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The Frying Pan Station, located 32 miles off North Carolina’s coast, began as a U.S. Coast Guard lightship in 1854 to warn ships of the dangerous Frying Pan Shoals. In 1964, the lightship was replaced by a permanent steel tower, designed to endure harsh weather and provide housing for the crew – a modified Texas drilling platform, or a “Texas Tower.” The lighthouse was automated in 1979, eliminating the need for a crew.
Frying Pan Tower, offers one of the most unique vacation rentals imaginable: a former Coast Guard light station perched in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Built in 1964 to protect ships from the treacherous Frying Pan Shoals, it was decommissioned in the 1990s and purchased by Richard Neal in 2010 for $85,000 at a government auction.
Now, the tower serves as a hub for lighthouse aficionados, adventurers, divers, and eco-tourists. