I became a certified mermaid on my Florida vacation. Here’s how you can do it, too

Editor’s note: PADI provided TPG’s Tarah Chieffi with complimentary access to the certified mermaid retreat. The opinions expressed below are entirely her own and weren’t subject to review by any entity.

"Being a mermaid is exhausting!"

These words escaped my lips more than once during my weekend-long retreat with Mermaid Freedive, led by PADI Mermaid Instructor and PADI AmbassaDiver Brandee Anthony. Don't get me wrong, I had done my research (and the prerequisite e-learning courses). Still, nothing could have prepared me for how much would be required of me physically, mentally and emotionally to become a certified mermaid.

Yes, I said "certified mermaid." The certifications I earned at the end of the retreat were developed by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, one of the world's foremost diver education and training associations. In association with PADI, Mermaid Freedive offers a variety of certifications and experiences that swimmers of all abilities can sign up for.

If you are ready to trade your human legs for a mermaid tail and fin, here's how you can become a mermaid, too.

Ariel wanted legs; I wanted a tail and fins

I've been fascinated by mermaids since Disney's animated version of "The Little Mermaid" released in 1989. Eight-year-old me was equal parts mesmerized by and envious of Ariel's ability to live under the sea. I've always felt at home when I am near water. The soothing, rhythmic sound of the waves rolling in or the glass-like surface of a calm lake brings a sense of peace to an otherwise loud and chaotic existence.

To me, the underwater world is a place of beauty, tranquility and wonder. When I was presented with the opportunity to explore that environment in a totally new way, I immediately agreed.

After registering for my four-day, three-night Mermaid Freedive retreat, I received a welcome packet detailing the equipment I would need and the schedule for the weekend. Don't worry if you don't already own a snorkel and mask or a mermaid tail: You can rent everything you need from the instructors.

Related: 12 of the best far-flung dive and snorkel spots to add to your bucket list

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I also had to complete the online portion of each certification I had signed up for before I arrived for the retreat. Each retreat is different, but the one I attended included options for PADI Freediver, PADI Mermaid and PADI Advanced Mermaid certifications. The e-learnings included information on safety, proper technique and equipment; they also explained the physiology of underwater diving and how to interact with the underwater world in a way that is respectful and responsible.

I chose this particular retreat because it was held in some of North Florida's gorgeous natural springs. I was excited about the opportunity to see wildlife and learn to become a mermaid in a natural setting.

Becoming a mermaid is challenging but rewarding

As I was driving from the airport to the retreat location, I was a bundle of nerves. As a travel writer, I am no stranger to being in new places or situations. However, I had never done anything quite like this.

I knew from the information I received after signing up that I would spend a good portion of the weekend in the water with the three instructors and the nine other retreat attendees. I consider myself a fairly active individual and a competent swimmer, but I had no idea how those skills would translate to the world of mermaiding. I was anxious and excited to get the weekend started and find out.

When I arrived at the retreat house we would all share for the weekend, I was curious about what made other people want to go on a mermaid retreat. For some of us, myself included, it was a lifelong fascination with mermaids. Others were exploring mermaiding as a career path. The retreat offered them the opportunity to earn an official certification that many aquariums, hotels and entertainment companies require; it also gave them the chance to get professional photos and videos they could use to build their brand.

We all had our own reason for being there, but we shared a goal of wanting to become mermaids. That common goal instantly made us each other's cheerleaders, confidants and support system for the adventure we were about to embark upon.

You may think a weekend at "mermaid camp" is spent flipping your hair a la Ariel and giggling the day away with your mermaid friends. You'd be wrong. OK, maybe we did do those things, but we also spent hours geared up in the wetsuits, weight belts, masks, snorkels and bi-fins that freedivers wear. In fact, most of our first day in the water was spent on PADI Basic Freediver training.

We had to demonstrate that we could assist another diver, complete a dynamic apnea (swimming underwater while holding your breath) for 25 meters (80 feet) and a static apnea (holding your breath while staying still) of 90 seconds. Before we were tested on any of these things, we practiced breath-hold techniques and did some trial runs to get comfortable with each skill.

Once we had completed everything required for the basic freediver course, we moved on to mermaiding. We kept the wetsuits but traded our bi-fins for a monofin. We honed our mermaid diving technique and learned various skills like back gliding, underwater turning and a backward somersault turn.

It took me multiple attempts to complete some of these skills. I failed twice to hold my breath for 90 seconds because everything I'd learned until that point was to "give up" the moment I needed to breathe. Through the freediver course, I learned how to do a proper "breathe up" before attempting a breath hold and which sensations are totally normal.

That evening, we sat or lay in the living room with our masks on and attempted the static breath hold again. This time, I knew what my body could do because of everything else I had already accomplished that day. It wasn't easy, but I successfully held my breath for 90 seconds. I did it twice, in fact, to make sure the first time wasn't a fluke.

I went to bed feeling like I could achieve anything. But at the same time, I knew the next day would present an entirely new set of challenges. I can't think of another time I've been so far outside my comfort zone, but I knew the only direction I could go was forward if I wanted to be a full-fledged mermaid.

The next day started much the same as before but at a different, and equally beautiful, freshwater spring. We suited up and jumped in the water for another day of underwater fun. Today's freediving session was all about depth. Deeper dives require you to equalize your ears to relieve the build-up of pressure. This turned out to be a struggle for me. The goal was 10 meters (30 feet), and I only got about halfway there before needing to return to the surface.

It would have been easy to view this as a failure, but our instructors were so caring and supportive that I didn't feel that way at all. They reminded me that I had already come so far over the weekend and that 15 feet is 15 feet deeper than I had ever dived before. They instilled in me — in all of us — a sense of confidence that I hope to carry with me in and out of the water.

Learning to flip my fins

On the final day of the retreat, we got to put on our mermaid tails and play. Most of us had photoshoots in the morning. Then, we had time to swim as a group. We tried out some of our new skills and swam for hours. The feeling of finally becoming a mermaid was all the more rewarding because of the hard work we had put in beforehand.

The weekend may have been coming to an end, but my time as a mermaid was only beginning. I felt transformed as I drove back to the airport for my return flight home. I still didn't feel quite as graceful as I may look in the photos. However, I did feel comfortable and confident in the water and excited to continue my mermaid journey.

Since returning home, I've continued to hone my skills in the water, and I've already acquired a small collection of my own diving gear. I don't own a mermaid tail (yet), but I do have a monofin — which may get some of the members of my local YMCA excited about mermaiding, too.

My new life as a mermaid

While incredibly challenging, my journey to becoming a mermaid was also one of the most fun and rewarding experiences of my life. I pushed myself beyond limits that I now know never existed in the first place. I gained a new level of courage and happiness underwater. I learned that I am strong enough to accomplish anything I set my mind to. I learned these lessons in the water, but I will carry them with me even on land.

Most importantly, I learned that mermaids are real. Don't believe me? I have the certification card to prove it.