Long Distance Swimmer Prepares to Attempt Pacific Ocean Crossing

Back in 1998, long distance swimmer Ben Lecomte became the first person to swim across the Atlantic Ocean without using a kick board, covering 3716 miles (5996 km) in 73 days. That was a grueling exercise in endurance and determination that cemented his place in the record books. But now, Ben is looking to take on an even more impressive challenge. In July, he'll set off on an even longer swim, as he attempts to become the first person to swim across the Pacific Ocean, a journey that will cover more than 5500 miles (8851 km) between Tokyo and San Francisco.

The Longest Swim, as Ben has aptly named this project, will be undertaken to help raise awareness of climate change. In order to accomplish this feat he'll need to swim 8 hours a day, 7 days a week for 180 days, burning as much as 10,000 calories per day. A support will be with him at every stage of the journey of course, and he'll rest and take his meals aboard that boat as he progresses. In a recent interview with Red Bull, Ben says that his boat will be a special one too. Made completely out of wood, and 24 meters in length, it was built back in 1940, and fits well into his mindset of protecting the environment and recycling.

In that same interview, Lancomte talks about how he trains for such a long distance swim, how he manages to keep pushing himself forward for hours on end, and for days at a time, and what his goals are for the project. Namely, he hopes to attract as much attention to the challenges our planet faces due to climate change, and he thought the best way to achieve that was to undertake this massive challenge.

The Longest Swim is still a few weeks away from getting underway, and Ben will wait for the optimal conditions before he starts. You'll be able to follow his progress on his website, through Twitter, and on Facebook. It should be quite the journey to say the least.

Body of Missing Arctic Explorer Recovered

Last week I shared the sad story of Dutch Explorers Marc Cornelissen and Philip de Roo who had gone missing while conducting research in the Arctic. At the time, it was uncertain what had happened to the two men, although it was speculated that they may have fallen through the ice and drowned. Now, the body of one of the men has been recovered, providing some clues as to what might have happened.

According to ExWeb, a team of Royal Canadian Mounted Police conducted a dangerous recovery mission above the Arctic Circle in an effort to retrieve the body. It was later identified as being Cornelissen, and the cause of death was determined to be "drowned by hypothermia." The body was found at the location where the explorers had set off an emergency beacon on April 29, but by the team rescue squads could get to that position a few days later they found only two sleds – one floating in the water – and a highly trained support dog that had been brought along on the expedition.

The dog was later rescued from the ice and returned home, and further investigation revealed the body of Cornelissen in the water. There was no sign of de Roo however, and it is believed that he suffered the same fate as his companion.

This latest news is sad of course, but it may bring a sense of closure for the two explorers' friends and family. ExWeb says that Cornelissen's body has been received by the Dutch embassy in Canada, and it is being transported home to the Netherlands soon.

This story underscores my feelings that the Arctic is an incredibly difficult place to travel, and remains one of the most dangerous environments on the planet. It is because of these challenges that we will see fewer people attempting to explore the Arctic in the near future. It is simply too hazardous to venture into that wilderness, and thanks to ongoing climate change, it is probably only going to get worse in the years ahead.

Video: Climate Change and the Prospects of an Optimistic Future

I'll end the week with this video, which features not only a series of stunning shots from a variety of locations around the globe, but climate scientist Richard Muller of the Berkeley Earth Foundation discussing the impact of climate change, and his hopes for a better planet. Amidst all the doom and gloom about the future of Earth, there are some who believe that we can still make a positive impact
on our world that can result in major improvements for those living on it. That is a powerful message that we don't always hear, but it is an important one to consider none the less.

The North Face is Giving Money Away!

While we all know that The North Face is a great outdoor gear company, it also has some highly successful charitable ventures that it funds throughout the year as well. Two of those project are underway right now, and the company is giving away hundreds of thousands of dollars as a result.

The first of these ventures is the Explore Fund, a program that provides funding for nonprofit organizations that encourage people to get outside and interact with nature in a meaningful way. While the program is open to any outdoor-related nonprofit, it puts a particular emphasis on those that   are focused on motivating young people to get outside and pursue their own adventures. 

To be eligible for an Explore Fund grant, an organization must be a 501(c)(3) or in a formal relationship with such a qualified fiscal sponsor. Applications are being taken through April 17, with more than $500,000 available to help launch major initiatives. To start the application process, click here.

The other program that is currently accepting applications is the Hot Planet/Cool Athletes initiative, which is being conducted in association with the Protect Our Winters organization. The mission of Hot Planet/Cool Athletes is to educate future generations about the threats we face from global warming and climate change. With that in mind, middle schools and high schools are invited to submit a plan to receive a Powder Grant that would help fund projects that address environmental action in their schools or communities. The grants are valued at up to $10,000. Schools can also request an assembly given by a pro outdoor athlete, or a DVD that can be shown multiple times. For more info, visit HotPlanetCoolAthletes.com.

While both of these initiatives are quite different from one another, they demonstrate The North Face's commitment to protecting the environment and encouraging future generations to get outside and enjoy our planet to its fullest. While I respect the company for the often excellent gear that they produce, these kinds of programs give me an even greater sense of satisfaction about what they do.

Protect Our Winters Hot Planet/Cool Athletes Promo from protect our winters on Vimeo.