EVER to swim across the Pacific Ocean. The record-setting fifty-five hundred mile trans-Pacific

有史以來橫跨太平洋的游泳。創紀錄的5500英里橫渡太平洋。

crossing not only pushed Lecomte to his very limits. It also forced the crew onboard the

這次橫渡不僅把勒康特逼到了極限，也迫使船上的船員

support boat Seeker to battle the elements. And overcome one challenge. Ben, there's a

支持船 "探索者 "號與大自然作鬥爭。並克服一個個挑戰。本，有一個

shark. Just right there. !@#$ me. After another. I want the motion to just stop. After another. We

鯊魚。就在那裡。@#$我。在另一個。我想運動只是停止。再來一個我們...

lost the ability to start the generator. We can run our engine, but I don't know how

失去了啟動發電機的能力。我們可以運行我們的引擎，但我不知道如何。

long it's going to last.

多久，它將持續。

It's a piece of duct tape on -- a bigger problem. Although a devastating break finally

這是一塊膠布上--一個更大的問題。雖然最終出現了毀滅性的斷裂

forced Ben and his team to end their attempted crossing, thousands of miles short of their

迫使本和他的團隊結束了他們的穿越嘗試，離他們的目標還差幾千英里。

final destination. The Swim has raised awareness for the  plastic pollution problem in our

最終目的地。游泳比賽提高了人們對塑膠汙染問題的認識。

oceans. The expedition also resulted in the collection of invaluable scientific data that

海洋。這次考察還收集了寶貴的科學數據，這些數據包括

could help find a solution. The opportunity swim gave us, at least for the scientific

可以幫助找到一個解決方案。游泳給了我們機會，至少對科學來說是如此。

community, was fantastic. We never had the opportunity to sample at such a high resolution.

社區，是夢幻般的。我們從來沒有機會在這麼高的分辨率下采樣。

It has never been done to collect data from one end of the ocean to the other. Ben was

從海洋的一端到另一端收集數據，從來沒有做過。本是

swimming relatively at a slow pace. I mean, very fast compared to mine. But in terms of

游泳的速度相對較慢。我的意思是，和我的相比，非常快。但就

quality of data. It means that we had samples collected very close to each other. Dr. Sarah-Jeanne

數據的品質。這意味著我們收集的樣本非常接近對方。Sarah-Jeanne博士

Royer is a researcher who has been studying ocean ecology for more than a decade. My

羅耶是一位研究海洋生態學的研究員，他已經研究了十多年。我的

general research is all about plastic pollution and plastic in the environment. This, of

一般的研究都是關於塑膠汙染和環境中的塑膠。這

course, is a relatively new field of study. Plastic wasn't mass produced and widely consumed

當然，是一個相對較新的研究領域。塑膠並沒有被大量生產和廣泛消費。

until the 1950s. But today, we find plastic everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE. Even

直到20世紀50年代。但今天，我們發現塑膠無處不在。我的意思是無處不在。甚至

turning up in places we really don't want it to. We find an incredible high amount

在我們不希望它出現的地方出現。我們發現大量的

of plastic discarded into the environment and the ocean on an everyday basis. In 2010,

每天都有大量的塑膠被丟棄在環境和海洋中。2010年，

about 8 million metric tons of plastic got discarded in the ocean. It's equivalent to

大約有800萬公噸的塑膠被丟棄在海洋中。這相當於

one garbage truck of plastic waste that gets discarded every minute in the ocean. Lecomte

一輛垃圾車的塑膠垃圾每分鐘都會被丟棄在海洋中。Lecomte

and his crew encountered an astounding amount of plastic waste. Every five minutes, finding

和他的團隊遇到了數量驚人的塑膠垃圾。每隔5分鐘，就會發現

a piece of plastic debris. This isn't surprising, since one important planned stop on The Swim

一塊塑膠碎片。這並不奇怪，因為 "游泳 "計劃中的一個重要的站點是：

was the infamous Great Pacific Garbage Patch which -- it turns out -- has a more scientifically

是臭名昭著的大太平洋垃圾場，事實證明，它有一個更科學的。

accurate name. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is actually the North Pacific Garbage

準確的名稱。大太平洋垃圾場其實就是北太平洋垃圾場。

Patch. These are the same one, but I tend to use the geographical location of the patch.

補丁。這些都是同一個，但我傾向於使用補丁的地理位置。

It's just to make sure that we know geographically where it is located, rather than just using

這只是為了確保我們知道它在地理上的位置，而不是隻用

a term that is maybe less scientific. But the confusion about the Garbage Patch involves

一個或許不太科學的名詞。但關於垃圾場的困惑涉及到的是

more than just its name. It's not a patch or a solid island per se. It's more like a

不僅僅是它的名字。它不是一個補丁或一個固體島嶼本身。它更像是一個

soup, and the soup may -- become more concentrated in plastic, may -- become greater and or smaller.

