Underwater Fashion Modeling & Mermaid Workshop in the Red Sea!

[Tornado]

Award winning Liveaboard Operator, Tornado Marine Fleet, has the pleasure to invite girls from all over the world to join the very first Underwater Fashion Modeling & Mermaid Workshop in the Red Sea, on their beautiful boat "MY/Cyclone".
During this week, you will receive freediving-, mermaid- and underwater modeling training, by professional underwater model and mermaid trainer, Katrin Felton, aka " Mermaid Kat", which will prepare you for several underwater shooting sessions by world-class underwater photographer Harald Slauschek.
Join us on this, once in a lifetime opportunity, and prepare yourself for an amazing, fun and exciting week onboard Cyclone in the beautiful Red Sea!
For information: a (http://annette@tornadomarinefleet.com)nnette@tornadomarin efleet.com (annette@tornadomarinefleet.com) and www.tornadomarinefleet.com (http://www.tornadomarinefleet.com).

[Mermaid Melanie]

Hmm advertising in the wrong place... after what she has said about the community ....plus she's not a freediving instructor so don't let that mislead anyone....and I can tell you after doing 2 of her workshops ... its all about Kat its not about the students .... and I'm sure others who have taken the workshops would agree...

[Tornado]

Hmm advertising in the wrong place... after what she has said about the community ....plus she's not a freediving instructor so don't let that mislead anyone....and I can tell you after doing 2 of her workshops ... its all about Kat its not about the students .... and I'm sure others who have taken the workshops would agree...

Hello Melanie. Kat is not the one who posted the add. It was me, her manager. As a Dive Operations Manager at Tornado Marine Fleet, I can assure you, that she is indeed a freediving instructor. I am sorry to hear you didn't like her workshops. Until now however, all our clients are very happy about her work and we receive very positive replies every week.

[Mermaid Melanie]

Yes I realise she has not posted the ad - Im curious what certification for freediving will you receive from doing the workshop ? And yes its unfortunate my experiences weren't as positive as others, but thats just my opinion.

[Tornado]

Yes I realise she has not posted the ad - Im curious what certification for freediving will you receive from doing the workshop ? And yes its unfortunate my experiences weren't as positive as others, but thats just my opinion.

Of course you have every right to your own opinion, Melanie. We at Tornado Marine Fleet, are looking forward to a fun and very productive week. A week on a stunning yacht, in amazing surroundings, with a highly professional team. Anyone who is seriously interested about the itinerary and certifications, is most welcome to contact me by email. I wish you lots of success in your mermaid career.

[Mermaid Melanie]

Thank you for your reply, I do hope you have a great week, I am however suspicious about who the certifying body for the freediving course is, as she is not listed as an AIDA instructor on the official website. If it is a PADI skin diving certificate, thats a bit different from being a freediving instructor, but either way good luck with the trip, hope it goes well.

[Echidna]

You posted this in the wrong subforum.
this section is for board stuff, not user announcements.

you could have put it in "Professional Mermaiding", "Modelling and Underwater Photography".

so, a workshop with heavy underwater work, modelling underwater in fashion clothes, mermaiding, and all you need is "basic swimming skills"?
...whatever, but you better have some good safety divers at hand.


"mermaid certificate"? that's a joke, right?
there are no facilities, rulework, or regulations regarding mermaiding.
if Kat can fill out a "certificate", every 6 year old girl with a pair of flippers can, and it would be just as valid.

I would wish you good luck ripping off some inexperienced girls doing this workshop, but I guess it'd be unethical to do so.

[Mermaid Melanie]

Normally in Kat's workshops she gives you a certificate stating wether you are a "Bronze" "Silver" or "Gold" mermaid according to her performance requirements ... it is a "Mermaid Kat" certificate you get but the level you get is based purely on how your freediving skills are - for gold you must hold your breath for over 3 mins and swim at least 40m on one breath length ways and get a high perecent on the "exam"

as a scuba instructor she is able to teach the PADI Skin Diving Course - but that really does not equate to even the most basic AIDA freediving course. Im sure it would be a fun experience for those who want to go, I just don't think that you should call yourself a freediving instructor when your not ? people get banned from PADI for pretending to be instructors or teaching when out of teaching status so thats just my feelings on it !

