Respecting the water

Every mermaid story is a story about the sea. Looking after the water, whether it is a pool, a beach or a reef, is part of being a mermaid. It also happens to make swimming nicer for everyone.

This guide sets out the habits we ask of our students, and the reasons behind them.

Why mermaids care

Care for the water runs through mermaid training. Mermaid Federation International (MFI) invites its mermaids to take an Ocean Pledge, promising to be Ocean Ambassadors who cherish and conserve the sea, and new MFI instructors recite it as part of their exam. PADI asks its mermaids to "leave only bubbles", making choices that leave nothing behind in the water.

A mermaid in a tail also draws attention. People watch what you do, and children copy it. That makes good habits worth more.

In the pool

Most of our lessons happen in a pool, so this is where good habits start.

Shower before you swim

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that sweat, dirt and body oils use up the pool chemicals meant to kill germs. Even a one-minute shower removes most of them. Less dirt in the water means the pool chemicals can do their job, and the water stays clearer for your watcher too.

Keep products out of the water

Lotions, heavy make-up, hair oils and sprays all wash off. Arrive with clean skin and hair if you can, and save the make-up for after, unless it is for photos.

Stay out when you are unwell

The CDC asks people not to swim with diarrhoea, which is the most common cause of outbreaks linked to swimming. It also advises covering cuts with a waterproof dressing. If you are ill, we will happily move your lesson.

Check your tail before you get in

Look for loose sequins, flaking paint, peeling scales or loose glitter. Anything that sheds in the pool ends up in its filters, or someone else's eyes.

Glitter, sequins and plastic scales

Glitter looks magical on camera, but it is a plastic. Research from Anglia Ruskin University, published in 2020, found that conventional glitter, a plastic core coated in aluminium, harmed plant life in freshwater tests. It halved root growth in a common water plant and reduced signs of microscopic algae.

The surprise was that "biodegradable" glitters did not do much better in the same tests. So the safest choice is simple:

• No loose glitter on your skin, hair or tail when you swim.
• No stick-on scales or gems that can come off.
• Sew decorations on firmly, or choose printed designs instead.
• Brush off land glitter completely before getting in, if you have been at a party or shoot.

PADI's guidance is the same: tails and decorations should leave no plastic scales or debris behind.

Sunscreen and the sun

Many Singapore pools are outdoors, and the sun is strong all year. Protecting yourself and the water can go together.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) explains that some chemicals in sunscreen can harm corals and other sea life, and that sunscreen washes off when you swim. Its advice:

• Choose a non-nano mineral sunscreen, which NOAA considers a better option for aquatic life.
• Avoid chemicals of concern, especially oxybenzone. NOAA also lists octinoxate, octocrylene, and nano-sized titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.
• Cover up with UV-protective clothing, such as a rash guard or sun leggings.
• Seek shade in the middle of the day, between 10 am and 2 pm.

Covering up is the most reliable choice of all, because what is not on your skin cannot wash into the water.

On Singapore's shores

Singapore has rich, fragile shores, and many mermaids love to visit them. The National Parks Board (NParks) reminds visitors to intertidal areas, the stretches uncovered at low tide, to follow a few simple rules:

• Do not touch or step on wildlife. Many animals are easily harmed by handling.
• Do not collect anything. Each creature has a role, and most do not survive once taken from their habitat.
• Wear covered shoes. Rocks can be sharp, and some animals have spines.
• Do not handle anything. Some species sting or are venomous, and are hard to recognise.

NParks may also manage access to some shores at busy times, so check before you go.

In the sea and on the reef

When you are trained and ready for open water, the same respect goes with you:

• Look, do not touch. Never stand on, kick or hold coral. Keep your fin well clear, since a tail sweeps a wide arc.
• Never chase or grab sea life. Let animals come to you, or let them go.
• Keep off the bottom. Sand stirred up settles on corals and plants.
• Take everything home, and pick up one piece of litter you did not bring.

Please remember that a tail in the sea needs advanced training. Royal Life Saving Society Australia does not recommend tails in open water at all. Read Pool or open water? first.

Photoshoots outdoors

Shoots bring props: fabric, flowers, shells, crowns and lights. Before you start, agree who is responsible for collecting everything afterwards. Avoid props that break into small pieces, and never leave anything in the water "for the shot". Our photoshoot safety guide covers keeping the model safe as well.

Your gear: fewer things, kept well

The greenest tail is the one you already have.

• Learn in lent gear first. All our courses lend a tail, fin and mask, so you only buy once you know what suits you.
• Look after what you own. Rinse, dry in the shade and store flat. Makers say a well-kept silicone tail can last for years. See Tails and monofins.
• Consider recycled materials. PADI notes that tails and monofins made from recycled materials are available.
• Pass on what you outgrow, rather than throwing it away.

A quick checklist

• Shower before every swim.
• No loose glitter, stick-on scales or gems in the water.
• Non-nano mineral sunscreen, or better, cover up.
• Look, do not touch, on shores and reefs.
• Leave nothing behind, and take a little extra litter home.
• Buy less, care more.