A Mermaid in Bora Bora
When I first got the call about going to Bora Bora on a press trip to learn how to be a mermaid I was met with a mix of emotions. A “HELL YEAH” emotion because WELL I WAS GOING TO BORA BORA… And a “huh?” emotion because… well… mermaiding? Y’all know me.. And if you don’t, I’m Bob Bitchin’s granddaughter Tabitha. Much like my grandfather I strive for adventure every day… and I can be a little set in my ways (It’s a Lipkin thing). So the hesitation came from the traditional scuba diver in me. If you didn’t know, the division of water explorers are kind of like kids in the lunchroom in high school… with mermaids seen as the theater kids (I was a theater kid once- this comes from a place of love). So I felt like I needed to preface telling people about my trip with a “don’t laugh, but…I’m going to learn how to be a professional mermaid and get my mermaid certification in Bora Bora.” So now that I’ve let you in on my inner thoughts leading up to the trip… Let me let you in on an industry secret. IT’S REALLY F*CKING AWESOME AND REALLY F*CKING CHALLENGING, harder than any other training I’ve completed.
You’re going to be like REALLY? Yeah, REALLY. Imagine you’re a freediver (you know, someone who uses a breath hold, a weight belt, a mask, and two long fins to dive down into the water) Now take all of that away. NO weight belt, NO mask, ONE shorter Fin… Oh, and go ahead and add in that colorful tail. That takes guts. It really does. Because mermaids are not only there for sport, they’re performing. They’re doing back flips, they’re waving, they have their eyes open in salt water or a chlorine pool and they’re smiling. It takes a lot for me to admit I’m wrong, and I was wrong. It’s one of the coolest and most challenging things I’ve ever done. BUT there’s more…
You now might be asking, why are you telling us all this? This is a cruising magazine. AND IT IS— but you know the history of mermaids and sailors. Even if they were really just “netflix and chilling” with beluga whales in the end. Mermaids have a RICH history in folklore and mythology. A few months ago there was a release of the new “Little Mermaid” and Netflix’s new documentary “Merpeople”... So, to keep mermaids top of mind, I wanted to tell you guys more about the experience of not only learning something new, but also using that new skill to bring awareness to…our oceans. That’s what all of this is all about. Whether you’re a sailor, scuba diver, mermaid, freediver, enthusiastic pool boy, or land creature. The biggest take away from our experience is that it’s to bring awareness to the ocean and the state of our oceans around the world. So the next time you hear there’s a mermaid or someone is mermaiding, remember they’re performing on behalf of our most precious resource… our oceans, to get more and more people to care about it.
This adventure takes us to the Four Seasons Bora Bora, a place that I personally, could only dream of spending a week. It is a vacationer's paradise…. With crystal clear blue waters, incredible hospitality, friendly faces, rich history, and real life mermaids!
But let’s dive into the good stuff, like what kind of training does one really need to go through in order to become a certified mermaid.
I went through about three days of mermaiding, and one of basic freediving, all of which in the end helped make me a much better scuba diver as well. From a 75 ft dynamic underwater swim, to learning how to rescue someone from a shallow underwater blackout, the course covered everything a beginner would need to know about safely mermaiding and freediving. The PADI mermaiding program itself started in 2019 after there was an emerging trend in mermaiding and there was a push to help those interested in mermaiding– essentially learn to do it safely. And as I said above, the monofin, lack of weight belt, and lack of mask can make it an extra challenge. Really playing into knowing and pushing your own physical and mental limitations. Plus, beyond that, I also took a beginner freediver course that helped me learn how to prepare my body for dynamic swims and ways to practice and elongate my breathhold.
Let’s look at mermaiding by the numbers, and what I learned on my trip. Mermaiding is considered a HALF A BILLION DOLLAR industry and certifications have grown by more than 400% already. For those of you looking at the social media side of things, mermaiding has more than 10 BILLION impressions world-wide. And a great way to connect with like-minded people who have a love of our oceans.
So what is it about mermaiding that is drawing people like myself to tell you more about it as an alternative way to explore the oceans and bring awareness to what you love about the ocean?!…It’s UNIQUE: Mermaiding represents a new way to seek adventure and save the ocean with a wide appeal. INCLUSIVE: The sport is accessible to most and includes kids as young as six, AND is an open place for all to try something new and connect to the ocean in a totally fun and unique way. Mermaiding is a fantastic way to become one with the ocean and find your zen, combining breathwork with mindful meditation. HOPEFULNESS: Mermaids represent hope, magic and mystery; which our world needs now more than ever. PURPOSE: Mermaid imagery brings our attention to the ocean and mermaids have the power to serve as a very impactful voice for ocean change. EMPOWERMENT: The transformation process of mermaiding is life changing – and often provides fulfillment, the sense of capability, and empowerment– and goes well beyond water users. ON TREND: From runway fashion trends like “mermaidcore” to the live action remake of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”, the appeal of mermaids has only just begun to build steam that we can see from social media to the big screen.
All this to say, if you’re looking for a totally new and unique way to challenge yourself underwater, give mermaiding a try. Oh also, don’t let the name fool you– It’s for absolutely EVERYONE to try, but don’t be surprised when you realize it’s one of the most challenging and fulfilling things you’re going to try below the surface.