Looking for a hot vacation spot this summer? Look no further than Sealand! Now, I know what you’re thinking: I’m thinking of Seaworld. But alas, you ignorant buffoon, I speak of a distant land far more magical than Shamoo or a talking seal. I anticipate that now you must be thinking: bro…seriously…more magical than a talking seal? And to that I say, (bro) allow me to tell you the story of a small aspiring nation and its valiant quest for liberty.
Built as a fortress by the British in World War II, Sealand is an awkward (yet glorious) double-pillared structure situated about seven nautical miles from the coast of Britain out of territorial waters in the North Sea. It was one of many fortresses built during this period, and in the 1950s the British went to work systematically pulling them all down. All but one…

It is at this point in the story that our courageous hero comes along. Lord Roy Bates (Lord be a title he gave himself because he started his own country and can pretty much do whatever he wants) was a former infantry major who, on Christmas Eve 1966, decided to take over the abandoned fortress known then as Fort Rough Towers. This was after being kicked out of another abandoned fortress found to be in U.K. jurisdiction where he illegally DJ’ed for his own Pirate Radio Pop station: Radio Essex. Dissatisfied with his oppressive government, Bates gave up on his radio career, taking the brilliant advice of his lawyers, and declared his new fortress an independent state. And thus, Sealand was born!

The evil British government, however (famous for its part in the Revolutionary War), considered the existence of Sealand complete bollocks/barmy/(fill in your weird British phrase of choice here), and did everything in its power to destroy it. Yet through bomb scares, threats, and attempted takeovers, Sealand prevailed. Eventually upon realizing that all of their military might could not trump the enduring spirit of the Sealanders, Britain decided to take the new nation to court in the hopes that some legal loophole could gain them the victory they could not achieve themselves. Evidently, it could not. The judge ruled that the U.K. had no jurisdiction in the matter, and Sealand was legally recognized for the first time as an independent state. From this ruling a national motto was born: E Mare Libertas (From the Sea, Freedom).

Today the principality of Sealand remains strong- complete with its own national anthem, flag, and system of currency (the Sealand Dollar, which has the fixed exchange rate of one U.S. dollar). Sealand sells merchandise, holds weddings, and even has its own soccer team. On top of this, it is open to any and all tourists! So if you ever find yourself a few miles off the east coast of the U.K., feel free to stop by! The two to five residents would be thrilled to make your acquaintance!