Being a PADI Mermaid is not just reserved for weekend warriors. In fact, you can make a full-time living from being a PADI Mermaid and giving you the chance to live and work anywhere in the world (hint: Paradise.) Five PADI Mermaid Instructors share their secrets to officially growing tails full-time.
1. Mermaid Elle (Florida, USA):
She’s the most popular mermaid on TikTok and makes a full-time living splashing her tail as a PADI Mermaid Instructor. She takes great pride in growing teaching more mermaids, saying “becoming a mermaid is really just being yourself in your most powerful form. We call ourselves mer-sisters and mer-brothers because mermaids are one species, one family, one school of fish!” She’s already underway training up and coming mermaids as an official PADI Mermaid Instructor and is making a full-time living as a professional mermaid.
2. Zandile Ndlhovu (Cape Town, South Africa):
The original Black Mermaid, who is both a PADI Mermaid and Freediving Instructor, Zandile is determined to use her mermaiding skills to create a more diversely represented and inclusive ocean. She has devoted her life to creating first encounters for youth in her area with the ocean, using the power of the mermaid tail to get them hooked. “Becoming a mermaid allows you to become free in the way that matters most, living and enjoying being present. The magic of the mermaid tail is that it is a portal to exploring our ocean and provides the power to create a world we want to live in.”
3. Adam Sellars (Queensland, Australia):
He’s the first male PADI Mermaid Instructor in Australia and has made an entire career out of showing people the healing powers the ocean can provide you with. Originally a PADI Freedive Instructor and founder of The Pressure Project, Adam decided to make his childhood dream of becoming Aquaman a reality and puts his mer-knowledge to use by teaching people how to mermaid for the benefits of their own wellbeing. “Mermaiding teaches us to be present all whilst being on one breath. Ready, set, get glamorous!”
4. Mermaid Twinkle (Lincolnshire, UK):
Laura Hudson, aka Mermaid Twinkle, was crowned Miss Mermaid UK 2020 and Miss Ocean World Europe 2021–liiving out her childhood dream as a professional mermaid. Mastering the art of holding her breath for up to four minutes while gracefully gliding through the water, she has now become the first PADI Mermaid Instructor Trainer in the UK, offering special mermaid moments through private parties, mermaid courses and mermaid events for local children. “Anyone else feel like they truly belong somewhere, and their whole life was leading towards a moment, a place or their job? The ocean is my home and I am blessed that mermaiding is my full-time profession.”
5. Julie Ferrara (Cozumel, Mexico):
As one of the original PADI Mermaid Instructor Trainers, Julie has evolved her business Freedive Cozumel to teach other aspiring mermaids. She has created the Mermaids for Conservation team in Cozumel, who constantly thrash their tails for cleaner seas and run local community initiatives. She is also hosting a week long Mermaid retreat this July 2022. But for her, being a professional mermaid is best rewarded by the joy she is able to give others. “Sharing smiles and mermaid love does not cost anyone anything, but everyone benefits.”