[Echidna]

what I find off-putting is the insinuation you only need to have "basic swimming skills" and "be confident in water" (whatever that means) to do underwater shoots, when in fact models usually are required to be certified scuba and freedivers to do anything like it.

and by certified I mean by a legit organisation, not a make-believe piece of paper aka "mermaid certificate"...
when there are no mermaid colleges or degrees.

sadly, there are quite a few girls who might think it's easy, just put on tail/fashion clothes, sit underwater and pose.
well take a brief look at this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh_B5_MIxnk

this model most certainly is an experienced scuba and freediver.
to imply an inexperienced swimmer/diver could do the same thing, when the whole workshop will probably consist of Kat doing these things while the others watch, is rather unresponsible.

it might have to do with the location; in Egypt, stuff is usually handled quite relaxed.

I was pressed to buy a scuba certificate during my stays there, every time.
and that means they were to sell me one without having me take a course beforehand.

just be aware that there are risks with diving these guys might not prepare you for if you consider taking this workshop.

[Tornado]

what I find off-putting is the insinuation you only need to have "basic swimming skills" and "be confident in water" (whatever that means) to do underwater shoots, when in fact models usually are required to be certified scuba and freedivers to do anything like it.

and by certified I mean by a legit organisation, not a make-believe piece of paper aka "mermaid certificate"...
when there are no mermaid colleges or degrees.

sadly, there are quite a few girls who might think it's easy, just put on tail/fashion clothes, sit underwater and pose.
well take a brief look at this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh_B5_MIxnk

this model most certainly is an experienced scuba and freediver.
to imply an inexperienced swimmer/diver could do the same thing, when the whole workshop will probably consist of Kat doing these things while the others watch, is rather unresponsible.

it might have to do with the location; in Egypt, stuff is usually handled quite relaxed.

I was pressed to buy a scuba certificate during my stays there, every time.
and that means they were to sell me one without having me take a course beforehand.

just be aware that there are risks with diving these guys might not prepare you for if you consider taking this workshop.





Dear Melanie and Caltuna. Please accept my sincerest apologies for posting in one of the forums of Mernetwork.com. It clearly was a very big (beginners) mistake to do so. It was never my intention to harm anyone and even after all your ungrounded, negative and highly unprofessional comments and innuendos, I never got personal, as this (usually) is not my style.

However, as I don't see the reason for all these "attacks", as both of you obviously didn't take the trouble to get the right information about our company, I feel it is my right to set a few things straight. We are an award winning fleet, operating in the Red Sea since 25 years, with an impeccable safety record. Many of our clients already dive with us since many years. We provide an excellent service, week after week, which makes our clients decide to join us again on future trips, so needless to say that we do NOT "rip people off" and we NEVER jeopardize the safety of our clients and staff!
I have personally selected a team of highly qualified Instructors, whose qualification levels vary between a minimum of PADI-MSDT, all the way up to Advanced Trimix Instructors, as our customers only deserve the best. In Kat's case I can tell you this. She has further upgraded her qualifications after she left Thailand, a fact that both of you, obviously, are not aware of.

As you can read in the add I posted, the girls who join us will receive proper training first, before we "put them in a tail or fashion clothes" for the photo shootings. Shootings, which will take place in carefully chosen, protected and safe environments. Although the mermaid scene is new to us, how to deal with safety, is not.
Therefore, I kindly ask you never to compare our high standard company, with any cheap diving center you chose to dive with during your visits to Egypt. Like in any other business, some companies work in a professional way, while others are not. The same, by the way, obviously, applies to mermaids! You cannot compare one with a meager 940 "likes" on her facebook page, with one that has almost 90.000!

I hereby inform you both, that I have sent an official complaint to the admins of this site, and requested to remove my post and all your replies, as I do not wish to jeopardize the excellent reputation of our company, nor Kat's or Harald's any further.

After meeting Kat, I was under the impression that ALL mermaids were "nice" creatures, but I guess I was wrong. Rests me nothing more than to leave you with a little word of (free) advice, and this will be the last time I will take the trouble of replying to you. Mermaids are ambassadors of the oceans and should behave as role models. Role models do NOT gossip and slander, but instead show respect to others and always behave as ladies. Keep this in mind please; you do NOT make yourself look good, by trying to make someone else look bad! On the contrary......

