Swimmer attempts Pacific crossing

Ben Lecomte, 51, aims to become the first person to swim the Pacific Ocean, covering 9,000km from Tokyo to San Francisco in six months while raising awareness of the state of ocean health


Lecomte aiming to swim eight hours each day, covering 65km, then jump on board support boat
to eat and sleep

He needs to consume 8,000 calories a day – freeze-dried and canned foods on boat and liquids only while swimming

Support ship: 67-foot sailboat Discoverer
Crew: 8

Ben’s kit: Headset to stay in contact with crew, waterproof heart monitor, and bracelet on ankle to measure radioactivity

Inflatable motorboat: Keeps Lecomte on course

Research: Scientists will collect samples and study plastic pollution, effect of extreme exercise on body and impact of Fukushima nuclear disaster


Jun 5, Tokyo
Departure
Kuroshio current
Great Pacific Garbage Patch: Area of marine debris twice size of Texas trapped in core of ocean
currents
PACIFIC OCEAN
San Francisco
North Pacific current
White shark migration area: Lecomte also wears bracelet that creates magnetic field to repel sharks.
Other dangers include storms, jellyfish and extremely low temperatures


Sources: The Longest Swim, The Ocean Cleanup 
Picture: @BenLecomteSwim 
© GRAPHIC NEWS