Let’s say that, one day, I decided I’ve had enough of living in big cities and being around other people, and want to move to a small, quiet island somewhere in which to enjoy my generally being left alone.
Further, let’s also suppose that I’ve decided to move to one of the United States Minor Outlying Islands, on the theory that they’re (mostly) abandoned, miles from anywhere, and tropical, which should ensure nice weather, occaisonal tropical storms excepted.
I can’t imagine I’d get a Residence Visa, so we have to assume I’m arriving by private boat without telling anyone.
Anyway, would the US Coast Guard actually try and forcibly remove me from the Island (when they showed up a year or two later as part of a routine inspection), assuming I was just minding my own business, not damaging anything, and generally not up to anything untoward?
Even so, I think they’d remove your fanny perpendicular from the islands you cited pretty quick, as there have been problems with modern squatters clearing land in attempts to grow crops, and damaging ecosystems. On Navassa, at least.
The trouble with these tiny little islands is that there’s no food and no water.
If you want to pretend to be an independent country, you’d be much better off heading for the American west or the Australian outback. Put a tiny cabin on some public land far away from any road and you’re much less likely to be noticed than on one of these islands.
Another problem may be that the islands belong to somebody. When I was a kid, I had some mistaken ideas about property. I thought that if a place had been empty for quite a while, it was “abandoned,” and it didn’t belong to anyone. I was wrong about that, and it got me in trouble a couple of times. You can go live on some faraway island, but you will probably have to buy or rent it from somebody who owns it.
You’d be better off, I think if you purchased a small island, and there are a surprising number of them for sale. Than attempting to squat on an already owned island.
The novel Island is an entertaining look related to this topic.
A group of shady characters on the run find a previously uncharted island. Only problem is that it is below sea level a good portion of the time. But they figure out a way to get a bunch of landfill, and start signing on to obscure international treaties… IMO a fun light read.
My aunt and uncle bought a Canadian island. It had been called “Teachers Island.” Even though my aunt and uncle were teachers, they wanted to rename it. Their son, my cousin, suggested “Nomannizan Island.” I don’t think that’s the name they chose.