I wish you both "Happy Finning",...... "ladies"!

[Starfrit]

Nice tantrum there, Tornado. Good job.


::edit:: Okay, okay, I need to expand on this.

Kat is not a well-liked person here. If you went through this forum, you'd find that out. She's a bully and a jerk to most other people in the mermaiding community, treats herself as better than everyone else with next to zero grounds for her claims (see her published article where she talks about how she's one of the "very few good mermaids in the world," for example)

A fair number of people here have been treated like garbage by her and as a result, people trying to promote her here have gotten the side-eye, because why would the people she has personally deemed "inferior" by her own ridiculous standards want to attend a workshop where she's proven in past years that she doesn't care about the students and just wants to show off?

But no, please, tell us how we're all jerks because we question the legitimacy of someone who has resorted to talking everyone around her down because she has no other way to make herself look better. She has lied countless times in the past regarding her qualifications, popularity and skills (not to mention has resorted to filling her Facebook likes count with bots to make herself look more popular than she actually is, which is laughable), and taken credit for work that was not hers, but no-- clearly we're the unladylike assholes for taking what she and her "manager" say with a grain of salt, especially with zero proof.

Speaking of which, allow me to re-state what I said at the beginning of my original post: Nice tantrum there after not getting the response you wanted. Clearly the hallmark of a very professional company and manager. Then again, seeing as you work with someone like Kat I'm not surprised you're that quick to show your not-so-stellar colors. Birds of a feather, etc.

[Capt Nemo]

I would not touch anything in Egypt or Sinai!!! Too much AQ and Hamas/MB terrorist activity amongst the Bedouin there. STAY AWAY!

[Theta]

Dear Melanie and Caltuna. Please accept my sincerest apologies for posting in one of the forums of Mernetwork.com. It clearly was a very big (beginners) mistake to do so. It was never my intention to harm anyone and even after all your ungrounded, negative and highly unprofessional comments and innuendos, I never got personal, as this (usually) is not my style.

However, as I don't see the reason for all these "attacks", as both of you obviously didn't take the trouble to get the right information about our company, I feel it is my right to set a few things straight. We are an award winning fleet, operating in the Red Sea since 25 years, with an impeccable safety record. Many of our clients already dive with us since many years. We provide an excellent service, week after week, which makes our clients decide to join us again on future trips, so needless to say that we do NOT "rip people off" and we NEVER jeopardize the safety of our clients and staff!
I have personally selected a team of highly qualified Instructors, whose qualification levels vary between a minimum of PADI-MSDT, all the way up to Advanced Trimix Instructors, as our customers only deserve the best. In Kat's case I can tell you this. She has further upgraded her qualifications after she left Thailand, a fact that both of you, obviously, are not aware of.

As you can read in the add I posted, the girls who join us will receive proper training first, before we "put them in a tail or fashion clothes" for the photo shootings. Shootings, which will take place in carefully chosen, protected and safe environments. Although the mermaid scene is new to us, how to deal with safety, is not.
Therefore, I kindly ask you never to compare our high standard company, with any cheap diving center you chose to dive with during your visits to Egypt. Like in any other business, some companies work in a professional way, while others are not. The same, by the way, obviously, applies to mermaids! You cannot compare one with a meager 940 "likes" on her facebook page, with one that has almost 90.000!

I hereby inform you both, that I have sent an official complaint to the admins of this site, and requested to remove my post and all your replies, as I do not wish to jeopardize the excellent reputation of our company, nor Kat's or Harald's any further.

After meeting Kat, I was under the impression that ALL mermaids were "nice" creatures, but I guess I was wrong. Rests me nothing more than to leave you with a little word of (free) advice, and this will be the last time I will take the trouble of replying to you. Mermaids are ambassadors of the oceans and should behave as role models. Role models do NOT gossip and slander, but instead show respect to others and always behave as ladies. Keep this in mind please; you do NOT make yourself look good, by trying to make someone else look bad! On the contrary......

I wish you both "Happy Finning",...... "ladies"!

