Become a Mermaid
From your very first tail-swim to teaching others — one complete pathway, grown with you from age six. Internationally recognised SSI mermaid training in the clear water of the Bay of Islands.
The pathway
Start here
Don’t choose from a list — find where you fit.
- Never tried it? Start with Try Mermaid — from age 6, no experience needed.
- Age 6–11? Our SSI Explorers Ocean Skills stream is made for you (ask us about the next one).
- Ready to certify? Go straight to SSI Mermaid (age 12+).
- Want the ocean? Add Ocean Mermaid — or do both and save with the Pool & Ocean Combo.
Every rung, in detail
Try Mermaid
Your first taste of life in a tail. Slip into a full mermaid tail and monofin and learn to move safely and gracefully, with an SSI professional right beside you. A perfect birthday or event experience — and the ideal first step before certifying.
You’ll learn: safe tail & monofin swimming, water confidence, mermaid safety basics. Prerequisite: comfortable in the water. What it gives you: the Try Mermaid experience rating.
Where this takes you next: certify as an SSI Mermaid from age 12 — or, if you’re 6–11, grow with us through SSI Explorers.
Book Try Mermaid →SSI Mermaid
The first real certification. Learn to swim safely, confidently and beautifully in a full tail, building your fitness, breath-hold and in-water skills. On completion you’re a certified SSI Mermaid, able to mermaid in confined water to 5 metres.
Prerequisite: a water-fitness evaluation — swim 50m unaided and complete a 5-minute survival float. Ages 6–11 join our SSI Explorers stream instead, so there’s a genuine grow-with-us path from age six. What it lets you do: mermaid independently in confined water, and upgrade to Ocean Mermaid.
Save: take it together with Ocean Mermaid as the Pool & Ocean Combo.
Where this takes you next: the open water, with Ocean Mermaid.
Book SSI Mermaid →Ocean Mermaid
The pool-to-ocean upgrade — where the Bay of Islands becomes the classroom. Learn to read ocean conditions, follow open-water safety, and mermaid in the wild blue.
Prerequisite: the water-fitness evaluation, plus at least two open-water sessions (it builds directly on your SSI Mermaid skills). What it lets you do: mermaid confidently in open water.
Where this takes you next: pose for the camera with Model Mermaid — or add your Basic Freediver so you can hold longer and dive deeper, safely.
Book Ocean Mermaid →Model Mermaid
Learn to pose for underwater and surface photography, working with a photographer to capture striking imagery. This is the gateway to our photo shoots and the Fleet.
Prerequisite: your SSI Mermaid certification. What it lets you do: model for underwater and surface photo & video.
Where this takes you next: the full Underwater Model & Dance pathway — from posing into choreographed performance.
Book Model Mermaid →Continue to Underwater DanceMermaid Instructor & Instructor Trainer
Turn your tail into a profession. Become an SSI Mermaid Instructor from age 18 and teach your own students — and, at the top of the ladder, an SSI Mermaid Instructor Trainer from age 21. We’re the only place in New Zealand where mermaid, freediving and underwater model & dance instructor ratings can all be earned under one Instructor Trainer.
Where this takes you next: our full instructor pathway.
Explore going pro →Ages at a glance: 6+ Explorers & tasters · 10+ Basic Freediver · 12+ Mermaid & Freediver certifications · 15+ Advanced · 18+ Performance & all instructor ratings · 21+ Instructor Trainer.
New to the tail?
Try Mermaid is the perfect first splash — ages 6 and up, no experience needed.
Book Try Mermaid →