Sea Maiden art

Sea Babies conference by Robert Kline

Laughing Phillip was at the masthead chuckling to himself, when he spied a remarkable little spit of an island. “HA! HA! LAND HO! HARD ON THE STARBOARD BOW! HO! HO! AND AIN’T IT ‘A COVERED WITH SEA BABIES! HA!”
The news roared through the ship like a pistol ball through butter. “Get his honor!” “Find Sir Edmund! Tell him we gots Sea Babies on the horizon!”
The naturalist was besides himself when they finally reached the island, lowered a boat and rowed to explore. Hundreds of Sea Babies of every make and model cavorted on the broad sand. Old Gnarly Dan tugged at the thatch of hair escaping his ear and provided colorful commentary as Sir Edmund looked and listened, pointing here, there and everywhere at the wiggling, crawling and cooing assemblage.
“They’d be happy right now!” Gnarly Dan instructed “ They mums come here but once a year.
Sir Edmund was confused. “My good man, I see no mothers. Why, these babies are unattended. Perhaps disaster has struck!”Gnarly Dan scoffed at the naturalist’s ignorance. “Why ‘a course they ain’t right here!” He then turned and pointed to an area beyond the Baci. While the ocean was calm, the area the old salt indicated roiled gently, bubbles breaking the surface to and fro. “They mum’s ‘d be out there. They’s hobnobbin’ na’ cathin’ up on Sea Maiden news. They all meets here, then leaves the young ‘uns on the island an’ slips off for a watch or two at just be together an’ chat.” “Why would they do such a thing?” Sir Edmund inquired, obviously at a loss.
Gnarly Dan looked at the naturalist as if he’s been born that morning. “Has his honor ever been in close quarters with a little ‘un day after day?”
Sir Edmund shook his head and answered, “My good man, I have no children.”
The old salt squinted at the naturalist. “Well mark me word. Gov’ner; them mums need at get away or they’ll go daft. At last count I got ‘bout a dozen or so little nippers me self an’ a good three year voyage is a nice break. It’s why I goes ta sea.”

Sir Edmund’s journal reads:
Wondrous sightings! Sea Babies everywhere! The third group we studied was to all appearances holding some sort of Sea Baby conference! Gnarly Dan claims their distinct coloration assures nothing more than distant relationship. Says he, “They could be five mums what calls ‘em hers, or as few as one. All them tails tells a gob is that they comes from the same place on the chart. Could be they’s never laid eyes on one another ‘til this watch through. You can be sure they mums is fast friends by now. Nothin’ opens a Sea Maiden’s heart like a child. It’s like they ain’t had but half a life ‘til they gets a little nipper or two at round things out.” How droll.
Sea Babies 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16
Sex Indeterminate. Infantus Curious. Diminished height. Light weight. Short, curly hair. Tails of clown fish.
Sighted on an uncharted island. May6, 1834

This illustration is available for purchase in the following matted sizes: 5″ x 7″, 8″ x 10″, 11″ x 14″ and an 11″ x 17″ that comes unmatted on a piece of 1/4″ foam board.

Purchase prints here

Sea Babies 18 and 19 Embrace by Robert Kline

Beautiful babies were on the horizon, yet, the worst argument of Sir Edmund Roberts’ voyage was at hand. It occurred when the naturalist suggested to his very pregnant wife the wisdom of a side trip to the frigid waters near the south pole. “It would be a capital idea, dearest!” he proclaimed, “The cool air might improve your disposition!”
Clutching her very swollen tummy, she responded in a trice, “Having no back ache would improve my disposition, you imbecile! Food that would remain claim in my stomach would help my disposition, you blithering idiot! Fewer kicks and prods from my interior would benefit my disposition you unthinking dolt! The company of an intelligent woman would enhance my disposition, you ham-handed, ignorant boor; and certainly, the presence of one sensitive man would buoy my disposition, you foolish nincompoop! An unmoving floor beneath my feet; and since you apparently do not understand such matters, a feather bed with down comforters and soft pillows would definitely aid my disposition, you nit-wit—though you would rather think of underwater machines and other women! And truth be known, a land with absolutely no men would probably allow my disposition to soar to heights unimagined, sir. If you are aware of such a place, please direct our helmsman!”
She was still speaking as Sir Edmund backed away to the sanity of the hold, obsessively to supervise the finishing touches on his submarine. Gnarly Dan wisely accompanied him, whispering as they retreated, “This’d be a fine time at be a bit more quite, Yer honor; our Cap is close to mutiny if ya ain’t noticed.”
It was shortly after they were below decks that both men heard the helmsman alert and sails altered as the good H.M.S Baci did indeed turn her course southward toward the land of ice. Sir Edmund and Gnarly Dan exchanged glances without comment.
They sailed to the icy waters, had a wonderful, if frustrating, adventure regarding a ghost ship, and later encountered an iceberg populated with penguins and Sea Babies.

