It’s been called one of the seven new wonders of the world…
A craggy volcanic island in the Pacific, where 70-year-old grandmothers dive up to 65 feet underwater… hold their breath for minutes… and bring up treasures from the sea.
Each day, they walk down to the ocean’s edge wearing nothing more than a wet suit, fins and goggles, and plunge into the cold sea. They disappear for minutes and return to the surface with octopus, sea urchin, seaweed and shellfish.
They are called the Haenyeo - the “mermaids” of Jeju Island, just off the coast of Korea. They’re part of a tradition that dates back hundreds of years. And surprisingly, it’s only older women who do the diving.
Their age ranges from 58 to well into their 70s. Yet their energy and fitness allow them to make a living out of harvesting the sea floor… free diving to depths of 65 ft. without any oxygen tanks.
No doubt daily exercise and a high protein diet help with their remarkable stamina. But they have another secret up their sleeve, too. A nutritional powerhouse that, until recently, was practically unknown outside of this small Korean community.