Sea Maiden Ursala with Baby - Kiss your children now for soon they'll swim away.

Sea Maiden 22 Ursala and Sea Baby

Mermaid mother with baby art and story by Robert Kline

This print has the saying “Kiss your children now for soon they’ll swim away” printed on it.

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

This beautiful mermaid mother with her Sea Baby art print and story are from a collection of Sea Maidens (mermaids), Sea Babies (mermaid babies), Sea Masters (merman), pirates, lighthouses and fairies created by renowned artist and novelist Robert Kline of St. Augustine, Florida.  The print is a lithograph reproduction of Robert’s original watercolor and pencil painting. Hand labeled and signed by Robert in pencil, all 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 print also comes with an excerpt from Robert’s novel The Forgotten Voyage of H.M.S. Baci. A fantastic saga in which multiple generations of the Roberts’ family explore the seven seas in search of the world’s mermaid and merman population. Thus, you receive the passage from Robert’s novel describing the particular event in which the character(s) in the print were sighted. The following is the excerpt written for the Sea Maiden 22 Ursala and Sea Baby print:

Trouble in paradise and not a lump of coal to be had! The wheels of the financial ruin planned for Edmund C. Roberts had at last begun to turn. Of the two undiscovered stowaways, the one planning monetary mischief (this would not be the stowaway bent on torture and murder with the aid of voodoo), had finally gained access to the ship’s wireless station and communicated with Roberts’ trust administrators, convincing them he was indeed Roberts, and that a breach of security had been discovered and consequently he (Roberts), would most definitely not wish for any further funds to advance him until he had dealt with the matter. In the meantime, the counterfeit Roberts advised, all messages from him would henceforth begin with the code word, “pilfer”, in that way altering his principals that it was the real Edmund C. Roberts making any requests.

The first problem arose when the Baci Finale steamed back to the coaling station in San Francisco. The good ship was in desperate need of coal, as they had run down past their reserves in recent weeks because Roberts’ Sea Turtle tangent. And so when they were asked to vacate the docks, Roberts was beyond anger. “Good Lord, man, what do you mean, ‘My credit is not good here?’ My credit, I will inform you, is good anywhere in the world. Anywhere. At any time. There must be some regrettable mistake. Please redo whatever it was that you did in the first place. There has obviously been an error. Perhaps if you would enlist a little competence we might proceed.” The station master would have none of it. “You have no credit and your ship, sir, is now trespassing. Have your captain vacate this dock immediately or I’ll have you arrested and your vessel impounded. Do I make myself clear?”

Roberts sputtered off, regained the Baci and was doubly vexed when once again he was unable to speak directly with his captain. (He had not seen him once since he has departed on his voyage, despite every effort he had made. The ship’s first officer had waylaid him at every turn). The long and short of it is, the ship was moved and Roberts had the turbine launch roused so that he might dissipate his anger. He roared out of the harbor and up the coast, fortune bringing him to a secluded bay where he chanced upon a Sea Maiden with her baby. He’d allowed the triplets and his naturalist, Dr. Marie Gebeaux to accompany him, and that proved to be unfortunate. All five of them gazed across the water at the Sea Maiden and her child, and all five thought of their own mothers and their respective abandonment. It was a very gloomy group that returned to the ship later that day.

Roberts’ notebook reads:
Is there no end to the taunting? Spied our 22nd Sea Maiden in the company of her child. A moving scene. Quite touching, really. That is, if one had not, as a child, been discarded by his own mother!
Sea Maiden 22 “Ursala” Sea Baby 2
April 2, 1913

Sea Maiden and Sea Master Neptune by Robert Kline

Here you will find the most extensive selection of Sea Maidens (Mermaids), Sea Masters (Mermen), Sea Babies (Mermaid babies) and pirates created by renowned artist and author Robert Kline of St. Augustine, Florida. These beautiful prints are lithograph reproductions of original pencil and watercolor paintings. All of the prints come on 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! They have been hand labeled and hand signed by Robert in pencil. Each of the prints also comes with an excerpt from Robert’s novel The Forgotten Voyage of H.M.S Baci in which Sir Edmund Roberts, gentlemen naturalist and Sea Maiden questor describes his various Sea Baby, Sea Maiden and Sea Master sightings. Thus, you will receive the page from the novel describing the particular event in which the character in the print is sighted.

