The Swim

The idea of swimming across the Pacific Ocean

is very crazy.

But if the mind is strong, I mean, you can

take the body anywhere.

My attraction for the ocean is due to the fact that

at the surface, it seems like it's the same.

But it's... No, it's not.

There's so many layers to it and the more

I'm in contact with it,

the more I discover myself through it.

I think this swim for him

is linked to a much deeper and secret side of him

where he would transport to almost another universe.

This is something deep inside him

that even he struggles to understand.

The swim is not a goal by itself.

It's not just swimming from point A to point B.

It is a way to test myself, and to... to find myself.

So, Trinh, did you think he was a little crazy?

I... That's what I used to think

- at the beginning, but... - Yeah.

...it's just a part of him that's wonderful, and

um, not many people can do it.

- Nope. -

Seventy-three days after swimming with sharks,

being stung daily by jellyfish,

and battling 20-foot waves,

Ben arrived in France.

When I did the Atlantic, I thought it was

that one-time thing

and that was it.

It was very difficult.

All your senses are deprived.

So, day after day,

all that becomes much more difficult to deal with.

Now I hear you plan to do the Pacific?

That's correct.

When I arrived, my first words were,

"Never again." And few months after,

"No, I need to go back."

It's something that I need.

- I added a tablespoon of flour. - Do you wanna rinse that out?

Um, today is my dad's birthday.

- He's turning 51. - We're making a cake.

Are you guys gonna start it with him?

Yes. That's the theory.

For however long Max can swim.

Are you excited for it to be done?

Yes, I can't wait.

Yeah, it hasn't been easy.

Yes. We haven't had any vacations for...

the last seven years.

Every year it was, like, "Oh, it's gonna happen this year."

And the next year, and the next year.

So, yeah.

So, I'm ready. I'm ready for him to just

find out what it is, to find himself

and maybe...

if it works, it's great.

If it doesn't work, he knows his limits.

Yeah, yeah. That's a long, long way, right?

It's really far.

Yeah, it has been very difficult.

I look at it, what I'm doing is very selfish,

but I think I stumbled on to the ocean

as a way to unlock my mind.

A door to part of me that I cannot find anywhere else.

In some ways, I am fortunate

to have found that, but it creates a lot of,

uh, difficulty and challenges for people

that are living around me.

He's mentioned that, "I wish that this is not a part of me."

I think it's an addiction. A, um... an obsession.

I'm scared and I'm worried for him.

Yeah.

If I could remove that from me,

maybe I would be better off.

But at the same time, it could be losing a part of me.

In some ways, it's a curse.

It's the last stage of the preparation. Finally.

Seven years of the boat.

It was very complex to put in place

because no boat is designed to last in the ocean,

six to eight months without any stop.

It only takes two to three weeks

to cross an ocean, usually.

We're gonna be out at sea for months.

Okay.

We had to design all the system

to try and be self-sufficient

because once we leave, there is no one to help us out there.

We're letting one person be in the water all the time,

which on other boats, you refer to as an emergency.

Always a man overboard.

It's not something you do lightly.

It's a risk.

My main responsibility will be taking care of my uncle.

And, naturally, like, all my energy goes to it.

Thank you. You guys look out for each other, okay?

All our lives are in danger and Ben knows it.

- Be safe, okay? - Yeah. Thank you very much.

- Okay? - Yeah.

It's Mother Nature out there.

Anything can happen.

So, I guess, that's the risk we have to take.

It's also the adventure, so...

I have many fears and worries about this trip.

But I want my family to understand that sometimes

you have risk in life,

but you have to not let the fear and worries

stop you from what makes you happy.

When I became a father,

it was very clear in my mind that

what I could provide to them was

not materialistic things, but

something deeper and something that is much more important.

You know, finding a passion, going after your dreams.

I would hope that's what my kids will get out of it.

- Go ahead. - Uh...

You go. Go on. Yeah.

Bye, guys.

- All right. Let's go. - Let's go.

I have been dreaming, eating, sleeping

the Pacific swim for so long that

now it comes, now it's reality,

I'm like a tiger in a cage.

And please open the cage for me to leave.

I'm not scared about Ben.

Even if he gets eaten by a shark,

or if we lose him in a storm,

deep inside him, he has this dream of crossing an ocean.

It would be worse for him leaving without doing the Pacific

than dying trying.

Amazing progress.

Fifteen in only five hours.

This is the first day of many to come.

I'm really happy.

It should be good. Yes! f

We're about to start.

You just have to adjust the speed so that Ben follows you.

Speed up, speed down.

It's like a video game.

One, two, one.

Holy shit. 21 miles already. That's awesome.

I'm 100% convinced that Ben will make it.

Ben, dolphins!

Oh, it can really move.

Yeah. That's, like, seven.

If we just had dolphins the whole way across the Pacific,

we'd be there in, like, a month.

Ben, Ben, Ben.

- Feel all right? - Yeah.

Wow. I think that...

Fuck me.

- There's a shark. - I think it's there, yeah.

Yeah, yeah. The shark, uh... it's following them.

Seagull to Disco, Seagull to Disco. Over.

Yeah, that's good.

We just, uh, spotted a shark.

Uh, we think there is a shark around you. Over.

Seagull to Disco. Do you receive me?

All right. You ready?

Perfect time to lose connection.

Hey! There is a shark!

There is a shark!

Fuck me.

Ben, Ben, Ben.

There was a massive big fin just over there.

- Just right there. See it? - Oh, sh...

What do you wanna do?

Wow. This is crazy.

Wow.

This is so amazing.

Does he want to swim with the shark or what?

If a shark decided to attack us right now,

we wouldn't have much hope.

I'd just ask very politely for it not to.

I think it saw the dingy and me as one part.

But it was amazing

to have that big beast coming around like that,

the eyes following.

And then, after it went away, went back into swimming.

So, day 35 on the swim.

Yesterday was day 34.

Two little knobs that you bite on.

So, I've got eight hours biting the same thing.

Your teeth are sore and also you start, uh,

developing some blisters inside your lip.

For me, I need to be able to move it.

So, I cut one off and so that I can

use different teeth on the one that is left.

This one is out.

So now, I can have it on the left, and then

I can rotate it.

And I'm going to bite on the side,

and then after, I cannot move it.

Good luck, Ben! Bye-bye.

I cannot wrap my mind around being in the water

for 5,500 miles. No, I cannot.

What you have to do is to use your mind