Mermaid Sighting in Bushwick

BROOKLYN, NY. On a rainy weekday night in the far reaches of Brooklyn there’s excitement in the humid confines of Bushwick High School. Merle Liivand —an Estonian competitive swimmer with a diverse resume as model, actress, athlete and ambassador for worthy causes—will make an appearance on the school’s pool deck.

A group of swimmers, ranging in age from 7 to 60, are respectfully gathered around Liivand, who tells of repeatedly overcoming adversity. Substantial health issue as a child led to swimming to strengthen her lungs and a series of successful athletic challenges, motivated by dispelling other’s disbelief, resulting in Liivand’s globe-trotting existence as competitive athlete, UN spokesperson, five-time Guinness world-record holder.

And, mermaid.

Right, a mermaid in a monofin who swims miles and miles in some of the world’s most prominent—and often polluted—waters.

Liivand demonstrated her specialized fin stroke in impressive fashion, moving swiftly through the pool’s placid waters with her arms pinned to her sides, mermaid style. It seemed inconceivable that she could swim like this for 50 kilometers but in fact that’s a Guinness record she set as recently as April 15th. A feat that—almost as inconceivable—others have sought to break, using the same technique.

Watching the mermaid swim at Bushwick High School Pool. Photo: M. Randazzo

For the novices assembled by the Swim Strong Foundation to learn basic water safety techniques, the mermaid technique is too rarified. They spent the next hour in the water learning basic skills, like starfish float, stationary kicking and stroke drills. But the brush with aquatic royalty has it’s intended effect; all exit the pool deck excited and eager for their next swim session.

After everyone was packed up Liivand—a 3-time Baltic Champion, 2-time World Ice Swimming silver medalist, 10 km Open Water Worlds Qualifier and Rio Marathon Swimming Olympic Trial swimmer—spoke of her athletic achievements, her eco advocacy and the unparalleled monofin that has made her famous.

- Why a mermaid? It’s not just a signature attire but a distinct swimming style.

Mermaids have always been mystical, so it’s a way to get kids and adults connected with the water. They want to know: What is this mermaid doing there?

Sometimes I say: Come and send the mermaid kisses in the water. It’s more like the curious side. Children think: It’s cold and I have to put the face down and blow bubbles. Kids stepping over fear inspires me to take on the hardest oceans in the world and swim though them with my fin.

- You’re connecting two different activities: open water swimming and saving the oceans from human pollution by collecting trash. What you do in the water appears to be a physical act of swimming but one which is also entirely serene.

It is my way to tell the story that we can be strong and physical, but we can also be magical. I’m telling the story of dolphins, of animals who are suffocating in the oceans—but also telling humans that we can become something beautiful and elegant, inspiring women and girls to put the swimsuit on and go after their biggest goals.

With her monofin Liivand is a blur in the water. Photo: M. Randazzo

It is also physical and athletic, which keeps me interested and excited to be a professional athlete. You might get burned out swimming laps. You find a new, curious way to train—hard, physical training for something so unique.

- As an “ecoathlete” you are combining your athletic ability with advocacy for the environment, a stand that has won you attention as a promoter of the United Nation’s sustainable development goals.

I’m part of the ecoathletes who are also the voice for Olympic committees to raise awareness that sporting fields and arenas are affecting humans. When spectators are enjoying athletic moments, they might be hurting the environment. In the long run we may lose the spots where we train, where we compete, where we perform.

From the sports angle it’s: Hey guys what are we doing? [The environment] feeds us and we are actually destroying it. Tokyo Olympic athletes suffered from overheating [during open water swim]. We lost Fran Crippen because the water was too hot. At the Rio di Janeiro Olympics there were pollution problems.

There’s this idea that: “It’s over! The competition was good; let’s move on.” It’s deeper than that. It’s going to affect sport funding. We need to do something, and I realized [mermaid swims] were the way to do it. I can tell the story of athletes suffering as they find places to train and compete but also bring in the human side of things.

It’s a problem of humanity. Now we have problems with microplastics found in human blood.

We had for two weeks in a row 101º ocean [temperature] in Florida. The coral is dying. Coral gives us oxygen, which enables us to succeed in life and business. It might feel that it doesn’t affect you today but it’s going to affect your income, your health, the stability of society. If microplastic is in human blood that will affect hormonal balance in the athletic world and in society.

Photo: Merle Liivand

We all want to live in a secure society. These [developments] may affect world leaders’ long-term decisions.

It is all connected. We might not see the picture clearly but I’m here to tell the story.

- Which is why you are invested in the UN’s sustainable development goals.

I wear many hats. I am [an] Earth Day Ambassador, World Cleanup Day Ambassador, World Economic Forum Frontvoice for Climate. Everything we do with the world clean-up day we got recognized and now it’s going to be an official day on the UN calendar.

I was sitting with the [UN] water ambassador and having a conversation about the goals for 2030 and how we are so far from [reaching them]. We predict things by 2030 but it’s like we’re building on a future where we don’t listen to young people and we don’t listen to scientists. Now we’re trying to engage the younger generation more. We are 329 weeks away from 2030, when we’re supposed to reach all these goals—800 different commitments. It’s hard to keep up with everything!

For example, the farmer never thinks about the ocean until it hits his income.

There’s lots of work to be done and the work needs to start today. Not tomorrow.