My New Monofin from M.N.G. Finn

I’ve now been in Barcelona for over a week, together with a friend from the Netherlands. It’s my first time here with a real professional monofin – handcrafted in Italy. On Tuesday, we went to the beach, and I got to try it out for the first time. The water was still chilly, but once you keep swimming, it’s perfectly manageable. I immediately noticed the difference compared to the first monofin and tail I had bought. My new monofin is much sturdier, which makes it easier to push off and move more precisely through the water.

The fin was made by M.N.G. Finn, a small artisan company based in Vigevano. The merman I met two years ago on the beach near Sitges also swam with one, and he told me all about it back then. But at the time, I just wanted to get started quickly, so I bought a beginner tail via bol.com. It was light, affordable, and easy to kick off in the water – perfect to find out if mermaiding was for me.

Since then, I’ve completely fallen in love with merman swimming and I want more: more power, more control, more precision. So in April, I decided to order a G-Fin from M.N.G. Finn. I got in touch with Massimo, the owner, via email. He helped me choose the right size, the width (about 63 cm – narrow enough for pool use), and the design. I picked a blue-green print with a fish scale texture that reminded me of an image of Olly Alexander as a merman on the cover of his album Night Call. I also had my email address printed discreetly on the blade – just in case I ever lose it.

The moment I held the fin for the first time, it felt just right. The foot pockets are made from natural rubber and fit snugly. It’s firm, but also flexible. Since I wanted to leave this one in Barcelona, I’ve already ordered a second one for home in Amsterdam. That way, I won’t have to travel back and forth with a giant fin – though I have to admit, walking through security at Schiphol with a monofin on my back is always quite amusing. It doesn’t fit through the scanner and has to be hand-checked, which takes a few minutes and usually sparks fun questions from the security staff: “What’s it like to swim with that?” One time, a staff member even used the fin as a fan to cool us down. Another time I got called “Aquaman.”

The first swim was amazing. The fin gives a smooth, powerful glide. Swimming suddenly feels more natural – almost as if I really am a merman. Especially here, in the sea, among the fish.

That same evening, we met up again with the merman from Sitges. We went out for drinks at La Sastrería, a queer bar where a drag queen put on a spectacular show. It felt like everything came together: reconnecting with the merman who inspired me, the fin I once dreamed of, and now the moment where I truly swam with it.

I hope that once I’m back in Amsterdam, I’ll be able to swim with this beautiful fin there too – maybe in a designated “mermaid lane,” a pool lane where monofins are welcome.