Mermaids of Tiburon

Mermaids of Tiburon

Year: 1962

Runtime: 77 mins

Language: English

Director: John Lamb

AdventureFantasy

The Most Fantastic Undersea Adventure Ever Filmed! A diver is aided in his search for sunken treasure by beautiful mermaids.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Mermaids of Tiburon (1962)

Trace every key event in Mermaids of Tiburon (1962) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Steinhauer reveals the flame pearl

Dr. Samuel Jamison is approached by Ernst Steinhauer with a rare, unusually large flame pearl found in Tiburón's coastal waters. Steinhauer asks Jamison to confirm whether there are more pearls. Jamison weighs the offer and the risks of an expedition, considering the potential scientific payoff against the dangers of treasure hunting.

Marineland of the Pacific
2

Plan to meet and set out for the expedition

Jamison travels to meet Steinhauer for the planned expedition but finds Steinhauer missing upon arrival. He reports Steinhauer's disappearance to authorities and decides to proceed with the expedition on his own. He hires a charter boat to lead the search and secure passage to Tiburón.

Tiburón region
3

Steinhauer's murder and the tailing plan

Unknown to Jamison, Milo Sangster has learned of the treasure and murders Steinhauer to take it for himself. Sangster tails Jamison with the help of an unsuspecting skipper, Pepe Gallardo. During the pursuit, they dump Steinhauer's body overboard to avoid arousing suspicion.

coastal waters near Tiburón
4

Jamison arrives and begins his investigation

Jamison arrives in Tiburón and begins to investigate the island's environs and its fauna. He dives into the coastal waters, drawn by the mystery of the pearl clams. His exploration sets the stage for a confrontation with the hidden undersea world.

Tiburón
5

Mermaids emerge and reveal the grotto

Jamison encounters a group of mermaids and a pet killer shark in the coastal waters. After a cautious display, he signals that he means no harm and the mermaids lead him to an underwater grotto. The grotto is filled with numerous giant clams, the source of the pearls.

underwater grotto near Tiburón
6

Sangster escalates the hunt with dynamite

Sangster arrives at Tiburón and disregards Pepe's protests as he begins to throw lit dynamite into the water to take Jamison out. The blasts stun Jamison, who struggles to reach the surface and stay afloat. Meanwhile, Sangster and Pepe continue their own search for the pearl-laden clams.

Tiburón coast
7

Jamison confronts the murder evidence

Jamison, recovering on the surface, boards Sangster's trawler and uncovers evidence that Steinhauer has been murdered. The two men return to the boat, catching Jamison off guard and forcing a confrontation. The discovery raises the stakes as Jamison realizes Sangster's murderous intent.

Sangster's trawler
8

Pepe dies and the fight for survival begins

Sangster clubs Jamison and prepares to shoot him; Pepe tries to intervene but Sangster throws him overboard, where he is devoured by the shark. Jamison fights back as Sangster uses a magnesium flare to ward him off. The men struggle amid chaos on the trawler.

onboard the trawler
9

Dynamite chaos destroys the trawler

During their struggle, the magnesium flare is dropped near Sangster's cache of dynamite, igniting it and destroying the trawler. Jamison is knocked aside but is saved from the flames by the sudden appearance of mermaids. Sangster escapes in a lifeboat as the vessel detonates.

on the sea near Tiburón
10

Sangster's second intrusion into the grotto

Sangster invades the grotto again and encounters the mermaids. He shoots one of them with his speargun, prompting the mermaids to lure him into a narrow underwater fissure. His oxygen runs out, and he drowns just inches from the surface.

underwater grotto fissure near Tiburón
11

Escape and a changed worldview

Jamison makes it to safety with the mermaids' help, and the mermaids vanish as he regains his breath and composure. His world view is enlightened by the strange encounter, and he departs with a vow to return one day.

surface near Tiburón
12

Departure with a vow to return

Jamison departs Tiburón, carrying the lessons learned from his encounter with the mermaids. He commits to returning someday to further understand the ocean's mysteries and the beings who inhabit its depths.

Tiburón coast

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 12:23

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Mermaids of Tiburon Summary

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Mermaids of Tiburon Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Mermaids of Tiburon

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