湯，而湯可能----變得更加集中在塑膠中，可能----變得更大，也可能變得更小。

It's always in movement. I mean, there are several measurements and estimate of how much

它總是在運動。我的意思是，有幾個測量和估計 多少錢。

the North Pacific Garbage Patch contains plastic. It changes and it varies. But the more measurements

北太平洋垃圾場含有塑膠。它的變化，它的變化。但越是測量

we have, the better we can have an estimate of how much plastic is out there. The ocean

我們就能更好地估計出外面有多少塑膠。海洋

is in peril right now. And if we don't do something that is going to reverse that in

現在正處於危險之中。如果我們不做一些事情，將扭轉這種情況。

the next few years, then it's going to be much more difficult. Incredibly, we don't

未來幾年，那就更難了。令人難以置信的是，我們不

even know the answer to the very basic question -- exactly how much plastic is in our waters? We

我們甚至不知道基本問題的答案--我們的水域中到底有多少塑膠？我們

have very little numbers about how much plastic is floating in the ocean. A study from four

漂浮在海洋中的塑膠數量很少。一項來自四個國家的研究

years ago -- estimated that we only know about 1% of the fate of the plastic discarded in

幾年前--估計我們只知道1%的被丟棄的塑膠的命運。

the environment. There's 99% of this plastic that is currently missing. That's right,

的環境。有99%的這種塑膠，目前是沒有的。沒錯，就是這樣。

some experts estimate that we have only accounted for as little as ONE PERCENT of the plastic

一些專家估計，我們只佔到塑料製品的百分之一。

in our oceans! So the opportunity to work with Ben Lecomte to establish scientific protocols 

在我們的海洋中！所以有機會與本-萊科姆特合作建立科學協議

for The Swim was something Dr. Royer simply couldn't pass up. I was like, "Oh, this

羅伊爾博士不能放棄為《游泳》拍攝的作品。我當時想，"哦，這

is wonderful. We can do visual survey and look at the plastic with binoculars." We

是美好的。我們可以進行目測，用望遠鏡看塑膠。"我們

can also collect with the Manta Trawl and we can make microfiber measurements with sea

也可以用Manta拖網採集，我們也可以用海洋微纖維測量。

water. This just one sample from many, many, many that we will take on this trip. We were

水。這只是我們這次旅行中很多很多樣本中的一個。我們是

so happy with all these sampes. And these are very precious for us. The crew also attached

很高興與所有這些桑普斯。而這些對我們來說是非常珍貴的。隊員們還附上了

GPS buoys to debris to help track their movement. All this science--while simultaneously supporting

將GPS浮標貼在碎片上以幫助追蹤它們的行動。所有這些科學... 同時支持

the long-distance swimmer during his grueling trans-Pacific swim. Just keep swimming. Just

長距離游泳運動員在他艱苦的跨太平洋游泳時。繼續遊吧只是...

keep swimming. He's gonna keep going until his body breaks, the boat breaks, or the weather

繼續游泳。他要一直游下去，直到他的身體壞了，船壞了，或者天氣壞了。

stops him. It has taken countless hours to sort through all the micro-plastic samples

阻止他。他花了無數個小時來整理所有的微塑膠樣品。

collected in the deployment of more than 40 Manta Trawls during The Swim. For one Manta

在 "暢遊 "活動中部署了40多個曼塔拖網，收集了大量的數據。對於一個Manta

Trawl, which is one sample, you might have, like, up to 3,000 pieces of plastic. First

拖網，這是一個樣本，你可能有，比如，多達3000塊塑膠。首先

you need to count them. Then you need to measure them to see how big they are and to do the

你需要數一數它們。然後，你需要測量它們，看看它們有多大，並做的。

size fractionation. Then we are looking at the color. And then we have also an index

大小分化。然後我們在看顏色。然後我們還有一個指數

that tells us more about the degradation level and also the biomass. So how much biology

這告訴我們更多的是降解程度，還有生物量。那麼，有多少生物

is growing on these pieces. This painstaking work -- combined with the visual surveys and

正在這些作品上生長。這種艱辛的工作--結合視覺調查和。

GPS tracking -- allow researchers like Dr. Royer to work towards better understanding

GPS跟蹤 -- 讓像羅耶博士這樣的研究人員能夠更好地瞭解。

our plastic pollution problem. The science behind The Swim has also led to a sobering

我們的塑膠汙染問題。游泳》背後的科學也讓我們清醒地認識到了

realization about how big the problem actually is. Key points here is that all of the samples

問題到底有多大的認識。這裡的關鍵點是，所有的樣本

that were collected had plastic. And the one that had the highest amount were higher than

被收集的有塑膠。而數量最多的一個比

3,000 pieces of polymers we did in one tow. Having seen these polymers every single day, and

3000件高分子材料，我們一拖就做了。每天都能看到這些高分子材料，而且。

in average every six minutes during their cruises, shows the extent of the problem. And

在他們的巡航過程中，平均每6分鐘就有一次，這說明問題的嚴重性。而且

it's SINGLE-USE PLASTICS that's proving to be a BIG problem. They are cheap plastic.

