Swimmer begins Pacific challenge

CHOSHI, Japan - Ben Lecomte dove into the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, kicking off an epic quest to swim 9,000 kilometers from Tokyo to San Francisco.

Under sunny skies, the 51-year-old Frenchman slipped into cool and placid waters shortly after 9 am, in warm and pleasant conditions with a slight breeze.

He will face giant waves, sharks and jellyfish, and will also swim through part of the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" in his attempt to be the first to accomplish the feat of swimming across the world's biggest ocean.