While being a mermaid sounds glamorous, it takes a lot more work than one might think, with much required physically, mentally, and emotionally to become certified.
A QUICK DIVE INTO MERMAIDS AND MERMAIDING
Stories of these beautiful mythical sea creatures have always been a part of maritime culture. According to legend, when a Syrian goddess named Atargatis dove into a lake to become a fish, the gods, entranced by her beauty, transformed her lower half into a fish while leaving her top half human.
The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen was first published in 1837 and Ariel, the main character, still charms audiences through Disney adaptations.
In the 1940s and 50s, Esther Williams, U.S. swimming champion turned movie star, captivated movie audiences with exciting water ballet and underwater segments.
Since 1947, the mermaids at Florida’s Weeki Wachee Springs have performed three shows a day, every day of the year and still wow crowds with their synchronized swimming as well as eating and drinking — all underwater!
With the rise of social media, freelance professional mermaids soon garnered attention. Elle Jimenez, also known as Mermaid Elle®, is a mermaid entertainer and performer, with more than 4 million followers on social media, and a booking fee of $10,000 an hour.
Today, mermaid career opportunities include performers, entertainers, instructors, and professional competitors. The World Mermaid Championship, Miss Mermaid International and the Merlympics offer contestants monetary prizes and a chance to travel the world.
TAKING THE PLUNGE
“Anybody can be a mermaid. You just need a little magic and faith”
Christen Killebrew, mermaid
Your mermaid adventure can simply be a professional photo shoot or basic lesson to experience what it’s like to wear a tail, but if you are serious about the sport – made official by USA Artistic Swimming and Aquamermaids – it’s important to be properly trained.
According to Christen Killebrew, local mermaid entertainer and instructor, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) Mermaid™ courses are the most popular accreditation program, incorporating conservation education and a high level of safety standards into their training. Each level of instruction begins with independent online classes and progresses to hands-on water skill sessions. While wearing a monofin – a swim fin that attaches to both feet and is built into a mermaid tail – you will learn different types of kicks, turns, and glides as well as rescue skills.
If you progress to freediving and advanced classes, you will learn breath holding techniques in both confined and open water sessions, and practice static and dynamic apnea – the art of holding your breath while stationary and while swimming. Adjusting your weight belt for proper buoyancy and learning emergency hand signals are both crucial.
Once certified, Christen suggests the best way to practice safely is to join a mermaid pod — a group of mermaids who are like-minded in their training skills, safety ability, and attitude toward conservation.
Now that you can swim like a mermaid, you need to look like one, keeping in mind that mermaid tails can cost thousands of dollars. The global mermaid tail market is projected to grow from $151.4 million in 2023 to $240.2 million by 2029, demonstrating that beyond the enchantment of bringing aquatic mythology to life is a respected industry that continues to preserve its magic and mystery.
Visit MysticMermaid.net for more about Christen or Padi.com for certification.