“They’s just makin’ friends a’ locals,” Gnarly Dan explained. “Yer Sea Baby’d be as open an’ friendly as any gob could wish.” They lowered Halley’s patented diving apparatus, from whose window Sir Edmund immediately spied a brace of Sea Babies embracing. Gnarly Dan explained “They mums is prob’ly around’ somewhere, hobnobbin like they does, an’ they pa’s is likely off wrestin’ sea lions or some such sport.” They’d allowed the aging seamen, Rodin, to accompany them. He studied the pair of sea creatures wistfully and finally added, “Ain’t nothin’ a man can create better’n babies.”

Sir Edmunds journal reads:
Phantom ships and frolicking Sea Babies. Ice birds (penguins!) and ice islands. My new bride is full with the bloom of life, though a bit piquant for my taste (this dangerous observation confided to the obscurity of my journal).
Sea Babies 18 and 19
Quite healthy. Apparently happy. Beautiful coloration.
May 5, 1836 – Queen Maud’s Land

This illustration is available for purchase in the following matted sizes: 5″ x 7″, 8″ x 10″, 11″ x 14″ and an 11″ x 17″ that comes unmatted on a piece of 1/4″ foam board.

Purchase prints here

Sea babies 7 and 8 by Robert Kline

Laughing Phillip was at the masthead chuckling to himself, when he spied a remarkable little spit of an island. “HA! HA! LAND HO! HARD ON THE STARBOARD BOW! HO! HO! AND AIN’T IT ‘A COVERED WITH SEA BABIES! HA!”
The news roared through the ship like a pistol ball through butter. “Get his honor!” “Find Sir Edmund! Tell him we gots Sea Babies on the horizon!”
The naturalist was besides himself when they finally reached the island, lowered a boat and rowed to explore. Hundreds of Sea Babies of every make and model cavorted on the broad sand. Old Gnarly Dan tugged at the thatch of hair escaping his ear and provided colorful commentary as Sir Edmund looked and listened, pointing here, there and everywhere at the wiggling, crawling and cooing assemblage.
“They’d be happy right now!” Gnarly Dan instructed “ They mums come here but once a year.
Sir Edmund was confused. “My good man, I see no mothers. Why, these babies are unattended. Perhaps disaster has struck!”
Gnarly Dan scoffed at the naturalist’s ignorance. “Why ‘a course they ain’t right here!” He then turned and pointed to an area beyond the Baci. While the ocean was calm, the area the old salt indicated roiled gently, bubbles breaking the surface to and fro. “They mum’s ‘d be out there. They’s hobnobbin’ na’ cathin’ up on Sea Maiden news. They all meets here, then leaves the young ‘uns on the island an’ slips off for a watch or two at just be together an’ chat.” “Why would they do such a thing?” Sir Edmund inquired, obviously at a loss. Gnarly Dan looked at the naturalist as if he’s been born that morning. “Has his honor ever been in close quarters with a little ‘un day after day?”
Sir Edmund shook his head and answered, “My good man, I have no children.”
The old salt squinted at the naturalist. “Well mark me word. Gov’ner; them mums need at get away or they’ll go daft. At last count I got ‘bout a dozen or so little nippers me self an’ a good three year voyage is a nice break. It’s why I goes ta sea.”

Sir Edmund’s journal reads:
Wondrous sighting! Sea babies everywhere! The first two we studied were enraptured by a starfish!

