Sealand, the smallest “country” in the world accessible only by crane | the Chronicle

The Sealand’s story is very special. Located less than 10 kilometers off the coast of Suffolk, an eastern county England, Marlandias, it is a (micro) nation that cannot be reached by plane or car and the only way to get there is to crane.

The boats arrive at their base and those who want to enter are promoted on a chair, a kind of hammock lifted by a crane.

This micronation is on a platform in international waters. It was bred in 1942 by the British Navy during World War II. At that time it was called HM Fort Roughs. It was quite a fortress designed to alert and therefore defend the UK in the event of a Nazi attack.

After World War II ended, its inhabitants were evacuated. The last person to leave did so in 1956. This British militia fort was completely abandoned until its arrival. Paddy roy bates to settle down. This is how it was officially created the smallest country in the world.

This is where it all began. Sealand is therefore the smallest country in the world. It is true that no country has officially recognized it. There is currently no trip to Sealand and you cannot go alone.

Paddy calls himself Prince Michael of Sealand, who in an interview on BCC said: “I was only 14 when I first went there on my summer vacation to help my dad, and thought it would only be a six week adventure,” He tells the story from his main house, a bungalow on the Essex coast.

But how did Bates decide to make it his own principality? He inherited a radio station from his father: Radio Essex, when the UK decided to shut down all radios he went so far as to implement the Marine Broadcasting Crimes Act of 1967.

See an opportunity Bates moved operations to Fort HM Fort Roughs, located in international waters. Bates took control of the position on Christmas Eve 1966.

Nine months later, on September 2, 1967, It was declared by the Principality of Sealand.

Soon after, he and his whole family moved there. But the lack of light and other amenities brought it back to Essex.

Michael de Sealand took advantage of the magnetism aroused by the principality, so he continued to sell T-shirts and royal titles.

Unfortunately, it is only possible to visit the platform with an official invitation from the prince, and beyond a few maintenance people, currently no one lives here, only the guard and maintenance personnel,

The prince only visits the place two to three times a year, due to the precariousness of the installations. Yet there remains a free nation.