Lift the ban on mermaid tails in victorian pools

[Mermaid Adrienne]

https://www.change.org/p/anthea-hancocks-ymca-victoria-remove-the-ban-on-mermaid-tails-at-ymca-victoria-swimming-pools

[Merman Andrew]

Yes! This has me really worried, the whole of Vic may ban them before I even have a chance to swim in my tail!

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[AnnaAbyss]

Just signed it. This makes me so furious. -___-

[Merman Andrew]

Treading water for 5 mins though? Shesh! Thats a little over the top? The fin fun safety video recommends 20 seconds. I would think 1 min should be more than enough?

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[Mer-Crazy]

For me treading water is hella easy though, I could seriously do that for ages. But yeah, for kids it's a bit over the top. 2 minutes, that's what I learnt in primary school swim classes.

[Aksinya]

YMCA.. How I wish the Y would let me swim in my monofin. I should write an email. I could before, swam in it a couple times. And boom! I wasn't allowed anymore. I didn't do anything wrong. They said they had a meeting and idk
anyways. Some YMCAs I read on here allow monofins?

[Mermaid Jaffa]

I signed too. Mine is not YMCA pool, so if you're around Sydney, come along for a swim!

[Trident True]

Adults are adults not kids. so by banning tails makes it unfair for the rest or us. the banning has occurred due to the fact the most people that swim in tails are KIDS. which have very little understanding of the water and are still learning to tread water. the YMCA pools should have strict rules that ONLY APPLY to KIDS and Parents. Having an ADULT in the POOL while swimming can help prevent drowning but also have an Adult WATCHING you. Its is far easier to dive in and save someone then having to swim across the pool, save time. this is what i was told in high school. no teacher was allowed in the pool because if someone got into a little trouble its easier to get to them. there are Plenty of Rules and guidelines that could be endorsed to make it safe for Everyone. The fear of drowning is an Understatement really as you can drown in a fucking inch of water. Its simply an Excuse because it happens to be a tail.

Q. does this include MONOFINS as well?

[Saren]

Treading water for 5 minutes isn't that bad though. The FinFun test is made with children in mind. At my local pool children have to swim 50m unassisted and tread water for 2 min in order to be allowed to swim in the large pool without an adult within arms reach. To be SCUBA certified I had to tread water for 10min. All that aside, I signed the petition.

[Merman Andrew]

Treading water for 5 minutes isn't that bad though. The FinFun test is made with children in mind. At my local pool children have to swim 50m unassisted and tread water for 2 min in order to be allowed to swim in the large pool without an adult within arms reach. To be SCUBA certified I had to tread water for 10min. All that aside, I signed the petition.
I think you don't want to make the barriers for Mermaid swimming too high as it will totally turn off parents from buying tails for their kids. 5 mins is probably OK for a reasonably fit swimmer but 2 mins should be more than enough for kids. I'm guessing the treading water thing is so you can stay where you are and be rescued in time without drowning. If you're wearing a tail you just swim to the nearest barrier or wall.

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[Saren]

I think you don't want to make the barriers for Mermaid swimming too high as it will totally turn off parents from buying tails for their kids. 5 mins is probably OK for a reasonably fit swimmer but 2 mins should be more than enough for kids. I'm guessing the treading water thing is so you can stay where you are and be rescued in time without drowning. If you're wearing a tail you just swim to the nearest barrier or wall.

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If parents want to buy tails for their children, their kids better be good swimmers already. If not, then parents should be watching their children closely. It's because of "drowning" children and media uproar that lead to this ban isn't it?

I believe you are right though, 2 min should be reasonable for a child and 5 min for an adult.

[Merman Andrew]

If parents want to buy tails for their children, their kids better be good swimmers already. If not, then parents should be watching their children closely. It's because of "drowning" children and media uproar that lead to this ban isn't it?

I believe you are right though, 2 min should be reasonable for a child and 5 min for an adult.
I guess its whatever would make the lifeguards of pools feel at ease. I must admit I would prefer a high barrier to entry then an outright ban.

