There was an election issue relevant to our island last year and a local politician was available for questions on a radio talk show. Islanders could call in…
Woman answering phones at the talk show: Hello caller, welcome to the program. Before I take your question. What’s your postal code?
Islander: I don’t have one.
Woman: We are only taking questions from property owning islanders.
Islander: Right, I own my island property.
Woman: Excellent, then what is the postal code?
Islander: I don’t have one I live on an island.
Woman: But you must have a postal code.
Islander: Nope.
Woman: Well I am sorry but we can’t take your question about this matter that affects your island unless you have a postal code. Thank you… click
First question asked by new residents. What is our postal code? Simple answer is we do not have one. No postal service, no postal code. The only postal code we have is the one attached to our post office box. Each permanent resident gets a free post office box at the postal station of their choosing but no postal code.
As explained to me in drivers ed, the reason the address must be correct on a drivers license is for notification of kin in case of an accident. The officer takes the license.. As a side note that is why organ donation stickers on licenses didn’t work because the license inevitably wasn’t with the patient.
The address on my license is pure nonsense. After a great length of time at the DMV it was the only format the computer would accept. But if we are ever in an accident the police will be looking a very long time for a non existent street near my postal station.
The police can take it up with the computer.
Normally, I could care less that I have no postal code or service. But we are waiting for a part to arrive for the generator and the only way to know if it’s there is a trip by boat to town. It was supposed to be mailed from Richmond last Tuesday and it wasn’t at the post office today. E will try again on Wednesday. Fortunately we had bright sunshine all day so the batteries got a charge and I was able to get some laundry done.
When inconvenienced by no postal service I am reminded of what the late great Butch Cassidy probably never said. Having no postal code helps us stay one step ahead
of the law
Off the Grid Islander 
Several years ago after a man had a heart attack at his float cabin here on Powell Lake we received addresses. The purpose was for first responders to figure out where we are located on the lake. If you dial 911 here it goes directly to Victoria and they have no clue about Powell Lake. Now the address, ours is 10767 Powell Lake, is associated with a longitude and latitude rather than a postal code, which we don’t have. Like you there is no mail delivery out here. Unlike you, we don’t get a free post office box. – Margy
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It is complicated isn’t it.. the street address assigned to this property is no where near the house and you would be hard pressed to find me using it. Veterans affairs accepted my gps location at one point when I was my moms POA… I wonder why you don’t get a post office box?
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When that happens to us we make it up. The computer is happy. The idiot is happy and so am I. Things get sent to the nearest post office…..or Tahsis…..whatever. … bureaucrats process paper…..clerks type invoices and the bills get paid…..everyone is happy. Truth? Reality? They don’t want that. They want to process you and move on……..learn how to get processed….
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Once i gas to use my GPS location. Simpler just to never leave the island..
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