Please understand that we're not trash talking your company. As far as I know, none of the mers on here have ever used your company, so really, it's a very neutral thing. Kat, however, is not a neutral person or issue, and has had quite nasty run-ins with people on here. As a business that has little or nothing to do with mermaiding, it's not your fault that you a) don't realize the extent to which mers tend to stick together, particularly when large sums of money or reputations are involved and b) that you don't know that Kat is slightly persona non grata in the wider community. That's why you've gotten the response that you have. Please try to separate the response directed toward Kat from the response directed toward your cruise line. I'm sure if you went with another mermaid or photographer you wouldn't have the same issues. (I know there are mermaid photo workshops in the Caribbean occasionally, and people are generally happy with them.) Maybe consider contracting with a different mermaid and accompanying crew next time? I, for one would love to do underwater shoots in and around Egypt, particularly in the harbor at Alexandria. How cool would it be to have a mer shoot with all those ruins? It would be amazing.

Best of luck to you.

[Mermaid Melanie]

I did not slander your company in any way - I'm sure you do run a great service, and the boat looks very nice, I simply expressed my own experiences. Your right though you don't make yourself look good by trying to make others look bad, so I'm wondering why you reference my likes count from my fb page, comparing it to Kat's ? All my likes are organic btw, that means I didnt pay for them. Im not trying to say Im a better mermaid than Kat by any means and thats not why I posted about this but I feel that people deserve to know the truth, I had checked with AIDA and Kat isn't an instructor with them but she may be with another organisation. No not all mermaids are nice and I learned that from Kat. Also no one said anything bad about the photographer ! I think this got a bit blown out, sorry you didnt get the response you wanted from the Ad but if you had known about past comments I'm sure you would understand why people aren't so enamoured with Kat. Maybe she will be nicer to her "mer-sisters" in the future. I wish you good luck with your live aboard trip, I'm sure it will be a great time...

[Echidna]

there were no "personal" attacks.
we were just pointing out questionable details in the ad.
which has conveniently been removed, probably to be able to claim we were all making it up.


some companies work in a professional way, while others are not. The same, by the way, obviously, applies to mermaids! You cannot compare one with a meager 940 "likes" on her facebook page, with one that has almost 90.000!


just quoting this, in case it's deleted too.
using FB likes as measuring gauge for professionalism, integrity and credibility.
well done.

[AniaR]

Hey Kat. having fun on the forum? I am calling BS on this right now. This behaviour right here is why people have terrible impressions of you- all across the world. :/ we also have a rule against deleting your post after the fact .

Honestly this is just kinda lame. Either join the forum or dont. don't pretend to be someone else. go introduce yourself first in the introduction forum. Makes you look like you're actually interested in the community and not just whatever money you can make from people. I would not be surprised if you're PMing the admins complaining because people have problems with your posts. Well, it's all about basic respect for the community that pays your bill.

Also, you buy your likes. It's not 90,000 likes. You bought fake likes. I have proven it over and over again. you pay a fee for fake accounts to like your page (your most popular city has once been "male" and "table" and is currently bangkok bangkok- the #1 place for fake likes). Needing validation much?? I mean if you really wanna go down that route we can girl. I've got lots of proof on you and no problem posting it all if you're going to start going after people in the community.

Here we go, for reference with all my citations, we aren't idiots. You dont have 90,000 fans. You, melissa, and MANY others buy fake likes. I always think it's hilarious to see you go up 10k in an hour. Geesh. http://mernetwork.com/index/showthre...=facebook+fans (http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?5641-Why-Buying-FB-likes-makes-your-company-look-Stupid&highlight=facebook+fans)

[AniaR]

Oh waaaait, I dont free dive (in the freaking freezing cold iceburg ridden Atlantic ocean) so I'm not a real professional mermaid right? forget all that other stuff I do, I'm not one of the professional mermaids you consider yourself and a handful of others to be. So I guess my opinion means squat. Same with everyone else here.

Mercommunity: I can certainly be an idiot at times but please help me ensure I never get such a big head as to treat people this way. Thanks.

[Mermaid Wesley]

I don't know that it is or isn't Kat and I know nothing really about her....
but deleting all your posts is ridiculous. Also, no one attacked you personally. You freaked out when we were critical and doubtful. That's great that you rattled off some stats about yourself but Instead of calmly defending your company you insulted most of the mer community on the site and guaranteed you won't be getting any business from this. So I'm going to give you some advice I never give anyone. Grow up.


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