Coastal Wonder: Record-Breaking Eco-Mermaid Makes a Splash Visiting the Shoreline

Gulfport, Miss. (WLOX) — A real-life mermaid who holds an impressive 10 titles in the Guinness World Records arrived at the coastline today with a specific mission: promoting water cleanup efforts.

The world-record holder and environmental advocate Merle Liivand states, "Right now, I'm here because I aim to turn my aspiration into reality of becoming the Mississippi mermaid."

Merle Liivand has set the world record for the most extended monofin swim, covering a distance over 14 hours and 15 minutes.

She didn’t stop there. During her mermaid swim, which by the way excludes the use of arms and only the single fin, she also picked up 35 pounds of trash in Miami waters.

Later this summer, the eco-mermaid will finally swim in the Mississippi Gulf Coast waters, fulfilling a dream she has had for over 20 years.

Liivand states, "During my preparation for the Rio Olympics, I noticed significant contamination in various open-water locations. Often, when you view an image or examine a spot on the map, you fantasize about it. For 25 years, I've dreamed of visiting the Mississippi."

The entire concept originated when Liivand was just a young girl.

She was born with an autoimmune disorder, which caused her lungs to nearly collapse when she was 11 years old.

Liivand ventured into the water to improve her lung ventilation skills, which resulted in her achieving world-record-breaking status.

Liivand remarks, "It's quite an intriguing journey because the young woman who was nearly dealing with collapsed lungs is now grappling with her larger lungs here on Earth."

Gulfport City Council member Ron Roland from Ward 2 mentions that hosting Liivand at our seaside areas is a minor move toward a greener Gulf.

Roland states, "This summer, she’ll be returning to launch an initiative for the City of Gulfport. It’s reassuring that someone will step up and tackle this issue head-on to make progress."

Liivand asserts that marine life relies on our actions, and merely requires some training to strengthen your climate resilience.

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