事實證明，一次性使用的塑膠是一個大問題。他們是廉價的塑膠。

They are made to not last too long. This is dangerous and toxic for the environment, because

它們被製造成不會持續太長時間。這對環境來說是危險和有毒的，因為

it's a weak polymer, it fragments quickly. And then, it becomes smaller and smaller with

它是一個弱的聚合物，它的碎片很快。然後，它變得越來越小

size, it leaks all of these additives. And then, it becomes very available to more organisms

大小，它洩漏所有這些添加劑。然後，它變得非常可用 以更多的生物

in the food web. The single-use plastic, they are really bad for the environment. As disheartening

在食物網中。一次性使用的塑膠，它們對環境真的很不利。作為令人沮喪

as this all may seem, the good news is that all the high-resolution data gathered during

儘管這一切可能看起來，但好消息是，所有的高分辨率數據收集的期間。

Lecomte's one-hundred-sixty-five day swim are helping scientists work toward a solution. We

Lecomte的一百六十五天的游泳正在幫助科學家們尋找解決方案。我們

are still working with the samples that were collected during the swim. There are thousands

仍在處理游泳時收集的樣本。有數千

and thousands and thousands of pieces. And we are trying to understand better the polymer

和數千上萬件。我們正試圖更好地理解聚合物

types, the chemical signature, how degraded they are. We are working with instruments

類型、化學特徵、退化程度。我們正在使用的儀器

and different types of techniques to get a better understanding. And I hope then soon

和不同類型的技術，以獲得更好的理解。我希望能儘快

we'll have a publication out and be able to share with the scientific community. Some

我們會有一個出版品出來，能夠與科學界分享。一些

data from The Swim has already been put to good use. There's one of the publications

游泳》的數據已經得到了很好的利用。有一個出版品

that was actually conducted by Matthias Egger at The Ocean Cleanup, where he looked at the

實際上是由馬蒂亞斯-埃格在 "海洋清理 "組織進行的，他在那裡研究了 "海洋清理 "組織。

different size fractionation of different types of marine debris in the North Pacific

北太平洋不同類型的海洋廢棄物的不同大小分餾情況

Garbage Patch. But answering the fundamental questions — like how the Great Pacific Garbage

垃圾場。但要回答基本的問題--比如大太平洋垃圾場是怎樣的？

Patch influences the movement of plastic waste throughout the world ocean. Or exactly how

補丁影響著整個世界海洋中塑膠垃圾的流動。或者說，到底是如何

much plastic is in our waters. At this moment, in 2021, we have a lot more research that

我們的水域裡有多少塑膠。此刻，在2021年，我們有更多的研究，那就是

is trying to answer the question, where is the missing plastic? Fortunately, there's

是想回答一個問題，丟失的塑膠在哪裡？幸運的是，有

still a lot of promising work to come out of this expedition— which was a huge success.

這次考察仍有很多有前途的工作要做--這是一個巨大的成功。

At least on the science side of things. I felt really sorry for Ben that he could not

至少在科學方面的東西。我真的為本感到遺憾，他不能。

finish the swim. But I found that Ben said, "Okay, I'm going to make something out of

游完了。但我發現，本說："好吧，我要把東西做出來。

this." And he continued then from Hawaii to San Francisco, and he decided to really dig

這一點。"然後，他繼續從夏威夷到舊金山， 他決定真正挖掘。

into the issue of plastic pollution and to continue measuring plastic and to bring more

到塑膠汙染問題，並繼續測量塑膠，並將更多的。

awareness. Which only means more future collaborations between the swimmer and the scientist. So

的意識。這隻意味著未來更多的游泳運動員和科學家之間的合作。所以

Ben did call me a couple of weeks ago and he's like, "Sarah, do you want to come with

本沒有打電話給我 幾個星期前，他的樣子， "莎拉，你想來與

us to Cocos Island, close to Costa Rica so we could put together a scientific protocol,

我們去了靠近哥斯達黎加的科科斯島，這樣我們就可以整理出一份科學協議。

and look at the concentrations of plastic." And this is so exciting. I could not say no to

看看塑膠的濃度。"而這是如此令人興奮。我不能說不

him. For more on Ben Lecomte's trans-Pacific swim, check out the full-length documentary

他。有關Ben Lecomte跨太平洋游泳的更多資訊，請查看長篇紀錄片《Lecomte》。

-- The Swim -- now streaming on Discovery-plus. And while you get set to consume all that great

-- 游泳 -- 現在在Discovery -plus上播放。當你準備好消費所有的偉大的

content, we strongly urge you to stop consuming single use plastics. 

內容，我們強烈呼籲您停止使用一次性塑膠。