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Sea Maiden 36 Jane nursing Sea Baby by Robert Kline

Sea Maiden 36 Jane nursing Sea Baby by Robert Kline

This beautiful Sea Maiden mother and Sea Baby illustration is from a collection of Sea Maidens (mermaids), Sea Babies (mermaid babies), Sea Masters (merman), pirates, lighthouses 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 Sir Edmund Roberts describes in his log, his various Sea Maiden, Sea Baby and Sea Master sightings. The following is a hint of what is written in the excerpt for this illustration:

Then it was February and Midway Island, Sir Edmund Roberts, the inveterate adventurer and Sea Maiden questor, spying at last his gooney birds; the world’s most accomplished fliers. They were, however, less adapt at rejoining terra firma. Again and again naturalist and crew laughed heartily when the big birds drifted to land, lowered their webbed feet and then tumbled topsail over copper.

And later there was a Sea Maiden, she with her child and it at her breast. Captain Constance Daphne Fitzwillie, Gnarly Dan and Sir Edmund were in Halley’s patented diving apparatus at the time, they enjoying a quiet afternoon and discussing repairs to the good old Baci. Gnarly Dan was the first to spy the Sea Maiden. “Warn’t that the most sweetest thing,” he whispered as he pointed out the pair to the others. The creatures drifted by, the mother cradling her baby and looking off, the most serene look on her face. The baby suckled, the picture of contentment, finally nestling closer and apparently falling asleep. Constance Daphne became wistful, a tiny smile and a teary look accompanying her as she brought her arms to her chest and rocked slowly from side to side as if holding a child of her own.

Gnarly Dan was also moved. “There ain’t no denyin’ the beauty of a cannon or a well-found ship, but yer sea mum an’ child…that’d be about the best they is.” Captain Constance Daphne turned away momentarily, dabbed at her eyes and then looked long and hard at Sir Edmund. He was watching the mother and child intently and when he finally looked back to Constance Daphne it was as if he were imagining a different scene. He thought a moment and then said, “While I’m an older gentleman, as you are well aware, we shall eventually return to England. There are only about thirty extra rooms in our ancestral home; I dare say at least one could be made into a proper nursery.”

Later they sat quietly on the beach until the sun set, Captain Constance Daphne leaning heavily onto Sir Edmund; Gnarly Dan a little in front of the two muttering without end about Sea Babies, babies proper, nursing mothers, sugar treats and assorted other bits of conventional wisdom. So perfect was the evening that at one point the naturalist entertained the thought of inviting the old salt to visit them once ashore for good. He actually even toyed with offering employment. Years in the future he would look back on that day and evening as one of the finest in his life.

His journal reads:
Most content of afternoons. Whilst in the company of my recent bride, the beautiful Constance Daphne, we spied a Sea Maiden mother with child. Endearing spectacle. Pleased to have viewed it in the presence of the captain.
Maidenus leche “Jane” Healthy mother. Long hair, still without color. Medium build.
Infantus contentus, Healthy child. A bit pudgy. Sighted off midway island
February 15, 1835

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 22 Ursala and Sea baby by Robert Kline

Sea Maiden 22 Ursala and Sea Baby by Robert Kline

This beautiful Sea Maiden mother and Sea Baby illustration is from a collection of Sea Maidens (mermaids), Sea Babies (mermaid babies), Sea Masters (merman), pirates, lighthouses 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 Sir Edmund Roberts describes in his log, his various Sea Maiden, Sea Baby and Sea Master sightings. The following is a hint of what is written in the excerpt for this illustration:

Trouble in paradise and not a lump of coal to be had! The wheels of the financial ruin planned for Edmund C. Roberts had at last begun to turn. Of the two undiscovered stowaways, the one planning monetary mischief (this would not be the stowaway bent on torture and murder with the aid of voodoo), had finally gained access to the ship’s wireless station and communicated with Roberts’ trust administrators, convincing them he was indeed Roberts, and that a breach of security had been discovered and consequently he (Roberts), would most definitely not wish for any further funds to advance him until he had dealt with the matter. In the meantime, the counterfeit Roberts advised, all messages from him would henceforth begin with the code word, “pilfer”, in that way altering his principals that it was the real Edmund C. Roberts making any requests.

