FOUNDERS BIO KAZZIE MAHINA

Growing up on the South Coast of New South Wales Australia, Kazzie Mahina nurtured her connection with the ocean from a young age. Beachcombing and exploring rock pools taught her to observe the natural world around her and recognize its majesty, fragility and beauty. This early curiosity and a creative imagination would prove invaluable to her future as an athlete, designer, ocean conservationist and businesswoman.

A talented athlete, Kazzie has travelled the world as a professional dancer, ski instructor and surf coach. A graduate of performing arts through The McDonald College, Sydney, she was accepted into the prestigious London Contemporary Dance Company. She danced commercially in music video clips utilizing her hip-hop, contemporary and commercial dance skills in London, Los Angeles, Sydney and Brisbane. Alongside this career she worked as a ski instructor in Australia and the US for fourteen years, somehow managing to also fit in a number of summers working as a surf coach in Byron Bay.

In 2004 Mahina began her mermaid career. Along with a friend, they were asked to do modeling job swimming alongside dolphins as mermaids. Mahina found herself wondering how she might inhabit this creature in the real world. In recognizing the archetype of the mermaid as a metaphor for the connection between humans and the natural world, she realized the potential for combining the magical mythology of this sea creature with a project that had at its heart the custodianship of the ocean and its inhabitants. Kazzie felt that a well designed mermaid fin would be a perfect vehicle for humans to play and explore the ocean environment, while igniting their connection and relationship with nature and the ocean more deeply. So began a six-year journey in design, innovation and hard work, spanning three continents in the quest for the perfect product.

Simultaneously Mahina & her friend pioneered the profession of being Mermaids at a time when the role simply didn’t exist. Mahina’s athletic abilities led her to take up free diving. She trained in Thailand and can sustain her breath underwater for an incredible 5 minutes and 4 seconds. This capacity has seen her dive all over the world including having the amazing privilege of swimming up close with humpbacks and their calves, sharks, manta rays and other incredible sea life.

As a result of her adventurous spirit & water woman skills, Mahina has become a highly sought after asset for film, TV, advertising campaigns, music videos, and exclusive VIP events, utilizing her ‘Mahina Mermaid’ persona. Her life as a professional Mermaid has been rich and varied – from featuring in Redfoo’s ‘Let’s Get Ridiculous’ official video clip, to corporate branding with companies like Optus on national television, print and billboard campaigns. 

The combination of her love of the ocean, her athletic sensibilities, and her magical imagination led to the innovative design of the first functional (eco friendly) mermaid fin (MerFin) of its type. After many prototypes she finally released the MerFin onto the market in 2010. The recycled rubber MerFin has revolutionized the sport of free diving, body surfing, snorkeling and recreational mermaiding, with professional athletes seeking out the fins for both competition and pleasure.  

A message of conservation is built into Mahina’s global brand, both in the recycled materials of the MerFin product and in her MerPod Ocean Tribe Conservation group that has worked for many years alongside Tanagaroa Blue Ocean Care society, The National Marine Debris Initiative and with environmentalist and family friend Jack Johnson. 

Mahina’s MerPod Ocean Tribe is spreading far and wide as it joins forces with Save the Mermaids Organization (USA). Mahina is an ambassador for Save the Mermaids; together they are inspiring and educating their supporters in how to promote healthy and clean oceans through plastic free campaigns and activities.

As a result of her wild ‘off the beaten track’ adventure’s through life, Mahina now leads Drea’Mer sessions. Drea’Mer supports and encourages girls and women to dream their dreams, providing valuable, practical tips and guidance to help inspire and transform their heart callings into a reality. Mahina is often invited as a guest to be a mentor at the Future Dreamers Girls Club in Byron Bay.

Kazzie is passionate about the mystery of the journey, whether travelling the inner planes of her spirit or adventuring in the outer world. Staying open to listening to the whispers of nature has allowed her to experience a lot of growth and surpass many limitations of her mind, all guided by the serendipity and wonderment that unfolds when one is in tune with the natural world.

Calling the beach at Broken Head, Byron Bay Australia home, Kazzie Mahina lives with her husband Max (also a conservationist and ecologist in his own right), their little boy Makoa Tide and their 2 dogs Pebbles and Charlie. Together they enjoy travelling the world, spending their days at the beach, surfing, camping, as well as enjoying quality time with their friends and loved ones.