Rebecca Davis of The Daily Maverick recounts a history of efforts to create floating utopias – independent “countries” that are moored or constructed in the world’s oceans. From The Principality of Sealand (I follow them on facebook), located on an old World War II sea fort in the North Sea, to various failed attempts to use artificial islands built atop reefs or derelict ships (much like Kevin Costner in Waterworld), these efforts to create independent, autonomous colonies apart from dry land have absorbed entrepreneurs and those with deep pockets for decades.
The latest effort, which might even be viable, is called Blueseed. The plan is to station a vessel 12 nautical miles off the coast of California, where foreign techies, entrepreneurs and (I quote) “visionaries” can work and make occasional visits to the US on business/tourist visas. This is a work-around for the somewhat restrictive immigration laws of the US. The 12 nautical mile anchorage puts the vessel in international waters, outside the jurisdiction of the USA. The Top 10 Facts about BlueSeed gives a run-down of the motivation for the project and how it will work. In order to get aboard, you have to “do something that matters, and be awesome.” To me, it sounds as though their recruitment agent is Barney Stinson.
Read the full Daily Maverick article here.
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