Amanda Jessie Carlson first saw artistic swimming at age 8 when neighbors invited her to an annual water show by the Meraquas of Irvine. “It was so mesmerizing,” she says. “I started classes, joined the team and never stopped.” She is among hundreds of swimmers who’ve gone through the Meraquas over the past 60 years and discovered their love for the sport, where they perform a synchronized choreographed routine in the water.