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Mermaids Are Real: PADI Filling The Oceans with Magic and Hope Just When It's Needed Most

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Published
04/16/2022 by

Today has officially been declared International Mermaid Day (we're sea-rious, it's a real holiday!). To "shell-abrate" the global event and globally launch its seven levels of Mermaid Certification Courses, PADI® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®) is sharing its love for the blue planet by pledging to put more mermaids and mermen into the ocean, serving as the voices for an ocean and all of its creatures - who can't speak for themselves.

"Mermaiding is an emerging trend across the globe that is capturing our imagination and amplifying our collective passion for our planet's largest and most important ecosystem," says Drew Richardson, President and CEO of PADI Worldwide. "With our mission to create a billion torchbearers to save the ocean, we're filling the seas with passionate, responsible mermaids who are working hard to accelerate that goal. Some superheroes wear capes, others wear mermaid tails."

Last year, PADI set a Guinness Book of World Records in China for pulling off the largest underwater mermaid show, with over 100 PADI Mermaids underwater at the same time at the Atlantis Sanya resort. Now, PADI's mermaid courses offer the chance to become a certified mermaid anywhere in the world. During the courses, budding merfolk will learn to master the art of breath-holding, duck-diving and swimming with a tail, then move on to improve their grace and comfort in the water, learning to read ocean conditions, respect and protect marine life, and most importantly, leave only bubbles behind.

No previous dive experience is required and anyone over the age of six can start their mermaid journey. From there, PADI Mermaids can then progress to becoming professional mermaids, teaching others in the community the art and sport of mermaiding as an official PADI Mermaid Instructor™ and Instructor Trainer.

In addition to courses, PADI is teaming up with eco-friendly tail manufacturer Cape Cali, a California-based mermaid gear company that uses sustainable materials and donates 10% of proceeds to marine charities, and several influential eco-mermaids around the globe, to create a sustainable mermaiding movement geared towards positive ocean change. Recently Mermaid Elle – the most popular mermaid on TikTok and ambassador for Cape Cali – leapt onboard by becoming an official PADI Mermaid Instructor and founding PADI Mermaid™ Team member.

"In addition to showing children that you can really become anything you dream of, becoming a PADI Mermaid enables me to be an important and much needed voice for our watery world, helping others learn more about the condition of our oceans and what we can do to keep them - and our planet - healthy," says PADI Mermaid Instructor Mermaid Elle.

"We're thrilled to collaborate with Cape Cali and Mermaid Elle to mobilize more mer-people around the globe. For us, it's about far more than learning to swim with a tail and sharing evocative imagery," says Julie Andersen, Global Director of Brand for PADI. "Our mermaids and merman are truly one with the ocean and stand up for what they love, using their influence for good. Together, we are not only taking on marine causes from making the ocean accessible to all to ridding the ocean of plastic, but we are also creating a world in which anything is possible, hope for the future fills our hearts, and our beautiful blue oceans are so magical that you just might see a mermaid."

In celebration of International Mermaid Day, PADI and Cape Cali are giving one lucky winner and a friend the chance, through their social channels, to join the movement and become mermaids themselves, including receiving their very own Cape Cali tail and a PADI e-learning Discover Mermaid Course. There's even a chance that they will train alongside the famous Mermaid Elle, location permitting! 

To enter, participants must comment on @PadiTv's International Mermaid Day Instagram post, indicating why they want to become a PADI Mermaid with one of their tagged friends or loved ones. The contest will go live for 24 hours starting at 9am PST on Tuesday, March 29, and winners will be selected that week via Instagram.

Over 500 PADI Mermaid Instructors and Mermaid Centers stand ready to teach the world how to mermaid in every corner of the globe–from the tropical atolls of the Maldives to the glacier lakes of Switzerland, in farmland Wisconsin, the picturesque beaches of Australia or in Cornwall–the mermaid capital of the world.

"Mermaids are real. Anyone can be one and by doing so you become part of our mutual movement to restore the balance between humanity and the ocean. PADI is proud to be the way the world learns to mermaid, and in doing so, creating a new powerful platform for ocean change," continues Richardson.

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