Courtesy Marie Nick GagnonIrène la Sirène swims in the cold and clear water of Kahnawá:ke Quarry in Quebec, Canada.
Once upon a time, mermaids captivated sailors with enchanting songs. Today, mermaids use their magic to charm people of all ages and inspire love for the underwater world.
Becoming a mermaid is more than buying a tail and learning to hold your breath. Swimming gracefully, like you were born underwater, takes time and practice. Fortunately, there is a distinctive specialty course that helps aspiring merfolk master those mesmerizing moves.
The PADI Aquatic Swimming Mermaid Distinctive Specialty was developed by Irène Marcoux, a PADI Mermaid Instructor Trainer, PADI Freediving Instructor and competitive Masters Artistic Swimmer. She is also a mermaid who goes by Irène la Sirène.
“I created the course because I wanted to merge my two passions,” Marcoux says. “I have decades of experience in artistic swimming at the international level, both as an athlete and coach.”
Marcoux is based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and is bilingual in English and French. Her motto is: “Plongée pour tous” (every body can dive).
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Anyone with a Basic Freediver or Basic Mermaid certification can sign up for the Aquatic Swimming Mermaid Distinctive Specialty. The course covers the sculls, turns and rolls that form the foundation of artistic mermaiding, plus more complex movements such as pretzel turns, walkovers and spins.
Students appreciate Marcoux’s ability to break down complicated movements into separate skills. One mermaid-in-training recalls, “She made all of the skills feel very approachable. Even the ones that were difficult—I felt like I could accomplish them in the future with practice.”
The course is designed for people who want to work as a professional mermaid, underwater model or perform underwater dance. But it can be enjoyed by anyone who likes being in the water and has an interest in developing new skills.
“Artistic swimming can be meditative because you disconnect from the outside world and focus on your body flowing through the water,” Marcoux says. “You move and use your body in a way most people have never done before.”
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Courtesy Michal RybkaMermaid Marinka and Irène la Sirène swim together at an international freediving retreat, using skills taught in the PADI Aquatic Swimming Mermaid Distinctive Specialty course.
To complete the course, students learn a short sequence that combines moves from the course. “Students can also try creating their own choreography using their imagination and creativity,” Marcoux says.
The PADI Aquatic Swimming Mermaid Distinctive Specialty course takes about four hours, including topside briefings, visual demonstrations and in-water practice. Students need to bring their own monofin, mermaid tail, mask, snorkel and fins. A wetsuit or thermal protection is also recommended.
By the end of the course, students swim away with magic moves that can captivate a crowd. With time and practice, fledgling merfolk can carry on the ancient tradition of inspiring awe and love for the ocean.
Visit Neptune and Salacia Diving’s website (neptunesalacia.com) to learn more. Or, to book the PADI Aquatic Swimming Mermaid Distinctive Specialty, email [email protected]. The course is scheduled on demand.
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When to Go
The course is offered year-round at Neptune and Salacia Diving in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Contact the shop to book.
» This column features unique scuba courses at PADI Dive Shops around the world. To recommend a course for this column, please email [email protected].
