Water isn't my best friend, being a mermaid is ironic but I don't want to give it up

[Katieloo]

I got a finfun tail a few weeks ago, and I really really love it. I swim fine, but I can't open my eyes underwater or unblock my nose. I use goggles and sinus savers, which isn't a huge deal, but I'm still not much of a water person. I recently popped my ears underwater and was in extreme pain, and now I'm discouraged from going back :( I was just about to buy a silicone tail, but when my ears gave out on me in the water, it made me feel like I can't do this. Can a mermaid be shallow water only? I don't plan on being a pro, just simply hobby..so I feel like I can still be happy and stay in shallow waters and swim a little bit at a time. I want to get a realistic tail and sit on the beach shore and make people happy when they see a mer, but I don't feel like a true mer if water isn't my forte :/ Is it "okay" to get a silicone tail and just use it for shore/dry land mostly?


Any other shallow water mers out there?! Mermaiding has been my only happy place, and I don't want to give it up :/

[Mermaid Arabella]

Only you can decide if a silicone tail is for you, and if it's worth that much money for whatever porpoise (sorry, couldn't help myself) you want to use it. But to answer the rest of your questions: yes. You can be a recreational mer and have fun and not do dives and tricks. Go check out the Nonprofessional mermaids just goofing off (http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?12776-Nonprofessional-mermaids-just-goofing-off&highlight=recreational) thread. We have lots of fun :)

[Ligeia]

Personally, I wouldn't buy a silicone with so little time spent in a tail in general. Some people can do it, but I don't have enough confidence in myself to try just yet. Baby steps for me! I've noticed quite a few mers who tread the same sort of water.

That said, I am in agreement with Mermaid Arabella. Only you can know when you are ready for a silicone tail. However, is it really worth several thousand dollars? Silicone are often used for performing. While I wouldn't want to discourage you from getting one, I would consider the cost, weight, care details...all the fun stuff. They can be more work than they're worth for the recreational mer. It can take hours to properly clean a silicone (with some being able to do it in just over an hour). It is a huge commitment to consider! But they are downright gorgeous!

While you may have had a bad experience with the water, it isn't the end of the world! I have seen mers here who were once afraid of the water! I would take it a little bit at a time. If you think ear plugs will help, you can get a cheap set of silicone ones. I use those because I get terrible ear aches in chlorine. They could help you out if you ever decided to play around in the deep end. Just know there are options out there. :)

[Mermaid Caspiana]

I agree with the above comments. :) Don't get discouraged... there are almost always solutions for problems like these. <3 But even if it takes a while to get back into the deep end, the time spent in the shallows, is completely normal. I've heard of a lot of mers who do that. Or even if they do become professional, they use kiddie pools and dry events. ;)
As for the silicone... like Ligeia said, you want want to think again about all the difficulties of a full silicone tail vs how much you'll actually be really swimming in one. I've heard they are quite heavy out of water.
Now, I'm just gonna say this to say this and possibly give you another option. I'm actually going into tailmaking, to make tails like mine. :) They're custom and neoprene based, covered in shell sequin scales, and coated with silicone. It's heavier and much more realistic than a fabric tail, yet lighter than a full silicone. :) I have a thread with more details about it. But just wanted to let you know! ;) <3 Good luck dearie! :)

[Mermaid Tami]

I bought a finfun tail to start, loved it but I wasn't ready for the cost of silicone, so I make a fluke and made a neoprene sequin tail. (I wanted a larger fluke then I had with the finfun) the attached picture is my sequin tail) I just ordered a mermaid Kariel Tail of Art, custom silicone tail. It's a big investment, I plane to preform in it a lot, otherwise I'd keep my sequin tail.


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[Theta]

You might want to check out freediving resources, there are different methods you can use to equalize the pressure of your ears underwater so you don't get the awful popping and pain. I have problems with my ears when I go deeper than about 6-8 feet, so I feel you on that.

But if you don't want to go deep then don't go deep :) You can totally be a shallows mermaid :)