Mermaids: The Inspiration Behind Our Newest DiveSkins

From ancient times to the present day, Mermaids have intrigued humans all around the world. And, though they’re purely legendary, their fantastical nature has permeated oceanic culture for centuries.

Here at SlipIns, we have an affinity for mermaids. In fact, we’re fine-tuning some new mermaid-inspired designs...that we’ll release into the world (and ocean) very soon!

Let’s delve into the history of the mermaid and explore some legendary encounters that made history. We’ll also explore why we think mermaids would be a fan of SlipIns.

The Fascinating History of Mermaids

Many sources date the first cultural appearance of mermaids to 1000 BC in Assyria. According to mermaidsofearth.com, Syrian mythology held that the fertility goddess Atargatis turned into a mermaid after she threw herself into a lake after having a daughter with a mortal shepherd. She remained in her mermaid form for eternity because she was immortal.

In ancient Rome, people modified the siren creature from Greek mythology and gave it a mermaid form. This new type of siren with a fishtail was said to lure sailors to their deaths with her angelic voice.

There’s also the legend of Thessalonike which traces mermaids back to the time of Alexander the Great. Thessalonike, Alexander’s sister, became immortal when she washed her hair with water from the Fountain of Immortality. When her brother died, she threw herself into the sea where she became a mermaid.

Other countries have their own mermaid legends, testifying to the impact that mermaids have made on humans around the globe. African mythology has a water sprite dubbed Mami Wata. Brazilian legends tell of a mermaid named Lara. South Koreans have a local myth of a mermaid named Sinjiki, while the Japanese tell of mermaid queen Nyi Roro Kidul.

Pondering Past Mermaids

Throughout history, many people have claimed to have had mermaid encounters. In 1493, Christopher Columbus allegedly saw three mermaids off the coast of Haiti. Famous Jamestown settler, John Smith, said he saw one off the coast of Newfoundland, whom he noted was beautiful and had green hair. Painter Samuel Fallours claimed to have seen one in the East Indies, which inspired his circa-1718 drawing of one.

Two mermaid encounters have also been documented in the Netherlands. One of them was found beached in some shallow water and some locals took her home and dressed her. It’s said she never spoke. Then, in the 1600s, there’s a tale of an injured mermaid whom locals helped heal. She learned how to speak Dutch and supposedly joined the Catholic religion.

Musing About Modern Mermaids

Today, there are still those that claim to witness mermaids. And, though, the SlipIns team knows mermaids aren’t real, sometimes we let ourselves daydream. What if mermaids were around today? It’s certainly fun to imagine.

We’d like to think that they would support SlipIns. With their ocean-centric outlook, they’d be advocates of the reef-protecting products that we offer to swimmers, surfers, and divers worldwide.

Our New Mermaid-Themed Collection

Channel your love of mermaids with some new SlipIns gear for your wardrobe. And, now, you have even more options (than our current Aqua Mermaid DiveSkin) to express your passion for mermaids. We've released 3 New Mermaid-Themed Patterns!

Stay tuned into our blog and social channels to hear about all excitement around our new Mermaid styles so you can be among the first customers to get your hands (or fishtails?) on these fun designs.