Man floating in bubble rescued by Coast Guard
Source: AP-Excite
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) A longtime endurance runner and peace activist whose latest goal was to reach Bermuda in a homemade floating "Hydro Pod" was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard on Saturday after he began suffering from fatigue.
Coast Guard air crew were able to safely pick up Reza Baluchi and the bubble Saturday morning, Coast Guard spokeswoman Marilyn Fajardo said in a statement. He was transported to a nearby Coast Guard station and found to be uninjured, Fajardo said.
A statement on Baluchi's website said the Iranian exile had planned to make the 1,033-mile trip in his self-designed bubble to raise money "for children in need" and "to ... inspire those that have lost hope for a better future."
Baluchi has made headlines many times before with previous efforts to break long-distance running and cycling records , including one six-month journey in which he ran around the perimeter of the United States, and a seven-year bike trip that he said brought him across 55 countries on six continents. His self-professed mission is to promote world peace and unity. His perimeter run was to raise money for a children's hospital, according to his website.
FULL story at link.
Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20141004/us--floating_man_rescued-819484fbce.html
WhiteTara
(29,721 posts)I'll bet that was a weird experience of looking at the sea in a bubble window.
Strelnikov_
(7,772 posts)DBoon
(22,395 posts)brooklynite
(94,699 posts)Major Hogwash
(17,656 posts)seveneyes
(4,631 posts)And obviously enough money to pay the Coast Guard for your rescue.
MrScorpio
(73,631 posts)Wow.
BumRushDaShow
(129,361 posts)6000eliot
(5,643 posts)candelista
(1,986 posts)roguevalley
(40,656 posts)a damn to DO something.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)OK, his heart may have been in the right place, but this was an egotistical, half-assed ill-thought stunt from the start, and he's lucky to be alive -- And if he's serious about making another attempt, the Coast Guard should disregard any of his future mayday calls...
Miami to fucking BERMUDA on his own physical power? 1,033 MILES -- And that's just the straightline distance *before* he factors in the constants of wind and currents...
But like my grandmother used to say, God protects fools and children...
FLPanhandle
(7,107 posts)Less than 7% of the way. Still an impressive distance but a foolish plan. Wind and Current on a floating ball would overcome any propulsion he could impart on it.