TAMPA, Fla. — As we approach the final month of school before summer vacation, parents are starting to plan what camps to send their kids to over the break. One Tampa mother and daughter are excited to offer an experience that you can truly dive into. You even get to wear a tail.
Growing up in Michigan, Amanda Walker always felt like she was a mermaid at heart, but didn’t realize it was a legit lifestyle until she moved to Tampa Bay in 2021.
“Learned that this mermaid skin and the professional mermaiding is actually a thing. I was enamored,” said Amanda.
From the swimming to the diving, to the tricks, Amanda, or should we say, Mermandy, loved being in a tail so much she decided to become mermaid certified, eventually opening her own school.
“And show parents this is how you do it, this is how you teach your kids for safety, as well as my own kids, because they want mermaid tails,” said Amanda.
In the past year, dozens of mermaids in training, varying in age from six to sixty, have splashed down in her class.
“My favorite part about teaching the mermaid skills is watching the success of it and realizing, ‘Oh my gosh, I can become a mermaid.' That was a little girl’s dream,” said Amanda. “Donning all of this gear is a special skill in itself. There is that famous kick called the dolphin kick that you learn at the basic level, all the way through the advanced levels of taking it to the open water, where you have currents."
This spring, Mermandy has been joined by her 12-year-old daughter, Mermaid Ella.
“Her goal when she first started mermaiding was really cute. She said, ‘Mom, can I be your business partner?’ So now, until she is old enough, she is my apprentice and helps me teach my classes,” said Amanda.
“It makes me feel pretty good, and it makes me love them even more,” said Ella about teaching kids her age what it takes to be a mermaid.
However, this mother-daughter combo isn’t just teaching—they are competing. This year, they are representing Team USA in the Merlympics. Ella just returned from Las Vegas, where she won gold, leading her team to first place.
“I thought it was pretty cool because I am the only one in Florida who gets to do it,” said Ella.
Next up, it’s Mom’s turn.
“I am going to Wolfsburg, Germany, at the end of May against 15 countries with the other five of my teammates from all over our country, and we are going to compete for the gold and we are going to get it,” said Amanda.
Whether it’s mermaiding at the highest level or just for fun, Amanda hopes to be a voice in the community for everyone out there with a tail and a dream.
“I think I am a great voice. I stand for community involvement, I love being a mermaid, and stepping up and trying to represent my community,” said Amanda.
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"These should be freak accidents, not a natural disaster"
Dozens of Florida State University students and community allies marched through the streets of Tallahassee on Wednesday, demanding urgent action from state lawmakers on gun reform after a deadly campus shooting that left two dead and at least six others wounded.
