Sealand Radio - Part 3
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Issue: 2 Date; 20th January 2021
The 1990's - 0000's includes photographs provided from the Bates family archive
In 1990 warning shots were made to deter 'The Golden Eye' the ship had ventured too close to the Principality
Friendly yachts moored off Sealand (1992)
By appointment only, 'Fawlty Python' a Westerly Konsort, & 'Steffy' a Jaguar 28 out of Tichmarsh Marina Walton-on-Naze visit Sealand in the summer of 1992
The Yachtsmen Doug, Paul & Mac chat with Sealand's Mike far left (1992)
Above photograph taken by Phil with 3.7" shell lockers
The galley (1992)
Said Mac 'Lunch was cooked on the yachts that day and pulled up in a bucket to be reheated to be enjoyed in the sunshine on deck'
The Row (top house corridor) (1992)
Sealand with shell lockers at the south end, 3.7" gun still in place, a basic winch system, antenna, water carboy on Northern end (1994)
Michael 'Me with my son James aged 10 studying for his 11+ in the peace & solitude of Sealand waving to the fisheries patrol plane passing over, they sent us the photograph'
Sealand (1995)
Only 300 Sealand Passports were ever issued, but from 1997 fakes appeared said to have been made by the German behind the 1978 raid
Sealand with RiB on deck (1997)
In May 1999 the British MoD tried to evict Sealand by sending out a Navel vessel& a helicopter
Most mortals arrive in a less dignified fashion, Bosuns chair on a motorised hoist (2002)
Passing into the new millennium a HM Treasury Solicitor was said to have been sent out to the Tower & whilst circling made an alleged offer of £20,000 if the Fort was vacated, this was flatly refused
In 2001 the Haven Co, a secure data business basing it's operation on Sealand
Looking north from the Heli-Pad (2002)
Much of the Forts fixtures and fixings, including the old Radio Essex equipment were thrown away in the clear-up operation conducted by the Americans
Deck view to the Essex/Suffolk shore (2002)
Michael Bates on the RiB (2003)
Sealand (2003)
Sealand is in the busy waters of the east coast, with ships making journeys to & from mainland Europe & beyond
'The very last shell storage tube taken off the Fort (2003)
'Attention All Shipping'
Written by Charlie Connelly & published on 3rd June, 2004 by Little, Brown Book Group takes readers on a trip around the UK in the style of the Radio 4 Shipping Forecast, several pages include a interview with Michael of Sealand
The books readily available both new and used
The Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service (RMAS) heavy lifting vessel off Sealand (July 2005)
Work to maintain the lights and buoys of these waters is carried out by Trinity House
'Salmaid' A187 lifting the 'Roughs' East Cardinal buoy (July 2005)
On 23rd June 2006 the Fort was hit by a catastrophic fire which began in a Gardner 180 generator, this ignited & destroyed all the Forts generation capability and the wooden generator house
Sealand (25th June 2006)
The alarm was raised by a local fisherman who noticed black smoke, by midday the Tower had been evacuated; Thames Coastguard, Harwich RNLI lifeboat, Felixstowe Coastguard, with a RAF rescue helicopter from Wattisham attended as the firefighting tug 'Brightwell' tackled the blaze which was brought under control by mid afternoon
Sealand (25th June 2006)
The fire tug doused the Tower with 1000's of gallons of seawater that added to damaging a good deal of the North infrastructure & flooding level 7 (G)
Pumped out the walls have subsequently been washed in fresh rainwater & dried
Now rebuilt evidence of the intensity of the fire can be judged by the distorted ammunition lift shaft in the North leg
The Tower incidentally has been continually occupied other than a couple of days following the fire see Sealand Fire
In August 2006 a known broadcast name forged ahead with plans to put a station on Sealand purchasing a transmitter, antenna, generator some studio equipment, the project was to progress little further, there being a domestic dispute over the enterprise
In January 2007 Swedish Pirate Bay were said to be interested in purchasing Sealand. A Spanish Real Estate Company 'Inmo Naranja' put Sealand up for sale at an asking price of £600 million
East Anglia Times (13th January 2007)
2008 Haven Co withdraw operations from Sealand
Red Bull at Sealand (2008)
Sealand Red Bull Video Clip (2008)
2008 Red Bull staged a frantic Skateboarding contest on Sealand
2009 a promised a Movie Film is still said to be 'on the cards'