From mermaids to treasure hunters, inside 6 incredible jobs most people would never think of pursuing

Mermaid Paisley

• Mermaids, beer historians, and cat café owners all make a living from unusual and cool jobs.

• Some gigs involve inherently interesting activities, like finding Spanish coins and traveling the country visiting breweries.

• Business Insider spoke with a number of people who have particularly interesting jobs.

Cool jobs may seem hard to come by sometimes, but they're definitely out there.

Some jobs, like mermaid and treasure hunter, are so interesting that they almost sound far-fetched.

But Business Insider found that's it's more than possible to make a living doing things that you love.

Here's a look at how six people came by some of the most incredible jobs out there and what their lives entail:

Paisley Easton was introduced to the world of mermaids by a high school friend

Paisley Easton has always loved the water.

"I'm not a swimmer per se, but growing up we were always going to the pool and water parks," she said.

Now, she spends part of her work days underwater, working as a mermaid at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in Florida. A high school classmate who she attended college with first clued her in to the world of Weeki Wachee's mermaids.

"As we were sitting in a college class, she told me, 'Oh I just wish I could be a mermaid forever,'" she told Business Insider. "Obviously, she's there getting her education to move onto something else, but you could tell that she really loved the job by that comment."

Prospective mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in Florida have to undergo a number of tests before they earn their tails

Easton had visited the tourist attraction as a kid, but that conversation was what sparked her interest. Typically, prospective mermaids audition in groups of 60, but Easton's friend snagged her a private audition.

To make the cut, Easton had to swim 400 yards in 16 minutes, try out some underwater moves, and do breath exercises.

"I had to take a breath, hold, and smile and wave at the windows so they could watch how comfortable I was," she said. "You've got to make sure that your face just looks calm and relaxed and not scrunched up. And you've got to keep your eyes open."

Easton said the mermaid performances have brought out her more outgoing side

Easton ended up getting the gig. Along with the other new mermaids, she trained to swim relying on her arms, keeping her legs straight and her ankles together.

Wearing the costume fish tail actually makes swimming easier, Easton said, because it keeps your legs together for you. The mermaids perform three shows a day, but Easton said swimming before an audience isn't too stressful, and the job has brought out her more outgoing side.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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