Water Witches or Aqua Maids?

Ever wonder what Good Witches do in the summer time in Florida? Well now you know....they water ski of course! And actually, there is some truth to this, because these photos were taken back in the day at Cypress Gardens in Central Florida. Cypress Gardens was Florida's first theme park attraction, long before Mickey Mouse came to town. The park opened in 1936 with lush botanical gardens, and soon after, Cypress Gardens, became the birthplace of performance water skiing in 1941. It was even proclaimed the Water Ski Capitol of the World at one point, with over 50 world records broken there.

The Gardens became famous for their spectacular water-ski shows. Here you could see the lovely Southern Belles known as "Aqua Maids", skiing around the lake in rows, carrying flags and even skiing while standing in pyramid formation. And they often wore costumes for the holiday shows...hence the Witches. Sadly, time has not been friendly to the Gardens and it's been hard for them to compete with the thrill rides of Universal and Disney. It seems that the natural, pristine beauty of Florida, that was the siren song to so many tourists in the past...has quickly fallen to the luster of all things new, and shiny and high-tech. But there is a great legacy that lives on at Cypress Gardens, and an homage paid to Old Florida's rich past and unbridled beauty.
Water Ski Witches ©1954 Bettmann Archive