@Techbilt I've no idea if they'll phone you or not. I hadn't received any calls and my sims were friends with quite a few locals. It looks like they're just something that happens on a spur of the moment basis. It fits nicely though with the close-knit community Sulani has. It's lovely <3 Yeah, the mermaids don't have much in the way of features (this hasn't bothered me primarily because I don't play supernaturals much. I don't have the vamp pack so I can't help with comparisons really).
I do like the beach activites, such as building the sand sculptures and digging for seashells (and trash, to help clean the place up). I'm particularly pleased that the toddlers got included in this, with a couple of beach interactions because they got completely overlooked in Sims 3. I feel like it's added to the family interactions, especially as the sand-oriented activities are not restricted to beaches. Therefore, you can build sand pits in the back garden. Excellent <3
Glad it's helped! :)