Meet The Mindful Mermaid, Sara Ferguson, Shark Guardian's first shark swimming mermaid ambassador, on a mission to aid the ocean by helping the apex of its food chain. After learning about how quickly sharks are being overfished to endangerment worldwide Sara became inspired to show sharks’ softer side to the world promoting the idea of coexistence.
Sara swims with sharks as a mermaid, hoping to bring a more accurate representation of sharks’ character to the world. “A mermaid is the perfect spokesperson for the sea,” Sara explains. “I’ve dived with over 14 different species of sharks on scuba and while freediving, but when I add a mermaid tail, suddenly it becomes art and that helps relay my message that coexistence is possible. “Without a mask, a mermaid is a relatable element in the depths that are impossible for a human to go, a beauty dancing with the underwater beast. I aim to share sharks’ accurate character and disposition with the world, replacing the mainstream fear and villainization we’ve been conditioned to believe. If we don’t do something soon, they will be wiped out to extinction, and every level of the food chain will be affected. We need sharks for healthy oceans, and we need healthy oceans to exist.”
Sharing videos and images of quality time with these misunderstood creatures Sara hopes to inspire others to help stop the fin trade, to love and protect the ocean and its inhabitants.
“I am just one girl, in love with the ocean,” Sara says, “but I can create ripples for change. We all can.”
As a PADI Mermaid Instructor, Sara built The Mindful Mermaid Swim Academy in Maui, teaching kids and adults alike how to swim in mermaid tails through mermaid certification courses with emphasis on a positive relationship with water and ocean conservation.