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[Saren]

I guess its whatever would make the lifeguards of pools feel at ease. I must admit I would prefer a high barrier to entry then an outright ban.

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As would I. It's in fact what I'm doing so I can swim with a tail at my local pool. I just hope the Victoria Tail Ban gets revoked.

[Merman Andrew]

Q. does this include MONOFINS as well?
A. Yes, judging by what's written on the ban notice: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156264494645417&set=a.10150246824850417.459602.570115416&type=1&theater

[SeaDragon Mermaid]

Would sign, can't sign, I would feel irresponsible....

[Merman Andrew]

Would sign, can't sign, I would feel irresponsible....
In what way?

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[Merman Andrew]

Woo, I just went to the pool today and did a self swim test because it's been years since I've been swimming, and I can still swim at least 25m in all styles, tread water for 8 minutes (I probably could have gone heaps longer but I got distracted by the kid stealing my kick board), and hold my breath underwater for about 30-45 seconds! Also I asked the life guards if they allow monofins and tail swimming, and said it was for myself and that I'm a strong swimmer and getting tail swimming lessons etc, and they said yes!

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[Merman Andrew]

Hi to all Mers reading this, can you please urgently sign this petition if you haven't already to have the Mermaid tail ban in Australia removed? I feel if it continues it will only spread further, as shown by the fact it is now banned in Auckland pools, and who knows where next. We need everyone's support. Even though this ban may not affect you personally it has the potential to spell an end to mermaiding as an allowable hobby in Australia and eventually other parts of the world.

https://www.change.org/p/anthea-hancocks-ymca-victoria-remove-the-ban-on-mermaid-tails-at-ymca-victoria-swimming-pools

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[Ilyena]

Talking to a lady who runs the mermaid classes in SA, we're going to be contacted by someone in the media and we are trying to meet to discuss strategies and find away around this.

[Merman Storm]

I'm wondering about the "quick release". I thought it took quite a bit of time and effort to get out of a silicone tail. Are you planning on having those banned? Also, my tail, made from the lunocet, it somewhat hard to get out of, because I have to get to the velcro strap on the shoes. I'm not very flexible, so its hard for me to do. I normally take it off while sitting on the steps, and it can take more than a couple of seconds. I'm not sure I could do it while floating in the water.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

I'm wondering about the "quick release". I thought it took quite a bit of time and effort to get out of a silicone tail. Are you planning on having those banned? Also, my tail, made from the lunocet, it somewhat hard to get out of, because I have to get to the velcro strap on the shoes. I'm not very flexible, so its hard for me to do. I normally take it off while sitting on the steps, and it can take more than a couple of seconds. I'm not sure I could do it while floating in the water.
If you can't take the tail off in a minute or less, either start practicing or find another type of monofin that has a quick release system.

Those mers with silicone tails, they have mertenders and crew members, and even lifeguards, ready to jump in and rescue them.

For the rest of us, silicone or not, we have to be able to get out of our tail really fast in an emergency. But sometimes the lifeguards can be really slack and not be paying attention or have gone for a walk leaving the post unattended.

But anyhoo, its just safer to practice taking the tail off whilst swimming. In case the real emergency comes along, you know exactly what to do and won't panic. Well that's just how I see it. And its late... Prob time for me to go to sleep and not ramble on.

[Mermaid Salty]

Okay, so I know I'm a little late to this party but the same thing has happened in Sydney. Since August 2015 I've been happily flipping my (mono)fins at my council pool. One day in January 2016 while swimming, a manager came up to me and said,

"You're not allowed to do that here".
I said "Do what?"
He said "Use that thing".

That THING. That perfectly designed swimming apparatus that he didn't even know the name of.

"I've been swimming here for over six months with my monofin with no issue"
"They're not supposed to let you"

And that was it. My local pool was no longer a sanctuary. I tried to explain I was a strong swimmer, that I grew up swimming in the ocean almost every day of my life, that I can easily lap 1km WITHOUT swimming aides. That I can slip my monofin off underwater (first thing I taught myself). That I was an adult and that the safest place for me to be, in fact, was their very supervised, controlled pool environment. I even offered to prove my competence to them with any kind of demonstration they wanted. No dice.