The first problem arose when the Baci Finale steamed back to the coaling station in San Francisco. The good ship was in desperate need of coal, as they had run down past their reserves in recent weeks because Roberts’ Sea Turtle tangent. And so when they were asked to vacate the docks, Roberts was beyond anger. “Good Lord, man, what do you mean, ‘My credit is not good here?’ My credit, I will inform you, is good anywhere in the world. Anywhere. At any time. There must be some regrettable mistake. Please redo whatever it was that you did in the first place. There has obviously been an error. Perhaps if you would enlist a little competence we might proceed.”
The station master would have none of it. “You have no credit and your ship, sir, is now trespassing. Have your captain vacate this dock immediately or I’ll have you arrested and your vessel impounded. Do I make myself clear?”
Roberts sputtered off, regained the Baci and was doubly vexed when once again he was unable to speak directly with his captain. (He had not seen him once since he has departed on his voyage, despite every effort he had made. The ship’s first officer had waylaid him at every turn.)

The long and short of it is, the ship was moved and Roberts had the turbine launch roused so that he might dissipate his anger. He roared out of the harbor and up the coast, fortune bringing him to a secluded bay where he chanced upon a Sea Maiden with her baby. He’d allowed the triplets and his naturalist, Dr. Marie Gebeaux to accompany him, and that proved to be unfortunate. All five of them gazed across the water at the Sea Maiden and her child, and all five thought of their own mothers and their respective abandonment. It was a very gloomy group that returned to the ship later that day.

Roberts’ notebook reads:
Is there no end to the taunting? Spied our 22nd Sea Maiden in the company of her child. A moving scene. Quite touching, really. That is, if one had not, as a child, been discarded by his own mother!
Sea Maiden 22 Ursala and Sea Baby
April 2, 1913

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 16 Pamela with Sea Baby by Robert Kline

Sea Maiden 16 Pamela with Sea Baby by Robert Kline

This beautiful Sea Maiden mother and Sea Baby illustration is from a collection of Sea Maidens (mermaids), Sea Babies (mermaid babies), Sea Masters (merman), pirates, lighthouses 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 Sir Edmund Roberts describes in his log, his various Sea Maiden, Sea Baby and Sea Master sightings. The following is a hint of what is written in the excerpt for this illustration:

In the tepid waters off the western coast of South America, the extended ordeal in Hally’s patented diving apparatus ended with a whimper.
“Always knowed I’d die at sea,” Gnarly Dan lamented, “But I never figured it to be hot and boring.” “It is a bit anti-climactic,” Sir Edmund Roberts added looking with bald longing at their semi-clad and beautiful captain. “Pity.”
The two men lapsed into quiet parley, Gnarly Dan , the old salt with a titanic store of obscure wisdom, and Sir Edmund, the Sea Maiden questor and gentleman naturalist at last concluding it was their manly duty to rescue their captain, Constance Daphne from a watery and ignoble grave. With a show of aged and ineffectual bravado they lowered their feet to the soft sea bottom, braced their bare backs against the bell’s oaken walls and heaved upward, the embarrassing result being that while the diving apparatus did not budge, the men succeeded in forcing themselves knee deep into the warm Pacific ooze. Sir Edmund Roberts wiped his brow, caught his breath and observed, “What we need is a firm bottom,” to which Gnarly Dan apologetically nodded and said, “Beggin’ yer pardon, Cap, but the gentleman is right; we could use your help.”

Captain Fitzwillie, resplendent even in fatigue and perspiration, looked from man to man and then to the details of the bell’s interior. It was some time before she responded, “In some things you remind me of my departed husband, your captain, but in every thing your remind me of men. Breathes there one of you with more insight than insensitivity? You pride yourselves on walking erect though your only advantage lay with you supine!” She warmed to her disdain. “I am mortified to admit I have spent these many hours trapped in a cramped, odorous underwater machine because I accepted your pronouncements of our helplessness.” She too now stood up though she did not attempt lifting the bell. Instead she raised the base of her bench, exposing a rack of iron balls, which she began hefting out and dropping into the mire. Sir Edmund’s face fell to humiliation as she exposed the rack of ballast beneath his own bench and moved to empty it. (The bell was not normally raised by discarding ballast; the ball’s value sufficient to warrant using the crew’s muscle to raise the apparatus following each dive, so the oversight was somewhat reasonable.) As soon as an upward movement was apparent, the three returned to their benches, their weight slowing but not stopping the ascent.

In silence they drifted upward, and in silence they saw their sixteenth Sea Maiden – a beautiful mother with a child riding on her back. Anger and embarrassment melted as the endearing pair circled the bell. “I suppose the youth cannot swim,” Sir Edmund noted, cloaking himself once more in his mantle of science. “Lord above,” Gnarly Dan huffed, “that child could swim to Merry England if she chose. She’s just loving her mum. We tend to forget ‘em where we lives, but yer Sea Maiden gets her strength, and her love from her mother’s heart. And she never forgets. They’s like peas in a pod their whole life.”