This illustration is available for purchase in the following matted sizes: 5″ x 7″, 8″ x 10″, 11″ x 14″ and an 11″ x 17″ that comes unmatted on a piece of 1/4″ foam board.

Purchase print here

Sea Babies 4, 5, and 6 swimming with sea turtle by Robert Kline

Fair wind. Beclamed. Fair wind. Beclamed. Thus did the good ship HMS Baci stutter toward the Galapagos Islands. Twice in the proximity of the American whaling vessel, Pequod, they saw their once pristine ocean a river of whale blood and viscera. It was after one such encounter that Sir Edmund Roberts, gentleman naturalist and Sea Maiden questor sost solace in the deep.
Over the side and submerged in Halley’s patented diving apparatus, in the company of Gnarly Dan, the ever verbal old salt and the beautiful Captain Constance Daphne Fitzwillie, Sir Edmund watched in silence as a massive sea turtle appeared out of the distant darkness.
“Chelonia mydas,” he noted quietly, stirring Gnarly Dan from his reverie (no doubt involving at least one of his three wives for he alternately smiled and frowned).
The old salt squinted and remarked, “I’d call ‘em Sea babies an’ a whopping’ big turtle an’ skip the mumbo jumbo me self, though talkin’ in tongues does seem at please yer honor.”
Captain Constance Daphne smiled at “tongues” and leaned to the window. In the wake of the sea turtle three Sea Babies did indeed appear from the gloom, they languidly following. “Making sport with other sea fauna,” Sir Edmund observed and was immediately corrected by the old salt.
“Ya does recall, yer honor, that not three cables back we passed a pacel ‘a whale blood ‘n guts?”
“I could not have missed it, had I tried,” the naturalist answered, curious in spite of himself.

“An ya recollects yer Sea Babies an’ they mums keep track by mum’s sweet air bubbles; the young ‘uns playin’ in ‘em and never strayin’ far?” Gnarly Dan waited and then concluded, well that lake ‘a whale scud has thrown ‘em off. Why them Sea Babies as struck as a blind man inna gale. They’s lost, sure enough, an’ ole Mrs. Turtle’s leadin’ ‘em back.”
Clearly, Sir Edmund was impressed. “Sea turtles do that? Consistently?”
Gnarly Dan slowly rubbed his gray stubble, nipped a fleck of liquid from the side of his mouth and confided, “Course they does. It’s natural like. All yer sea creatures takes care a one another, lest they’s eatin’. That sea turtle’ll get ‘em back as sure as the mornin’ breeze. They’ll be a sorta homecomin’ an’ she’ll get a hug or two from the sea mums an’ then off she’ll go as sure as kiss my hand.”
“Might could be a little sad, what with the whale bein’ defeated. Be a pity if she has young ‘uns.” The old salt ruminated and then added, “Kno’d a sea cow at adopt a whale baby or two. It happens.”
Slowly the foursome glided past the bell into the gloom. Gnarly Dan cleared his throat and concluded, “Bad enough how we’s mucked things up on shore. Don’t seem right we brings our short comin’s under the sea.

Sir Edmund’s journal reads:
Sighted three Sea Babies in the company of a green sea turtle. East of the Galapagos Islands – November 14, 1833

This illustration is available for purchase in the following matted sizes: 5″ x 7″, 8″ x 10″, 11″ x 14″ and an 11″ x 17″ that comes unmatted on a piece of 1/4″ foam board.

Purchase print here

Sea Babies 2 and 3 by Robert Kline

This wonderful Sea babies print is from a collection of Mermaids, Mermen, Sea babies and pirates created by renowned author and artist Robert Kline of St. Augustine, Florida. The print is a lithograph reproduction of an original pencil and watercolor painting. It has been hand labeled and hand signed by Robert in pencil. All of the prints come with a 1/4″ foam backing and the 5″ x 7″, 8″ x 10″, 11″ x 14″ are matted so all you need is a frame and they are ready to hang on your wall! Each of the prints also comes with an excerpt from Robert’s novel The Forgotten Voyage of H.M.S. Baci in which the Sea Captain Sir Edmund Roberts describes his various Sea Maiden, Sea Master and Sea baby sightings. Thus, you will receive the page from the novel describing the particular event in which the character in the print is sighted. The following is a hint of what was written for this print:

