Frenchman to swim from Tokyo to San Francisco

With the cost of flights these days, I dont blame him.

I wish him well....but I wonder if he will run into trouble when he reaches the 22 million tons of debris from Tohoku floating out there.

Frenchman to swim from Tokyo to San Francisco

Need the word "attempt" in the title some were.

He's not going to make it. Sorry but it just can't be done. It's not like the English channel. This is the Pacific Ocean he's talking about. Seems like a publicity stunt.

Escape from Alcatraz?? It's never been done!! Why?? Many many hungry great white sharks out mon Cherie!!

His team can collect the debris from the sea. US and Japan can support this event. I wish all the best for him. Man has unlimited power when we think that we all are ame human being..

5 months in the ocean.... ya, that's not going to happen.

Netninja. He crossed the Atlantic in 1998. It can be done.

Many years ago one stupid Japanese man tried to fly with whole bunch of small balloons from Japan to the US. He never comes back. It looks like same.

I hope he does it. This would make a great chapter in the "never give up because anything is possible" book.

I feel seasick just thinking about it.

Amazing what the fuel surcharge can inspire.

To swim 8800 km in 150 days at 8 hours per day requires a swimming speed of 7.3 km/h. The current 1500m world record time is 14 min, 34 seconds, which equals a speed of 6.2 km/h. Clearly, Mr Lecomte cannot do this without the aid of sea currents. Even with the aid of a 3 km/h sea current Mr Lecomte must swim 4.3 km/h by himself, which is very difficult. For comparison, the fastest swim of the English channel averaged 4.85 km/h.

There's quite an age gap between now and his last swim. Being younger has physical advantages, but being older has the advantage of mental discipline. I wish him luck.

While I applaud his desire I wonder if the money he spends on the actual attempt will be covered by the donations he intends to or hopes to receive for cancer research.

Seems to me that the guy has to be at the least a bit crazy to even think about let alone make the attempt.

< The Frenchman admitted that his wife “finds it hard” to be enthusiastic about his Pacific project. >

This is probably because he is going to look like a big pink raisin after a couple of months in the sea.

There have been many days when I felt like doing the same thing.

If he swims just a few hours a day and then rests in a boat he might complete it within a few weeks or months but then again it is not as big attraction as it sounds. Not easy of course I wouldn't want to belittle his achievement but it sounds terrific he swims across the ocean, actually he swims a few hours in the ocean every day when the weather conditions make it possible and gets "home" to rest and do it again the next day. That's not the same.

So he raised his hand up to be the first guinea pig to test out the real state of radiation poisoning in the ocean.

I think he can do it. He has a family to get back to. He has a job to get back to. He is training. He has a purpose, supporting cancer research. He has a support network, boats, friends, and other safety equipment. And most of all he just went public and told the world what he will be doing. He is motivated. Don't underestimate a man with a purpose. When he makes it he will inspire others to make a difference.

Kudos to him. Even only swimming a few hours every day don't take anything away from the hardships, etc. And I am sure he will swim inside an enclosure to keep sharks, etc out that is towed by a ship.

Who was the japanese that recently circumnavigated the globe by jogging and got delayed for cancer treatments. And there are many more examples from across the globe.

No matter how fit you are, try doing the same stuff over and over for hours every day, takes some real drive and mental discipline.

"In 1998, his entourage said, he was the first man to swim the Atlantic,"

what does this exactly means? nobody believed that excepts his friends?

Why, why, why? Swim Ben, swim! Anything to help the tourist industry, but a discount on a ticket from USA to Japan is preferable. Oh well, it does help the publicity stunt.

If he is going to sleep on a boat etc Then why even bother swimming in the ocean? Why not just swim in an Olympic sized pool for 8 hours a day.

They are going to mark the spot he got out with gps and go back to the same spot the next day to drop him off at the "exact same place"

For all those who say he won't do it, he will. And best of luck during his journey.

I wondered if anyone has considered the debris from 3/11 that's drifting towards the U.S. Not to mention the radiation in the water. After reading a few posts I'm hopeful for him but would hate to see him get hurt or sick along the way.

NetSamurai.

The ocean currents are well know as well as how much they move stuff along. This is how companies recover cargo from wrecks, etc.

I wonder if this would be some kind of sponsored event with Red Bull or Virgin. Or maybe he will have that stupid GoldenPalace.Com Tattoo on his back.

