic Gold medalist, would be asked to leave FishHawk if wore those goggles!

Meanwhile, Conti introduced herself on the community Facebook page.

The comments were overwhelmingly positive, with a few expressing doubts about her motives. Conti herself is the mother of a 10-year-old son.

"People were disappointed she was turned away," said Abruzzese, who videotaped Eden Sirène in action for a post on the FishHawk Area Neighborhood Facebook page. "You don't have to worry about her, she does this for the kids."

Conti brought the tail with her to Tuesday's meeting and maintains the appendage is no safety hazard. However, CDD board members still expressed liability concerns, but seemed open to working with Conti on some sort of arrangement.

Let's not have fun.

I'll see you at the pool dark and early tomorrow morning... with my silicon fins, goggles, paddles, pull bouy,...  I have lots of illegal swim toys.

The revolution begins at the pool!