The Swim

Seeker, in partnership with Discovery and produced in association with Nomadica Films, has announced a new expedition called "The Swim." The expedition features long-distance swimmer Ben Lecomte as he swims the Pacific Ocean in an effort to gain awareness on the state of ocean health from pollution.

As Ben Lecomte focuses on his goal to swim across the Pacific Ocean, see how the Seeker research team is collecting data on everything from plankton to plastic to singing whales.

We look at the role of ocean currents the Seeker crew used to plan the ideal route across the Pacific.

As Ben Lecomte slowly swims across the Pacific Ocean, the Seeker crew records audio underwater for a view into marine life that's never been done for this long.

We look at how Ben's body might change by the end of his swim. How does this compare to an astronaut in space?

The Swim took many years to plan. See how the Seeker crew prepared to live months on a boat, including making their own water, preparing meals, and changes in hygiene and sleeping.

Meet the developer of a specialized waterproof heart monitor that allows Ben's medics to analyze his cardiovascular system at every stage of his extreme journey.

Ben Lecomte must eat a lot to power eight hours of swimming per day across the Pacific Ocean. What effect will months at sea have on Ben's microbiome and can we harness that knowledge for our own health?

Learn about the shark deterrent technology being used to lower Ben's chances of a dangerous encounter.

The Seeker crew is studying the tiny synthetic fibers, called microfibers, that wash out of our clothes and into the ocean. Billions of these sharp, invisible threads are cycling through our air, water, and our bodies.

Sailing on a tiny boat for several months is one thing, keeping your mind occupied for eight hours of swimming per day is another.

Ben and his crew finds an unfathomable amount of plastic pollution floating in the ocean. As they sail closer to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, it becomes apparent how bad plastic is impacting marine life and it is incredibly hard to study.

Ben and his team are more committed than ever to their mission of raising awareness about the ocean plastic crisis.