Florida man fails latest attempt to run to New York or Bermuda in self-made floating bubble thing
Reza Baluchi has made headlines in the past for his other attempts to run places in a big plastic ball
Aux Features Bermuda
Reza “Ray” Baluchi is an inveterate dreamer. For years now, the Florida ultramarathon runner and inventor has been trying to combine his passions by getting into a floating hamster ball contraption and running across the water from his home state to Bermuda or New York. In each case, he hasn’t made it very far.
His latest attempt involved freaking out people who were trying to enjoy a day at the beach on Florida’s east coast last Saturday; he drifted ashore after a failed attempt to run to either New York or Bermuda. The Guardian reports that Baluchi was brought back to land after he realized “that some of his safety and navigation equipment had been stolen” and the coast guard were notified of his floating balloon thing’s progress. In his attempt to head North, Baluchi made it only 30 miles south of his starting point.
Over on his YouTube channel, Baluchi advertised his planned trip to Bermuda last September with an early ‘00s-style video. In it, spy movie graphics and dramatic military music are overlaid on clips of him running in his floating hamster ball, a rotating view of the Earth from space, and snippets of text like, “Run With Reza,” “Greatest Guinness World Records Most Dangerous Place In World,” “It’s Happen Soon Travel To Bermuda,” and “Lorem Ipsum Has Been The Industry’s Standard Dummy Text Ever Since The 1500s.”
Before then, Vice filmed a short documentary about Baluchi that helps provide some more insight into his bubble-hopes and bubble-dreams. He explains that a trip to Bermuda on his strange craft—something he first attempted in 2014—would let him see what’s really happening in the Triangle and, we guess, get him some attention, too.
“If you drive a boat, nobody cares,” he says. “Bubble, nobody did before.”
The video also shows what it looks like when the authorities interrupt his journey and features a retired coast guard captain all but smacking his forehead as he describes how they’ve tried to stop him in the past. The coast guard captain, who seems to hate Baluchi for his ambitions, says his latest bubble trip from 2016 cost American taxpayers “approximately $144,000.”
In The Guardian’s article, Baluchi is quoted as telling the press that his trip North was meant to “raise money for homeless people, raise money for the coast guard, raise money for the police department, raise money for the fire department” and that he’ll try again “once the weather improves.” He also said that his bubble-running is supposed to be inspirational. “I will show people anything you want to do, do it,” he said. “Don’t listen to anyone. Chase your dreams.”
Never give up, Baluchi. But, even as your dreams remain lofty, please try to keep your feet on solid ground while trying to achieve them.
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43 Comments
I guess it’s the coast guard’s job to rescue people doing stupid shit, but maybe they should institute a 3-strikes policy on this stuff. Third time you’re own your own, partner.
I think it would be fair to charge Baluchi for his rescue.
Why not, the ambulance sends you a bill if you call them.
Right! I’d forgotten about that kind of everyday precedent.
And people say I’m crazy, which is fair, because I am, but maybe this guy needs to be evaluated as well.
Reza “Ray” Baluchi: a man who thinks he’s a hamster!
Baluchi is just your classic foolhardy dream-big American eccentric. Not enough sex,violence, drugs or wild animals where they don’t belong to be a true Florida Man story.
Why isn’t the media all over this like they were Bezos & Branson? This guy could revolutionize the cruise industry!!
Because the wording is never clear: is each attempt with a specific destination in mind, or does just set out and decide to travel to either New York or Bermuda on a whim?
Well, he tried for New York but ended up going south. So, it sounds like he’s trying for one but won’t be disappointed if he reached the other.
doesn’t sound very thought out.
Bermuda is due west of South Carolina, so he would have had to go at least somewhat north to get there.
I’m pretty sure Georgia is due west of SC
I suspect he’d have a better chance of finding it than your ironically usernamed self.
“…due west of South Carolina…” not to be confused with Due West, SC, which is a different thing entirely.
OK, obviously I meant East, I was distracted and mistyped. Even pedantic editors make mistakes sometimes.
Sorry to pile on, but surely if something is ‘due’ East or West, then that means that you don’t have to go North or South at all?
It’s due east of South Carolina, which means from Florida he’d also have to go north.
Oh god yeah, of course. Sorry, with all the New Yorks and Bermudas and Floridas flying about in this story I missed the point you were making.
It’s like when you order the chicken at a restaurant and the moment the server leaves you have buyer’s remorse and realize you wanted the fish. But then the server screws up the order and brings you the fish, at which point you long for chicken.
So is Bermuda the chicken or the fish?
“attempt to run to either New York or Bermuda”? They’re not that close together, isn’t that something you should decide before you do something goofy like this?
eh, WTF do I know? It never occurred to me to use a marine hamster wheel as a means of conveyance.
It’s Happen Soon!
Not
surely you mean
Let that be a lesson to you — trying is stupid.Signed, AVC
Dreams are for suckas.
Never give up on your dreams, man. Your stupid, crazy dreams.
Seems like a strong breeze would push that anywhere but where you’re headed. Good thing the ocean isn’t known for those.
I spent a decade in the Coast Guard. There is no limit to the number of Baluchies out there costing us tax payer dollars by committing pure idiocy. Because no one asked, I’ll give you an example. Dude builds “house boat” out of 50gal drums, plywood, carpet(!), rope and tarps and attempts to travel to the Bahamas. I found him clinging to the Savannah, GA sea buoy. Made it 3 miles offshore and cost you fine folks nearly $100k. Oh, I forgot to mention that those 50gal drums were filled with gasoline for his trolling motor and those drums split open, causing another $150k in environmental remediation costs.
Those idiots kept you employed and gave you stories to regale in bars. Show some gratitude!
It was Tory Bellecci and Richard Hammond, wasn’t it?
Kangol has really cornered the market on putting hats on people who have a certain impression of themselves that others may not share.
This guy is from where? I’m shocked.
Looking forward to his upcoming attempt to eat Chichester Cathedral.
Did he at least remember the most important thing to bring on a trip in a bubble?
This seems like the kind of thing where you test your proof-of-concept on a lake or a river a couple of times before trying the ocean
Well ‘The Avengers’ did it ( Steed & Peel in the 1998 film!). What could go wrong?
In another universe where Tommy Wiseau had a passion for nautical adventure.
Remember when Whitey was on the moon? Now he’s in a hamster wheel.
I don’t know why that made me think of that.
The Life Aquatic with Tommy Wiseau
What a douche.
If he accidentally got out as far as the Gulf Stream, he would have been swept out to sea and never seen again. Something that small is not likely to be seen, and who’s searching for him, anyway?