Mermaid Emily makes a splash
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live your childhood fantasy of becoming a mermaid?
One Brighton businesswoman has taken the plunge and has made this fantasy a reality by hosting private pool sessions where customers can become ‘merfolk’ for the evening.
Emily Wright, resident merperson for Mer-Made, hosts monthly Tidal Gatherings to give people the opportunity to enjoy being in their element underwater and to develop their professional performance.
She formed the company Mer-Made with business partner Marcus Greatwood, head freediving coach at NoTanx Freediving Club, after coming to NoTanx to improve her mermaid abilities.
Freediving is the art of moving underwater on a single breath which Emily has been doing for three years. Through NoTanx, the mermaid enthusiast became hooked with swimming with a fin as it is a “meditative” experience, according to Emily.
After having a baby in 2013, Emily said she “lost touch with her sense of self” and establishing this mermaid playground has helped her to become body confident again.
“I felt embarrassed about sharing my dreams of being a mermaid when I first realised them, because I thought people would laugh, expecting mermaids to be slim and beautiful.
“Luckily, we are seeing more people standing up for diverse representation of all body types.”
The company offers pleasure seekers the opportunity to practice their merfolk skills abroad. Aspiring mermaids can train at Nemo33, Brussels, to learn, practice and develop depth techniques down to 10 metres.
If Brussels is not to your liking, Mer-Made travels to Egypt where customers can immerse themselves in the “pristine” coral reef, according to the business woman.
Swimming with a mermaid’s tail does have health benefits, such as working your core.
Emily highlighted her company does not focus on weight loss and fitness, but instead wants to promote an inclusive environment that lets people of all sizes participate.
Mermaid beginners wear tails that are made out of swimsuit material, but “professional mermaids will have silicon tails, which are heavier and difficult to put on”, she added.
Looking towards the future, the mermaid lover wants to host regular sessions around the country.
“I want to give the mermaids other opportunities to show off their abilities under the water using tanks.”