The currents curve rather north and not the straight line he will use. As I said dead easy info to get, as they also affect fishing, etc.

Said that much of the debris will have disintegrated by now(stuff does that when immersed in water), heavier stuff will have sunk a long time ago.

And in FUTURE NEWS, "Benoit “Ben” Lecomte" is dead.

I don't know if this is the best way...he may die trying to cross the Atlantic...like many have commented, there's lots of Tsunami debris from March 11, happened in Japan, just to list a few adversities. Seriously, if americans could save the hundreds of millions of dollars of Presidential campaigns they waste every 4 or 5 years, it would make for lots of beneficial campaigns, including cancer cause. I've always thought how shameful they can waste money on.

If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.

kochikame

I don't know if this is the best way...he may die trying to cross the Atlantic...like many have commented, there's lots of Tsunami debris from March 11, happened in Japan, just to list a few adversities.

Just a tip kochikame, the ocean between Japan and the US is the Pacific not the Atlantic...

Watch out for the radioactive cesium floating around, heheh.

Damn...and I think waking up before 10am to go the gym is a challenge...this guy might have me beat....

I wish him luck! I highly doubt sharks are going to be an issue. Though yes, that crap from the tsunami will be!!

Not to mention the Great Pacific Garbage Patch... or will his team be adding to that by throwing their empty water bottles over the side? I'm with timeon:

"In 1998, his entourage said, he was the first man to swim the Atlantic,"

what does this exactly means? nobody believed that excepts his friends?

Anybody whose been in the navy knows they let you swim out at sea in good weather but with sharp shooters!! Just in case any sharks think they can get a free lunch!! I hope this French dude has good protection too!!!

Most of the stuff in the Great Pacific Garbage Partch is small particulate plastics. Also, the 3-11 debris is a drop in the great bucket of the Pacific. He will have other problems, marital fidelity among them.

His team should be reminded to pick up his daily bowel movement produce lest he pollutes the Pacific Ocean.

seems inpossible. IF (nonstop) what about sleep, oh hes gonna stop on a boat each Night. thats like the man vs. wild thing where the guy slept in a cozy Trailer each Night. what about sharks? he'll reach sanfran then get stung by a JellyFish be hospitalized & Blame the us government for purposely "putting jelly fish in the ocean"

I think that lots of sea creatures will be pleased to imbibe of his organic bowel movements.

Good marketing publicity

Has everyone forgotten that the Pacific Ocean between the US and Japan has been contaminated with tritium? Does everyone have early onset Alzheimer's?

How do you say gambate in French?

His team should be reminded to pick up his daily bowel movement produce lest he pollutes the Pacific Ocean.

Umm. You DO know that every ship in international waters dumps their waste directly overboard, right? It's only when they get into national waters that they store it up. This guy and his chase boat's waste will literally be "a drop in the ocean".

Has everyone forgotten that the Pacific Ocean between the US and Japan has been contaminated with tritium? Does everyone have early onset Alzheimer's?

Tritium? Meh. Most of the Tritium was deposited with the nuclear tests, and it was deposited WORLDWIDE, not just in the Pacific so enjoy that obento at lunchtime! The half-life of Tritium is about 12.4 years and I don't think anyone with the exception of N.K. has done any nuke testing in that time. So again, "Meh."

Even if he does make it... I don't count it. Why? Because he won't be in the water during the entire trip. He will only be swimming 8 hrs a day and the other 16 hrs he will be in a boat relaxing and eating and sleeping.

I will be at Fisherman's wharf to greet that "frog" when he arrives but does he know that passing the Farallon islands has the Pacific's largest white shark population enjoying seal dinners every day? Personally I think that being in salt water every day for that extended period of time will be problematic and he will get infections and quit early in the game. Peut-etre Il est foux?

Hawkeye! I think only you and I know about the Great Whites near SFO??

Good Luck.... My money is on him not even making it to Guam...

I don't understand how this is a "swim". It's at least more than one, if not dozens. If you cannot do it in one swim then it shouldn't count. It's funny that he has been training for four hours a day. World class swimmers swim more than that a day. Swim across the whole world frenchy, because many of the ocean swimmers and trainers have already done it if you count the many days they set foot in the ocean and go (x) distance.