I've found a pool (a 25 minute drive away from my home) that I can get to on weekends - it is a privately owned public pool, because the last I heard no council owned pools would allow monofins, let alone full tails. This has been fine - not ideal but fine.

I hope to have full tail in the next year.

If anyone knows of mono/mer-friendly pools in Sydney, I'd love to hear from you.

[Mermaid Adrienne]

Yeah, salty :/ I just had the same thing happen again. went to a pool who was perfectly fine with me using a monofin and then the next week it wasnt ok. I live in the country so its hard for me to find a pool that will let me.... I have to travel about and hour and a half now just to swim with the others and it sucks butt that I cant use my new silicone tail which is coming in a few weeks at my local swimming pool.

[Mermaid Salty]

It's a major concern. We really do require controlled environments to practice in and if our locals pools blanket ban us, which could potentially drive inexperienced mermaids to natural waterways instead, THAT is a much bigger safety hazard.

When I visit a pool I always lap without a fin anyway to warm everything up and to get my heart going etc., but at the end, I wriggle into my fin and the feeling of gliding effortlessly through the water is the most amazing reward. It's so freeing. I dream of it. I've always felt at home beneath the surface (well, you know, apart from the whole no breathing deal). Is it really so much to ask for!?

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Okay, so I know I'm a little late to this party but the same thing has happened in Sydney. Since August 2015 I've been happily flipping my (mono)fins at my council pool. One day in January 2016 while swimming, a manager came up to me and said,

"You're not allowed to do that here".
I said "Do what?"
He said "Use that thing".

That THING. That perfectly designed swimming apparatus that he didn't even know the name of.

"I've been swimming here for over six months with my monofin with no issue"
"They're not supposed to let you"

And that was it. My local pool was no longer a sanctuary. I tried to explain I was a strong swimmer, that I grew up swimming in the ocean almost every day of my life, that I can easily lap 1km WITHOUT swimming aides. That I can slip my monofin off underwater (first thing I taught myself). That I was an adult and that the safest place for me to be, in fact, was their very supervised, controlled pool environment. I even offered to prove my competence to them with any kind of demonstration they wanted. No dice.

I've found a pool (a 25 minute drive away from my home) that I can get to on weekends - it is a privately owned public pool, because the last I heard no council owned pools would allow monofins, let alone full tails. This has been fine - not ideal but fine.

I hope to have full tail in the next year.

If anyone knows of mono/mer-friendly pools in Sydney, I'd love to hear from you.

The pool I go to, loves merfolk! It is Ryde Aquatic and Leisure Centre. The lifeguards are chill about me and my tails. One of them, a redshirt, will even go so far as making sure no one bothers me when I go for a swim! Another pool that allows tails n fins, is the aquatic centre at Homebush. I've not been there yet as I don't drive, and my local pool (the Ryde one)is just 4 bust stops away.

[Karri3]

Oh dear, I didn't know this was the case... That they are banning them in public pools..
I live in coastal QLD and neither of the pools have stopped me yet, but I was hoping to take the tail with me to Sydney next month.

My partner who lives in Sydney always goes for a jog along Bondi in the morning, I was hoping to go for a swim in the Icebergs pool, does anyone know if they have stopped people swimming with tails there?

Thanks


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[Mermaid Salty]

Hmm, no bans at Bondi as far as I'm aware. Pretty sure there's even a 'pay to swim' mermaid group that frequents the area.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Oh dear, I didn't know this was the case... That they are banning them in public pools..
I live in coastal QLD and neither of the pools have stopped me yet, but I was hoping to take the tail with me to Sydney next month.

My partner who lives in Sydney always goes for a jog along Bondi in the morning, I was hoping to go for a swim in the Icebergs pool, does anyone know if they have stopped people swimming with tails there?

Thanks


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Icebergs allows tails and monofins. I called during early summer and they said, yes.

[Karri3]

Thank you Mermaid Jaffa :) we actually ended up going to coogee beach which was fantastic for taking photos .. No swimming though


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