Ben Lecomte: The Longest Swim (Trailer)

Ben Lecomte, the first man to swim across the Atlantic Ocean without a kickboard in 1998, is preparing for a swim of epic proportions -- crossing the Pacific Ocean from Tokyo to San Francisco, the first citizen science expedition of its kind.

What attracts me is creating something new

After his daily eight-hour swim, Lecomte will jump onboard the support sailing yacht “Discoverer” to eat, rest, and spend time with the crew. The crew will mark his GPS location when he breaks for the day and bring him to that exact spot to dive back in the next morning.

With the push of the Kuroshio and North Pacific currents, he plans on swimming an average distance of 30 miles per day for a total duration of six months. Throughout the journey, Lecomte and his crew will contribute to eight research programs and share their story with the audience, live from the middle of the ocean.