Interview by Despina Dimotsi, Issue 7, Summer 2025, English edition.
Brandee Anthony also know as “Vero Beach Mermaid” is a professional photographer, content creator, mermaid and freediver with 2 million followers and over 75 million video views. She is an elite level PADI mermaid dive instructor with her business Mermaid Freedive where she teaches and certifies people of all ages to become mermaids and freedivers. Brandee is the frist pro Mermaid to be a PADI AmbassaDiver, she is part of the PADI Mermaid team and she was involved in the development of the mermaid program. She is also a proud Finfolk Productions ambassador.
Brandee offers mermaid training, business consulting, photoshoots, appearances, modeling, promotion, underwater coaching, social media management and more! Her goal is to share everything she has learned so that others can turn their dreams into reality as well! She is located in Vero Beach, Florida where she lives with her partner, pets and tons of plants. She is active in her community, loves to work with conservation and enjoys the water anytime that she can.
She has been featuring in a wealth of publications and social media outlets for her unique content and lifestyle.
DD: At what age did you start swimming and when did you decide that diving is what you love and want to pursue professionally?
BA: I have been swimming since I was just a little one but it wasn’t until I was around 25 when I decided to pursue diving and mermaiding professionally.
DD: Tell us a little about mermaid training. How many courses does it take to complete the whole course? Can someone learn just the basics as an experience in case to do a photoshoot?
BA: I teach the PADI program through my company Mermaid Freedive. The program is broken up into multiple levels as a build upon system so you can start with just an intro experience and build your way up or you can do the full program which is three courses and takes around two days to complete to advanced mermaid. If you are interested in just doing a photoshoot, I teach the basic mermaid course to ensure the person is comfortable and safe in the mermaid tail and that course is about an hour long.
DD: How many hours per week do you train? Describe us a “mermaid day”
BA: As a professional Mermaid each day can vary quite a bit for me as I operate three different businesses, which all in some way have something to do with Mermaiding. I don’t have a personal training schedule as most of my time in the water is in the field whether I am teaching or performing but I try to get out and do personal training dives and shoots a couple times a month. Contrary to popular belief, I sadly don’t get to spend all day being a mermaid in beautiful water while that is a part of my life. A lot of my days are actually spent in the office working on the back end of my businesses.
DD: How heavy is a tail underwater? What is the difficulty of tail swimming?
BA: This is going to depend entirely on the tail as they vary quite a bit. A silicone tail weighs around 40 lbs but feels pretty light when on in the water. I find it much easier to dive in a silicone tail then a fabric one but fabric tails are a lot easier to get on and off.
DD: You are also a photographer. Do you prefer only underwater shooting or do you enjoy other experiences as well as sea life?
BA: Yes I have been a photographer for 11 years and I have been shooting professionally underwater for around 6 years. I love working both in and out of the water as a photographer but my uw work has quickly become my favorite. In addition to being a photographer I also love to just dive for fun both on freedive and scuba and I absolutely love to be around any and all sea life.
DD: Apart from photoshootings what other projects or events can a mermaid attend?
BA: I have a lot of offerings for mermaids of all levels. I offer courses, retreats, travel expeditions, photo and video, mermaid instructor, performance training, 1:1 business mentoring, underwater model coaching, photography and social media training and I hold a summit every year to celebrate the industry.
DD: What would you advise a new student starting now?
BA: My advice to anyone that wants to get into Mermaid is to do your research and get your certifications first. Wearing a mermaid tail and diving in open water can be dangerous so it’s best to learn all of the necessary information and safety early on. Its also important to buy safe, quality gear from reputable businesses like Finfolk Productions.
DD: What are your future plans?
BA: Looking into the future, I hope to continue to inspire others to follow their dreams and come out and dive with us. I’m always working to push myself and the boundaries of this industry and will continue to do so!
