At the end of January, with the thermometer reading over 30 degrees in the distant Maldives, Thessaloniki “mermaid”, Charicleia Mari, dived into the deep blue waters of the Indian Ocean and swam with sharks and huge stingrays. The young owner of the first Mermaid Academy in Greece (Thessaloniki Mermaid Academy) and padi mermaid instructor visited the exotic destination, explored the tropical seabed of the region, “introduced”the Thessaloniki mermaids to the exotic area and it is not excluded that the Maldivian mermaids will visit Thessaloniki as well.

“From the surface we could see the fins of the sharks or as they call them here the “sea cats” and the crew informed us that it was time to swim with them. As we learn in PADI, as humans it is forbidden to touch marine life and we were advised the same by the locals. “If they touch you, stay calm, they are just exploring you,” says Athenian/Macedonian News Agency, Harikleia Mari, speaking about this special experience.

As she notes, the sensation of swimming with sharks and all kinds of marine life is indescribable and for those who wonder if this was dangerous and if anyone who dares to do so feels panic or fear, the mermaid trainer notes that calmness and respect for these creatures, especially when entering their environment, are the key elements to avoid any bad feelings.

“I initially felt deep emotion when I saw the sharks underwater. First we swam with them in our masks and then it was time to take pictures with our tails. I felt even better swimming with the mermaid’s tail, which is now a part of me,” he says, adding that he was not scared for a moment, which is also evident from the photos. You can see dozens of sharks around her and so close to her that they look like … fake sharks and while skeptics would say it’s a photo montage, the shots are far from real.

“I wasn’t scared at all and to be honest I was looking forward to getting in the water. I was the last one out of the water! What was fantastic is that the sharks were very few to some others, but when it was my turn more came and I believe this is due to the energy we emit as mermaids, as they probably realized that I wanted them close to me.” 

She further notes that she “saw it all” underwater, as the visibility is much better than in Greece and the beautiful waters in many parts of our country, not because they are prettier or clearer, but because there is less salt in the water there than in our seas.

The trip of Charikleia Mari, who trains mermaids and gives lessons in Thessaloniki and Athens with women and men wearing the tails and learning to swim with the monopod, was carried out to highlight “Mermaiding” and to create material for the actions of the academy and other mermaid schools in Europe.

“So we will highlight our actions for 2025 in the best possible way”, says the Thessaloniki mermaid preparing suitcases that will hold her colorful impressive tails for her next destination to meet other sea creatures.