A Florida man's bond conditions ban him from the ocean after he attempted to cross the Atlantic on a 'hamster wheel' vessel in the midst of hurricane season

• A Florida man is facing charges after constructing a "hamster wheel" vessel to cross the Atlantic.
• His intended destination was London, England, he told US Coast Guard officers.

A Florida man rolled into the ocean in a hamster wheel-like boat in an attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean, the US Coast Guard has alleged.

According to a complaint filed Friday in the US District Court for Southern Florida, Ray Baluchi, also known as Reza, was charged with obstruction of boarding and "violation of a captain of the port order." Baluchi's appearance bond was set at $250,000, and based on the terms of the bond, he may not "go to the ocean or board a vessel on the ocean," according to court documents.

In the affidavit in support of the complaint, a special agent with the Coast Guard investigative services detailed Baluchi's brief but eventful misadventure at sea.

While US Coast Guard officers were preparing for Hurricane Franklin to strike on Aug. 26, they saw Baluchi's "homemade" vessel — which he calls a "bubble," according to the BBC — about 70 nautical miles from the coast of Georgia. When officers reached the vessel, Baluchi told them he was planning to sail to London.

However, after the officers determined Baluchi did not have registration for the craft and that his intended voyage was "manifestly unsafe," the situation took a turn for the worse, per the affidavit.

When Coast Guards told Baluchi he needed to leave his boat, Baluchi refused vehemently, the agent wrote.

"[He] replied that he was armed with a 12-inch knife and would attempt to commit suicide should the USCG officers attempt to remove him," the affidavit stated. Baluchi also threatened to detonate a bomb if he was removed, the document added.

It took three days to convince Baluchi to leave the boat, and he was finally brought ashore on Friday.

This wasn't Baluchi's first foray into exploration — according to the affidavit, he tried similar voyages in 2014, 2016, and 2021. In 2021, he told WOFL-TV that he was trying to raise money for various causes through his sailing attempts.

"My goal is to not only raise money for homeless people, raise money for the Coast Guard," he said to the outlet. "I'll never give up my dream. They stop me four or five times but I never give up."

Representatives for Baluchi and the US Coast Guard did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.