“The next day during the last descent of Halley’s patented diving apparatus (before it was ferried to the HMS Baci and stowed), Sir Edmund spied a brace of sea babies cavorting in a galaxy of slowly rising bubbles. Gnarly Dan jostled the naturalist away from the glass port to get a better view, prompting Sir Edmund to object, ” Calm yourself man; they are only infants.” to which the old salt responded with venom and disbelief. “Any man who doesn’t love a baby has forgot too much, learned too little or ships a heart cold as a broke cannon.”

This illustration is available for purchase in the following matted sizes: 5″ x 7″, 8″ x 10″, 11″ x 14″ and an 11″ x 17″ that comes unmatted on a piece of 1/4″ foam board.

Purchase prints here

Sea Baby 1 with porpoise by Robert Kline

This beautiful illustration is from a collection of Sea Maidens (mermaids), Sea Babies (mermaid babies), Sea Masters (merman), pirates and fairies created by renowned artist and novelist Robert Kline of St. Augustine, Florida. The illustrations are from Robert’s novel The Forgotten Voyage of H.M.S. Baci in which the Sea Captain, Sir Edmund Roberts describes in his log, his various Sea Maiden, Sea Baby and Sea Master sightings. Please visit each of the illustrations to read about the event in which the character was sighted. The following is a hint of what is written in the excerpt for this illustration:

“The day following Edmund C. Roberts’ sighting of a pregnant Sea Maiden was also productive. In the morning the young explorer left the company of his hangers-on and made a solo descent in his diving apparatus. He immediately sighted his first sea baby, it apparently enjoying the company of a rather docile dolphin. Roberts’ notebook is brief regarding this encounter, but the diaries of others aboard the Baci Finale allow for our fleshing out of his reaction: That evening Roberts retired to his salon. He was later joined by the triplets, Sara, Sue and Marie just as he finished his preliminary sketch. All three girls tiptoed up behind the young man and peered over his shoulders. Sara drew in her breath. “A sea baby an’ a dolphin! Never thought a’ that.”

This illustration is available for purchase in the following matted sizes: 5″ x 7″, 8″ x 10″, 11″ x 14″ and an 11″ x 17″ that comes unmatted on a piece of 1/4″ foam board.

Purchase prints here

Sea Maiden Lily and pirate by Robert Kline

These beautiful illustrations are from a collection of Sea Maidens (mermaids), Sea Babies, Sea Masters (merman), pirates and fairies created by renowned artist and novelist Robert Kline of St. Augustine, Florida. The illustrations are from Robert’s novel The Forgotten Voyage of H.M.S. Baci in which the Sea Captain, Sir Edmund Roberts describes in his log, his various Sea Maiden, Sea Baby and Sea Master sightings. Please visit each of the illustrations to read about the event in which the character was sighted.

The forgotten voyage of the HMS Baci –

At the of 1831, unfettered by domestic bliss and flush with his most recent legacy, Sir Edmund Roberts, gentleman naturalist and Sea Maiden questor chartered H.M.S Baci and left English waters on a voyage of discovery and intrigue.

Sea Baby swimming with porpoise by Robert Kline

This is the story of that journey; of Sir Edmund’s unparalleled success in documenting and cataloguing the oceans’ Sea Maiden population; and of his conquest of the heart of his captain, Constance Daphne Fitzwille. It is also the saga of their ever-escalating battles with that despicable cur, the loathsome pirate Naughty Nat; the scourge of the rolling main and a man who gave no quarter, took no prisoners, and respected no women the day before or the morning after. Their tale is interwoven with the last days of the old salt, Gnarly Dan. He was a sailor’s sailor with the sea in his blood, an irrepressible yarn to be told, and a heart of oak.

Known as The Forgotten Voyage, it is the last of the great adventure stories and the final truly romantic tale. Never again would the world see such a gathering of wooden ships and iron men, and one remarkable women.

HMS Baci Finale by Robert Kline