Meet the real life mermaid who swims with jellyfish and can
hold her breath under water for up to five minutes
Linden Wolbert travels the world as a full time professional
mermaid and uses her custom-made 6ft tail to propel her through the
water.
The 32-year-old freediver and model can swim to depths of
115ft and uses her skills to promote ocean conservation and
education.
Linden, from Los Angeles, California, said: 'I grew up as a
water baby. My parents are both competitive swimmers.
'I always looked forward to going to the ocean for our summer
vacation. I had a magnetism to the water.
'I've kind of always been a freediver but didn't realise the
sport existed until ten years ago. Shortly thereafter, I when began
training.
'Free diving is 70 per cent psychological. You have to be
very calm and at ease in the water.'
Linden always dreamed of becoming a mermaid after growing up
watching films like The Little Mermaid and Splash but it didn't
become a reality until she got to know Hollywood special effects
artist Allan Holt.
They spent seven months working on the 35lb tail, which was
made from a fibreglass mould of Linden's body.
It involved sealing a monofin inside high-quality silicone to
make it hydro-dynamic and effective in the water.
The thousands of fish scales were painstakingly sculpted
individually by hand out of clay before they were duplicated in
fibreglass and then the final mould was injected with
silicone.
The whole project cost around £10,000 to complete.
Linden said: 'I was introduced to Allan through a friend. He
wanted my advice for an underwater music video. I happened to
mention I'd always wanted a mermaid tail but had no idea where to
begin.
'Allan said he'd help me straight away.
'We set a budget at the start but then things happened. It
ended up being way over but it was worth it.'My friends and family
were all there the first time I used it in the water. I couldn't
stop smiling. I couldn't believe it was finally
happening.'
In some of these amazing images, Linden is seen swimming in
Jellyfish Lake on the island of Palau, which used to be connected
to the Pacific Ocean.
Since it has been cut off, it has become home to millions of
jellyfish because they have no risk of
predators. The 12,000 year-old lake is the only
place in the world where you can swim safely among them - because
the sea creatures have lost their sting.
Linden visited the lake, which is popular with snorkellers,
during a two-week trip to the island. She said:
'I had been on a dive that day and had left my tail drying. I
always bring it with me wherever I go.
'A man came over to me and asked if I was the mermaid that
went in the tail. I said yes and he told me his wife was a
photographer and would love to photograph me.
It sounded like a great idea
so we got a boat out to the lake. It was so
perfect. It was the coolest thing being surrounded by these golden
pulsating creatures.'
The images were taken by diver and underwater photographer
Wendy Capili-Wilkie, who lives on the island.
Linden has also posed for shots with extreme sports
photographer Agustin Munoz, from Costa Rica, in Deadman's Cay, Long
Island, Bahamas.
She said: 'I love the feeling of freedom and weightlessness
in the water. It's such a different sensation. It's very
dream-like. The power of the tail is amazing. I
can go very fast. The 'wind' in my hair when I'm diving under water
is like nothing else.
'I've been diving with sharks. With my tail, I'm longer than
most of them. Many people think I'm crazy to swim
with sharks but I'm always surrounded by an incredible safety
team.
'The sea creatures are very inquisitive. They come up to me
to take a closer look because I'm not blowing bubbles like
divers.'
As well as diving, Linden, who has a degree in film and
science from Emerson College, produces her Mermaid Minute, an
educational clips web series for children.
She offers her mermaid services to the Make A Wish
Foundation, Reef Check Worldwide and several other non profits and
charities.
Linden is also the 'mermaid to the stars' and has been hired
to perform at a string of Hollywood parties, hosted by celebrities,
including Jessica Alba and Justin Timberlake.