Sir Edmund’s notebook recounts:
Intelligence will out: we analyzed our way out of Halley’s bell and saw a Sea Maiden and offspring.
Maidenus Mater
April 12, 1833, Protected harbor of San Carlos, (yet!) island of Chilo’e Average weight, beautiful appearance.
Maidenus infans
3-5 years approximately, slight build, beautiful appearance, scales higher.
The HMS Baci is gone!

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 conference by Robert Kline

Sea Babies conference by Robert Kline

This beautiful Sea Babies 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 Sir Edmund Roberts describes in his log, his various Sea Maiden, Sea Baby and Sea Master sightings. The following is a hint of what is written in the excerpt for this illustration:

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

Sea Babies 18 and 19 – Embrace by Robert Kline

This beautiful Sea Babies 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 Sir Edmund Roberts describes in his log, his various Sea Maiden, Sea Baby and Sea Master sightings. The following is a hint of what is written in the excerpt for this illustration:

Beautiful Sea 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

Sea babies 7 and 8 by Robert Kline

This beautiful Sea Babies 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 Sir Edmund Roberts describes in his log, his various Sea Maiden, Sea Baby and Sea Master sightings. The following is a hint of what is written in the excerpt for this illustration:

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

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

This beautiful Sea babies 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 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:

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

Sea Babies 2 and 3 by Robert Kline

This beautiful Sea Babies 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 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:

May brought further reversals of fortune for Sir Edmund Roberts’ extended voyage of circumnavigation and discovery. Captain Constance Daphne returned tart and penniless, her hopes to access her new fortune (the feared pirate Naughty Nat’s old fortune) dashed as no agent of her banking house could be found in either Valdive or the Port of Valparaiso, and so she moped about muttering “Hounds of hell, man and institution both; nowhere to be found when needed and underfoot when not! Bugger the lot!”

It was later, as she stood on the shore with Sir Edmund that an all too familiar ship appeared on the horizon, every sail bent on, a bone in her teeth, her dark brow smashing great bursts of white water along her sides. Captain Constance Daphne snatched Sir Edmund’s glass and brought the charging vessel into focus. “Does fortune play the hussy with me now,” she whispered, the color falling from her face. “It’s my Baci!” “Indeed,” Added Sir Edmund calmly, “I knew they would return.” And they had. The great ship anchored and expectorated a timid delegation to seek out their captain and plead their case with a volley of conflicting versions of why they had sailed off in the first place; pursuit of pirates, a severely localized hurricane, dengue fever, and most amusing: seduction and abductions, ship and all, by a raft load of giant women from the Amazon basin. Constance Daphne’s anger faded with each tale until at last she said, “Enough, back to the ship and make ready to sail,” all the while silently remarking that Pretty Willy’s knotted scarf looked for all the world like an intimate garment from her cabin.

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.”

Unmoved, Sir Edmund looked to the bell’s open bottom to ascertain the source of the bubbles, but was unsuccessful. The evening Gnarly Dan allowed it was no doubt a “klatch of sea mums sendin’ ‘em up to the little ‘uns to keep ‘em close-like. Each bubble,” he explained patiently, “has a mum’s scent, air so sweet and full a’ love that yer Sea Baby takes to it like a treat.”
He let Sir Edmund ponder that for awhile, drained a pint of warm beer and concluded, “and when yer Sea Maiden gets old and comes near to scratching her name in the log, she’ll journey to a special sea cave and leave her dyin’ breath in some dark notch in the roof, a quite bubble that her Sea Babies will return to when they’s grow’d and sad, maybe, or just missin’ their mum. They’ll breathe in just a bit, to feel her love and smell her scent again, always leavin’ enough to last their own lifetime and they’re never wrong; they’s always some of mum’s love left ‘til the time comes when they leaves bubbles of their own. Ya see, cap, Sea Maidens value love like we does life.”

Sir Edmund’s journal reads:
Two Sea Babies observed off of Quinlan. Scales higher on torso than adults. Postulate they recede with onset of puberty revealing fair skin.
Infans Verde
Lively, playful, long hair.
Infans Azure
Very young, playful, no hair.
May 5, 1833
Gulf of Guytecas, island of Quinlan

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