I met Junco online, and we quickly discovered we share a love of the ocean and all things aquatic. Imagine my delight when I learned she owns not one, but several mermaid tails! While scuba diving and mermaid swimming (aka “mermaiding”) seem different, both activities open up the underwater world in similar ways. There are even mermaid classes offered by PADI, a scuba organization!
I thought it would be fun to ask her some questions about mermaiding, including how she got introduced to the sport and how one can learn to swim with a tail. Let’s dive in!
Q: How long have you been swimming for?
A: Well gosh, I’ve been swimming for as long as I’ve been alive! It’s always been my favorite activity, so whenever the family would have a pool or beach trip, you KNOW I’d be in the water the WHOLE time. My parents would actually have to pull me out a few times cause I’d swim until my lips were blue. I just love the water.
Q: What first inspired you to buy a mermaid tail, or was it gifted? How did you get it?
A: I was gifted my first mermaid tail on Christmas 2014!
You can watch her tail gift unboxing [HERE] and [HERE] on instagram!
“Professional mermaid” was one of my several ocean-related dream jobs I’ve wanted throughout my life. I even made a little presentation on professional mermaiding in college! When I received the tail, I went straight to the local public indoor pool to try it out and it felt MERMAZING✨️ I own 4 FinFun tails (and monofin) at the moment, which are cheap (basically swimsuit material), and super easy to use and care for.
Courtesy of FinFun Tails
My DREAM tail would be a custom one from FinFolk! Incredibly costly, but super realistic and fantastical! They’re the real deal when it comes to tails.
Courtesy of FinFolk Productions
Q: How did you learn to swim with tails? How often do you swim, and any favorite places to practice?
A: So actually, I’ve always swam like a mermaid. Using the classic “dolphin kick,” I would dive down, skim the bottom for as long as possible, and rise up to breach as if I was a real dolphin. No one taught me this method, I just discovered it on my own! I actually can’t swim using the “normal” methods. It’s gotta be mermaid style! So the tail only feels natural.
I used to swim up to 3 times a week at our YMCA until they banned tails due to a liability issue. So I can only swim when invited to a pool, or I just go to a local river or ocean. But I don’t typically bring my tails to wild water for safety reasons. In all honesty though, I’d rather swim in natural waters than pools. Chlorine is painful.
Q: Did you know there is official training to be a mermaid through some scuba organizations? What are your thoughts on that?
A: I did know about PADI! I actually attended a panel once and received their business card. I have yet to look further into it, but it sounds super rad!
Courtesy of PADI
Q: What’s the best way to get started with mermaid swimming?
A: To get started, practice the dolphin kick. I’ve taught some kids how, by having them hold the edge of the pool to stay stable. The trick is to envision the lower half of your body as a long spine. Practice moving each vertebrae up and down from your lower back, to your hips, then knees, then feet. The idea is to keep all the parts linked and moving in a smooth pattern, just like a whale tail. When you can actually swim like this, a monofin by itself is the next step. It will keep your feet together, but it’s super easy to remove if you feel unsafe. The tail should only be on when you feel absolutely comfortable! And NEVER swim alone! Always have supervision.
Q: Have you ever gone to an event or performed with your tail?
A: I am not really the performer type, as I’ve always had stage fright. I have played with kids during pool parties, but I’d really rather swim on my own, heh. I’ve seen mermaids working, though! A nearby aquarium had a mermaid event and I actually got to see them in action in person! I studied them so hard, haha. How they dress, pose, swim, use the oxygen tubes, and make expressions. It was fascinating and quite educational.
Q: What’s your favorite part about swimming?
A: My favorite thing about swimming is just being completely underwater. It’s the most calming sensation I can ever experience. I love to lay on the bottom and look up at the mesmerizing movements of the water’s surface. I love diving down to skim the bottom like a stingray, and I love feeling the bubbles on my skin when I do flips and twirls. If only I could breathe underwater, I’d never leave! I would even lay face-down in the bathtub just to feel like I’m fully submerged, napping on the sea floor.
I suppose I should mention I’ve had a fascination and adoration for the ocean forever as well! My mom told me when she was pregnant with me, she was watching The Little Mermaid and I kept kicking the whole time. The ocean and everything within was always my passion. I have no favorite marine animal, because they’re all my favorites. What others fear is my fascination. I’ve truly been under the sea’s spell my whole life!
If you want to see more mermaid adventures, check out Junco’s Instagram page at seaspritelazulite! You can see videos of her swimming, get introduced to her mermaid persona Raylazure, and get a new perspective on the magical underwater world.
If you want more information on training and fins, check out the links below:
Thanks for reading, and thank you so much to Junco for her time and answers!!
