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our trash is ending up in the who knows how to free dive. So It’s more accessible to be a PP:
oceans. That’s an inspiration in yeah, we’re qualified to be a fish freediving mermaid. Safety is Wow! That’s a huge sign of
and of itself. Ariel already was for a long time. huge. Swimming in the water, growth for your business and
an inspiration because she’s with or without a monofin, proof that your hard work is
half-human, half-mermaid. The biggest thing is the safety there’s a lot that can go wrong. paying off!
Her treasures are things that you get with a freediving
humans are littering in our certification. With either a PP: During COVID-19, it was a very
oceans. Whether it’s forks or regular freediver certification There’s so much you are doing big challenge for the mermaid
single-use plastics, they don’t or freediving mermaid, you are alongside being Guardian of community. Is this part of
belong there! learning a lot of safety involved the Springs. Is there something the awakening you spoke of
with being in the water. And that else that you wanted to earlier?
PP: let’s be honest, in any body of share?
You introduced me to water, whether you’re in a two- MC:
freediving mermaids, and I foot pool or you’re out in the MC: Thank you so much. I’m still in
had never heard of a freediving ocean, you have to be aware of So I do have one big thing that’s awe and I and honestly, a lot of
mermaid before. What is a safety in the water. going to happen that nobody it is you guys. Helping me keep
freediving mermaid versus a knows yet. But I guess once going, believing in me, and not
mermaid that you would see at It’s important. Water’s not our you put it out, we can make the letting me feel like I’m doing
a birthday party performing in natural element. We’re not announcement that way. this for no reason. The Key
a pool? naturally equipped to be in the West Mermaid Festival says the
water like that. We don’t know Okay….ready? takeover is “reel.”
MC: how to save someone from a
Freediving mermaid has nothing shallow water blackout. We I am o-fish-ally the first National PP:
to do with being a mermaid don’t know how to equalize. Football League mermaid mascot The mermaids are awakening;
entertainer. Freediving mermaids We can bust our eardrums. for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. it’s really happening!
are mermaids that are freedivers.
And what that means is that we As a trained freediver and PP:
don’t use scuba gear, tanks, or freediving mermaid, I can see That is some AMAZING news. *******
other aids for diving down deeper the signs when somebody may Congratulations Michi! That’s FOLLOW GUARDIAN OF THE
in water than a pool or tank. It also need to be saved. It gives you SUPER HUGE! I’m not a football SPRINGS on TIKTok, Instagram,
means that we have more sense a qualification you can’t get in fan, but didn’t they win the or Facebook at Guardian of The
of safety and know how to swim any other kind of way. You can Super Bowl last year? Springs to see all that she has
in the water safely. In becoming get a CPR certification all you going on!
with all the glitz and glam. a freediver, you are taught the want, but that’s completely MC:
everything! To me, seeing that It’s the magic and the inclusivity, safety pieces you need to know different than being able to SHELL YEAH! My first game
was amazing. I want to be that: the fact that everyone can be when diving. That’s huge because save somebody in the water isn’t until August. They have
80 years old and in my mermaid a mermaid and experience the a lot of people don’t know those if you need to. Now, diver Bucs Beach, where everybody
tail. Like, how cool is that? magic. things. education organizations like has to go through that to get
PADI and SSI are offering into the stadium, and that’s
Regarding the community, I PP: I started my freediving without freediving certifications with a where I will be.
love the fact that it doesn’t Who has most inspired you on knowing that I could burst my mermaid focus.
matter what age you are. You your journey as a mermaid? eardrums or I could burst my
can be a fin flipping merfolk, And what is it that has inspired lungs or that there are shallow
and it doesn’t matter how big you about them? water blackouts. Things that
I would have never even
you are, how small you are, known about that can happen
what color you are, sexual MC: and happen often. That
The Florida Springs Institute
orientation, or gender identity. (FSI) and the Florida Springs [knowledge] makes us more
If you’re a mermaid or merfolk, Council (FSC). Their knowledge able to help save someone and
all those things don’t matter. and perseverance in the fight ourselves.
I like you, and that’s it. No for our springs and for the
judgment. water in our aquifer ignited my If you’re a mermaid who wants
activism and fueled it. All the to explore the oceans and dive,
And there is obviously the organizations that I work with I strongly suggest getting a
magic that it creates. But, are amazing, with amazing freediving certification.
it’s not just creating magic people diligently raising
for other people. It is also the awareness and continuing Before mermaids were a thing,
magic you feel as a mermaid. their activism for years. you couldn’t get a freediving
I know I feel magical when I mermaid certification. Freediving
throw on my tail. Ariel from The Little Mermaid has been around for a really long
also inspired me. Everybody time. In my opinion, it is a sport
knows it, and it’s a magical that is enlightening. It allows the
I can surely guarantee those story. I always go back to it. person to practice knowing their
80-YEAR-OLD MERMAIDS I don’t know if they did it body on a completely different
on purpose or not, but her level and push their limits as
felt magical in their tails! layer of treasures shows how humans. When you add a tail to
that, you’re a fish in the water

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