A hot, new hobby is making waves across Long Island.

Members of the Long Island Mermaid Pod are trading in their trousers for tails - to dive into a world full of wonder.

"I could pick legs, if I wanted to, but I prefer a tail,” says member Maegan Farrell. Farrell says that she enjoys switching from her persona to her “mersona.”

The Long Island Mermaid Pod started in 2016 with just five members. Since then, 55 more mermaid enthusiasts have finned up to join, making a splash online with more than 2,000 followers.

"It's such an amazing feeling to be that mythical thing that's not supposed to exist,” says member Nicole Oliva. “You become that. And once you put on that tail, it's more than I'm going to swim like a mermaid. You become the mermaid!"

Members of the group say the hobby encourages self-confidence and a sense of belonging.

"It might seem like a weird hobby, but everybody's got a weird hobby,” says member Sinead Atkinson. “You might as well do it together."