A picture of the human-sized hamster wheel from an earlier failed voyage in 2021

The sea is a cruel and unforgiving environment. From orca whales attacking vessels to the occasional rogue wave, the idea of heading out on the open ocean in a small human-powered craft sounds absurd. A man in Florida is now facing federal charges after he tried to head out into the Atlantic Ocean in a massive hamster wheel and ended up in a three-day standoff with the United States Coast Guard.

According to the Independent, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Valiant spotted the bizarre hamster wheel 70 miles off the coast of Georgia on August 26th. Inside the strange-looking wheel was Reza Baluchi, a 51-year-old Iranian-born athlete. The Coast Guard stated in court documents that Baluchi threatened to kill himself with a 12-inch knife if anyone tried to arrest him. He also claimed that there was a bomb inside the wheel. The explosive device was later found to be fake.

Read more

• Award Winning Bird Images Are the Best Thing You’ll See All Day

• Ahsoka Had Another Major Cameo You Definitely Missed

• Bethesda Keeps Making The Same Game, For Better Or For Worse

• Report: Nintendo Is Holding Secret Switch 2 Demos For Developers

• If You’ve Got a New Car, It’s a Data Privacy Nightmare

More from Jalopnik

• Nintendo Reportedly Shows Off Switch 2 Behind Closed Doors

• The Rolling Stones' new album Hackney Diamonds will feature collaborations with Lady Gaga, Sydney Sweeney

• Warner Bros. TV suspends high-profile development deals, because studios don't want to pay anyone

• CDC Warns About Deadly 'Flesh-Eating' Bacteria Found in Warm Coastal Waters

• Google Celebrates Chrome's 15th Birthday With a Makeover

Sign up for Jalopnik's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.