Catalina Island has always had a rich history of including mermaids in Avalon. The iconic Mermaid Mural at the Casino entrance is just one example of this. In the past few years a small woman-owned and operated company, Catalina Island Mermaids, has brought the magic of mermaid sightings back to Catalina.
Visitors can often enjoy spotting a mermaid on the beach during photoshoots, divers can experience having a mermaid swim past them underwater at Casino Point Dive Park, and visitors can learn how to swim in a mermaid tail during PADI Mermaid Classes.
Catalina has become a well-known training destination in the Mermaid Community. Catalina Island Mermaids is considered the safest mermaid school in the world, with zero accidents or injuries in any of their classes. They have also led and assisted multiple rescues of scuba divers, snorkelers, and water enthusiasts and have been recognized in People Magazine, the Drew Barrymore Show, Inside Edition, Fox News, and hundreds of smaller media outlets for their teams expert rescue skills. Catalina Island Mermaids charity partner, Swim Brayv, has trained their instructors to spread water safety knowledge and drowning prevention information in all mermaid classes.
Because of all of this, founder Elaina Garcia, was asked to attend an invitation-only course to become a PADI Mermaid Instructor Trainer. Elaina attended this class, and passed with flying colors, becoming one of less than 20 trainers in the United States and less than 75 trainers world-wide.
You can expect to see more mermaids on Catalina than ever before, as people travel across the country to train here. Visitors will have the chance to take a no experience necessary mermaiding class at Middle Beach during the summer months and can become a mermaid on the beach year-round.
To become a professional mermaid, a student must complete the entry level Mermaid Class, followed by an Advanced Class where students learn to rescue a mermaid from shallow water blackout, loss of motor control and self-rescue techniques. After those prerequisites are completed students can join Elaina for an intensive three day PADI Mermaid Instructor Course where they can learn to become an Instructor themselves! This is quickly becoming the industry standard for Mermaid Performers and aquarium mermaids.
In 2024, Catalina Island Mermaids is offering an internship for locals who would like to become a professional mermaid and work as an instructor. There are four spots available, and there will be job placement and interview opportunities at the end of the internship for students that excel. Applicants must be ages 18+ (or turning 18 before June 2024), have basic swimming skills, and be in good general health. To apply, send an email to catalinaislandmermaids@gmail.com answering “Why do you want to become a professional mermaid?”. Applicants will be interviewed and selected before Jan. 1, 2024, and internships will start promptly.
