The Sea Witch Carolina Beach is a popular tourist attraction in Carolina Beach, North Carolina. It is a unique and enchanting sculpture that has been a beloved landmark since it was installed in 1977. The Sea Witch is a large, colorful sculpture of a mermaid sitting on a rock. She is made of bronze and stands at an impressive 25 feet tall. Her flowing hair, long tail, and intricate details make her a sight to behold. The Sea Witch is perched on a rock with the waves crashing around her.

Is Ursula from 'The Little Mermaid' an octopus? Sort of.

Octopuses do like to cause chaos—much like the classic tentacled villain. But Ursula also shares traits with these fascinating sea creatures.

The animated sea witch in Disney's The Little Mermaid originally had six arms, which is more squid-like. In the new live-action movie, she has eight—but also retains qualities of other sea creatures, such as bioluminescence.

With Disney’s new live-action The Little Mermaid film in theaters, you may be wondering: What kind of ocean-dwelling creature is Ursula, exactly?

An octopus, obviously, you might say—but not so fast. Octopuses have eight tentacles, and Disney’s animated sea witch made her debut in Walt Disney Animation Studios' original 1989 film with six.

To create the character in the 1980s, Disney animation artists looked to lionfish, eels, pufferfish, scorpion fish, and manta rays as inspiration. Since the enchantress in Hans Christian Anderson’s 1837 fairy tale had a much smaller role and no name, the artists had a literal ocean of possibilities.

“There’s so much you can do with tentacles. They give a creepy feeling,” supervising animator Ruben Aquino told Premiere magazine in 1989, adding the team ultimately decided to make her look like an octopus. “Of course, we cheated a little bit. We put in only six tentacles,” he said. Why? It was what animators call “line mileage”—simplifying a character’s design can help make the animation process more efficient.

While definitely creepy, Ursula’s appendages (including her human-like arms) are definitely not tentacles. “Those are arms, not tentacles—and let me explain,” says Jennifer Mather, an octopus expert and psychology professor at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada. (Here’s why octopuses remind us so much of ourselves.)

“Many invertebrates have tentacles—snails and jellyfish, for example—whereas an arm has suckers all the way down its length. A tentacle, on the other hand, has a flexible elastic extension with suckers only on the ends.”

Artwork by Disney animator John Musker gives an insight into how Ursula was developed for the 1989 film.

A squid has six arms, which is probably why Pat Carroll, the late voice actress who portrayed Ursula in the original film, claimed she was a squid. But Carroll didn’t mention that most squid also have two tentacles and two legs—used for moving and swimming—while their arms are for grabbing and feeding. That makes for 10 total appendages, which is also true of cuttlefish, a relative of octopuses and squid.

In the 2023 movie, Melissa McCarthy’s Ursula got a revamp, and now boasts eight arms with bioluminescent suckers. But now there’s a new problem: Bioluminescence is common in squid and cuttlefish, but very rare in octopuses.

“There’s only one kind of octopus with bioluminescent suckers: Stauroteuthis syrtensis, or the Dumbo octopus,” says Mike Vecchione, zoologist and cephalopod expert with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. (And yes, completely coincidentally, it’s named for Disney’s famous elephant.)

All this to say—it’s complicated, and were Ursula a real-life aquatic creature, you could argue she’s any one of these mollusks.

The Sea Witch is perched on a rock with the waves crashing around her. She gazes out into the ocean, seemingly lost in thought. The sculpture captures the beauty and mystery of the sea, and it has become a symbol of the coastal town.

The evil lair

Habitat-wise, Ursula is almost certainly an octopus.

“Most squids spend their time jetting around in open water, whereas most [octopuses] are benthic, which just means they live at the bottom,” says Vecchione.

Clever camouflage is an octopus's primary defense, particularly if laying eggs, so a secluded cave or crevice makes for an ideal lair. (See beautiful octopus pictures.)

“Especially if it’s dark, if there’s anything at all for an octopus to climb into, they will,” says Cristina Robles-Beilby, aquarist and resident octopus expert at California’s Monterey Bay Aquarium.

The way we first see the cartoon Ursula emerging through a clam shell, one slithery arm at a time, is according to Robles-Beilby, “100 percent octopus.”

Ursula

Ursula is the main villainess who first appeared in the 1989 Disney film, The Little Mermaid. She's voiced by Pat Carroll. Ursula is based on "herself" in the Hans Christian Anderson's story "The Little Mermaid". In the original story, she's a neutral enabler, but for Disney's adaptation, the character was modified into a full-fledged antagonist and lays a larger role in the overall story. Ursula is a sea witch who "helps" unfortunate merfolk by granting their wishes, but end up withering them into polyps for her gardens. Her appearance's an obese purple-skinned, white-haired female Cecaelian. Her character's been compared to "Madame Medusa" from "The Rescuers", in terms of style, dramatics and choice of minions. Most importantly, Ursula is also the mother of Uma.

Visitors to Carolina Beach often make a point to see the Sea Witch. Many take photos with the sculpture, capturing their own memories of their visit. The Sea Witch has also become a popular spot for weddings and other special events. The beautiful backdrop of the ocean and the whimsical presence of the Sea Witch make for a romantic and unforgettable setting. Aside from its visual appeal, the Sea Witch also has a rich history. The sculpture was created by artist Harry McDaniel, who was inspired by the legends and tales of mermaids. McDaniel wanted to create something that would capture the imagination of visitors to Carolina Beach. His creation has certainly achieved that goal. The Sea Witch has become an iconic symbol of Carolina Beach and is often featured in brochures, postcards, and other promotional materials for the town. It is a reminder of the beauty and magic that the sea holds and draws people from all over to experience it. In conclusion, the Sea Witch Carolina Beach is a captivating sculpture that holds a special place in the hearts of locals and visitors alike. It is a symbol of the beauty and mystique of the sea and has become an iconic landmark in Carolina Beach. Whether you are posing for a photo or simply enjoying the view, the Sea Witch is sure to leave a lasting impression..

Reviews for "Unraveling the Mystery of the Carolina Beach Sea Witch"

1. Emily - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with Sea Witch Carolina Beach. The service was incredibly slow and the staff seemed uninterested in helping customers. The food was average at best and definitely overpriced for the quality. The atmosphere was also lacking, with outdated decor and uncomfortable seating. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone looking for a pleasant dining experience by the beach.

2. Mark - 1/5 stars - My experience at Sea Witch Carolina Beach was absolutely terrible. The food was tasteless and poorly cooked. The waitstaff was rude and inattentive, completely ignoring our requests and acting like we were a burden. The prices were also outrageous for the subpar quality of food and service we received. I will never return to Sea Witch and I advise others to avoid it as well.

3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - Sea Witch Carolina Beach was a letdown. The menu options were limited and the food we ordered was underwhelming. The drinks were watered down and overpriced. Additionally, the wait times for our orders were excessively long. The only good thing about the experience was the beachside location, but that's definitely not enough to make up for the subpar dining experience. Overall, I would not recommend Sea Witch Carolina Beach to anyone.

The Dark Magic of the Sea Witch in Carolina Beach