Pacific And Atlantic Transoceanic Swims To Begin
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.
November 1st 2015 is going to be a totally unique and special day for open water swimming on the world’s stage.
Over in Tokyo, Japan, Ben Lecomte will start The Longest Swim across the Pacific Ocean while over in Dakar, Sénégal, Ben Hooper will start his Swim The Big Blue across the Atlantic Ocean.
Both of these men have been planning and training for their transoceanic swims for years, raising massive amounts of funds, developing logistical and operational plans, recruiting both on-the-water and on-land support crews, joining with scientists and experts in various fields, and raising awareness for their charity swims.
One man – Lecomte – will swim from west to east, from Tokyo to San Francisco. The other – Hooper – will swim from east to west, from Dakar to Natal (Brazil).
One man – Lecomte – will swim up to 8 hours per day every day for up to 6 months. The other – Hooper – will swim up to 12 hours per day every day for up to 4 months.
One man – Lecomte – will attempt to swim 5,419 miles (8,721 km) using fins, snorkels, googles and wetsuits. The other – Hooper – will attempt to swim 1,731 miles (2,786 km) using similar equipment plus shark deterrent devices.
Both Lecomte and Hooper are raising funds using IndieGoGo (see above). Lecomte will start off during winter in a warm water current in the Northern Hemisphere while Hooper will start off in the north and head towards the Southern Hemisphere.
Interestingly and surprisingly enough, both Lecomte (originally from France) and Hooper (originally from Great Britain) have most of their support crew members from America. Lecomte is based out of Austin, Texas while Hooper is based out of Key West, Florida.
Both Lecomte and Hooper – and their crews – will tackle significant physical, mental, emotional, logistical and natural challenges very rarely seen in the endurance communities.
Hooper writes, “Ever since childhood I have dreamed of swimming across the giant Atlantic monster we call an Ocean. Her depths, mystery and sheer power are all consuming of not only my vivid imagination but our weather, our lives and the lives of those who live in and sail upon her.
As a child I have played, dreamed, watched her horse’s race up to our shores and when angry, punish the United Kingdom coastline. I have witnessed and heard stories of sharks, jelly fish, and waves as tall as a cruise ship, mysterious lights and fish that leap out of the sea to greet you. As an adult I have dived beneath her watery body and recreationally swum among her beautiful crests, the most dangerous of territories that is both unpredictable and awesome in appearance.
The dream of swimming with her, free and so insignificant in the aquatic hands of Poseidon, conquering the unknown, is frightening, inspiring, exciting and now.”
Lecomte writes, “‘Never again’ were my first words when I got out of the water after completing my swim across the Atlantic Ocean. But here I am getting ready for the next swim. Real real passion never goes away.
What will make this swim one of the most important swims in history is that we will collect samples for several marine and medical research through out the entire ocean. I will also swim with Water Defense Environmental Indicator technology attached to my body (WaterBug cumulative water testing technology).”
November 1st will be here soon enough.
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