Reza Baluchi, a Florida resident, has gained notoriety for his repeated attempts to cross the Atlantic Ocean using a homemade vessel, colloquially known as “The Hamster Wheel of Death”. This self-propelled contraption, composed of buoys and wire, functions similarly to a hamster wheel with Baluchi running inside. His most recent venture was aimed at reaching London from Florida, but it was cut short by the U.S. Coast Guard after several days of negotiation. Despite previous interventions by the Coast Guard in 2014, 2016, and 2021, Baluchi remained undeterred. However, this latest attempt was deemed dangerously unsafe, resulting in Baluchi’s arrest and the sinking of his vessel, which was considered a navigational hazard. The rescue operation reportedly cost taxpayers around $144,000. Currently, Baluchi faces charges of Obstruction of Boarding and Violation of a Captain of the Port Order and is restricted from traveling outside the Southern District of Florida while his case is underway.

“If you drive a boat, nobody cares. Bubble, nobody did before,” Baluchi told Vice.

https://www.npr.org/2023/09/07/1198252469/coast-guard-hamster-wheel-reza-baluchi-atlantic-ocean