(HorizonPost.com) – “Run, Forrest, run” was the cheer for the fictional character Forrest Gump during the montage where he alleges he jogged more than 15,000 miles. Real-life swimmers have made it from Ontario to Ohio across Lake Erie and from Great Britain to France across the English Channel. Reza Baluchi of Florida seems intent on trying a mashup of the two, but he only ended up high and dry on a beach in Flagler County and came to the attention of the United States Coast Guard … again.
Baluchi was attempting to “run” up the country’s east coast from Florida to New York, but not on anything as mundane as the roadways. Rather, he was using a “hydro pod bubble” to make the trek on the Atlantic Ocean. Some observers have called the watercraft a human-sized hamster ball. The Coast Guard is reportedly inspecting it to determine its seaworthiness.
Police also shared photos of the bizarre-looking watercraft on social media, where they confirmed the U.S. Coast Guard would be working to confirm the vessel was compliant for offshore activities.https://t.co/eKsUZD5Fvc
— WAVY TV 10 (@WAVY_News) July 27, 2021
The Florida man has attempted to walk across the waves of the open sea before. In 2014 and 2016, he set off from the Sunshine State, heading east toward Bermuda but was intercepted by the Coast Guard each time. According to the Broward Palm Beach New Times, during his third attempt on July 9, 2016, a Coast Guard cutter intercepted him, sank that version of his hydro pod bubble, cuffed him, and shipped him off to a psychiatric hospital. Other reports suggest military officials claimed Baluchi threatened to kill himself with a knife if they didn’t let him go, and that’s why he was committed. He denied these claims.
Based on his history, some might question this man’s mental health, but there’s no denying he has a big heart. The Iranian native says he does this to promote the idea of world peace and to raise money for abused children. And who can say nuts to that after all?
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