http://www.oceanikamerfins.com/about
Mermaiding is the latest craze to hit the beaches this summer thanks to one very dedicated mermaid at Oceanika. For all those young girls who have ever dreamt of being a mermaid, Mahina is about to bring countless dreams true with her originally designed eco-friendly MerFins.
Kazzie was born to be a mermaid. Spending a lot of her life growing up on the south coast of New South Wales, Kazzie would spend all her spare moments at the beach and in the ocean. It was exploring the rock pools and beachcombing that she first developed a profound connection to the natural world. This would manifest itself in a game where, by tying her legs together with an old piece of rope, she became a ‘real’ mermaid living under an old boat, intent on spending her life living with the dolphins and whales that would swim past her little beach.
In 2005 Kazzie and her friend Hannah were invited to swim with the dolphins for a community ‘water awareness’ commercial. Rather than just swimming with the dolphins, the girls decided they were going to do their best to look like them, so they began making their silver dolphin tails.
Not too long after her life changing experience of swimming in her tail with the dolphins, Kazzie began a solo journey around the world with nothing but a bag on her back and her tail over her shoulder.
It was at this time and amongst her travels that Kazzie began to realise her mermaid dream. On return home to Byron one year later, along with the help and training of two special-effects artists on the Gold Coast, Kazzie started making her own tails out of latex and silicone. Honing her craft, she had soon created a design that not only looked realistic but was completely functional: a mermaid was born.
Realising how potent the mermaid was as a metaphor for the connection between humans and the natural world, Kazzie began to explore ways she could use her talents and her fins for environmental conservation. She felt education was the key, and what better way to inspire future generations than to create tails, with tales. And so began a six year journey in design, innovation and hard work, that has taken this little mermaid to three continents in quest of the perfect product and message to offer the world. It was part of this quest that the MerFins would be as environmentally friendly as possible. Kazzie’s persistence paid off when she found a factory who not only use environmentally sensitive practises and machines, but who were also happy to use recycled rubber to produce her MerFin designs. The MerFin is the first functional rubber mermaid fin of its kind on the market, as well as one of the first eco-friendly/recycled fins produced.
Kazzie is combining her love for nature with the aspirations of her business, by delivering a strong message of sustainability and social responsibility. She started the MerPod for this reason: it is a fun group aimed at inspiring and educating young merlings. The MerPod is currently partnered with organisations like Tangaroa Blue Ocean Care Society specialising in beach clean-ups, Tim Silverwoods Take 3 initiative, and the Race for the Oceans Campaign as a contributor to the Ocean Story Boat.
Kazzie continues to travel, recently visiting Tonga to swim with humpback whales, and is currently planning more adventures. Her connection to the ocean is profound, and she embodies the beauty and essence of the ocean. Incredibly, after many years of mermaiding and completing a free-diver course in Thailand, Kazzie reached a breath hold time of 5 minutes and 4 seconds. This was under controlled conditions, and no movement. However, one might start to wonder if she might even have gills?!
“Oceanika MerFin’s were developed to inspire the hearts, imagination, and dreams of children. I want to promote ‘Mermaiding’ as a new concept in beach and pool culture. It is my hope that the MerFins will encourage children to discover the beauty of the ocean, to listen to the natural world around them and follow what they love. I hope that the experience and fun of swimming like a mermaid or a fish may strengthen their desire to protect the sea and her creatures, That they may be inspired to make beautiful waves in our world with their hands, hearts and MerFins”
Mahina's passion for the ocean and nature, and her longing for a closer connection and respect between the human and natural worlds are at the heart of all her campaigns, stories and products at Oceanika.
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