PADI Mermaid Program - WTH??!!

[Divin'Papaw]

Is this for real??? It's not April 1st otherwise I would assume it is a joke. WTF??!!!!

I just received this email from PADI HQ:

Dear James,
PADI® is excited to announce the launch of the new PADI Mermaid program designed to provide water-enthusiasts an additional outlet for exploring their underwater passion. A stand-alone program like the PADI Freediver program, it does not require scuba or freediver instructor ratings as an underlying certification.

Why the PADI Mermaid Program?

• People have a desire to imitate the underwater abilities of mythical mermaids
• Interest in state-of-the-art mermaid training growing globally
• Opportunity to attract and gain an entirely new customer base

The PADI Mermaid program consists of four student and three instructor level ratings:

PADI Mermaid Student Levels

• PADI Discover Mermaid Experience
• PADI Basic Mermaid Course
• PADI Mermaid Course
• PADI Advanced Mermaid Course

PADI Mermaid Professional Levels

• Basic Mermaid Instructor
• Mermaid Instructor
• Mermaid Instructor Trainer

Currently the program is available in English and Simplified Chinese and additional details can be found in the 1st Quarter 2021 Training Bulletin early next year.

For further information contact your Regional Training Consultant or Regional Manager.

Best Regards,

PADI

 

[Miyaru]

NAUI: Fantasy Becoming Reality – When Divers Become Mermaids

SSI: Mermaid

 

[Couv]

It's no more silly than a specialty that teaches a basic concept like buoyancy.

 

[boulderjohn]

Mermaid is a profession, belief it or not. Aquariums around the world use them to enhance the appeal to customers. When I visited the Denver Aquarium with my grandchildren last year, people flocked to see the mermaid performance. My grandaughter, just getting started in her swimming lesson, was transfixed. She thought they were real at first, and when I explained that they were girls just like her who were really good swimmers, she began to apply herself to her swimming lessons with enthusiasm.

As Miyaru indicated above, both NAUI and SSI have had the mermaid program for a while, so PADI is late to the game.

Swimming gracefully underwater while wearing a mermaid costume requires significant freediving skill.

 

[boulderjohn]

It is interesting that in all the time that NAUI and SSI have had the program, no one has made any posts ridiculing it. Why do you think it is that we had to wait for PADI to get involved cor that to happen?

 

[letterboy]

Is this for real??? It's not April 1st otherwise I would assume it is a joke. WTF??!!!!

I just received this email from PADI HQ:


View attachment 632010


View attachment 632011

Dear James,
PADI® is excited to announce the launch of the new PADI Mermaid program designed to provide water-enthusiasts an additional outlet for exploring their underwater passion. A stand-alone program like the PADI Freediver program, it does not require scuba or freediver instructor ratings as an underlying certification.

Why the PADI Mermaid Program?

• People have a desire to imitate the underwater abilities of mythical mermaids
• Interest in state-of-the-art mermaid training growing globally
• Opportunity to attract and gain an entirely new customer base

The PADI Mermaid program consists of four student and three instructor level ratings:

PADI Mermaid Student Levels

• PADI Discover Mermaid Experience
• PADI Basic Mermaid Course
• PADI Mermaid Course
• PADI Advanced Mermaid Course

PADI Mermaid Professional Levels

• Basic Mermaid Instructor
• Mermaid Instructor
• Mermaid Instructor Trainer

Currently the program is available in English and Simplified Chinese and additional details can be found in the 1st Quarter 2021 Training Bulletin early next year.

For further information contact your Regional Training Consultant or Regional Manager.

Best Regards,

PADI

Admit it, you're a mermaid instructor.

 

[edwants2dive]

I could see the Cert becoming a requirement for a Mermaid job so PADI wants their slice of the pie.

 

[Miyaru]

It is interesting that in all the time that NAUI and SSI have had the program, no one has made any posts ridiculing it. Why do you think it is that we had to wait for PADI to get involved cor that to happen?

Their programs are aimed at the same goal, so there won't be that much difference between them.
However, one of those agencies has better marketing.....

I could see the Cert becoming a requirement for a Mermaid job so PADI wants their slice of the pie.

Of course they do! It would be negligent not to get onboard.

 

[Graeme Fraser]

One of the DM's at my LDC was heavily into this. She spent the equivalent of $3,500 on a tail fin.

 

[boulderjohn]

Their programs are aimed at the same goal, so there won't be that much difference between them.
However, one of those agencies has better marketing.....

Yep.

I followed a similar discussion in a FaceBook group for dive instructors, and the person who pushed the three agencies to create this program, the person who I assume actually designed the course, was quite happy to have PADI involved. The reason for that was a subtle point in my post above (#5). One of the reasons nobody ridiculed NAUI and SSI when they came out with the program was that nobody noticed they had it.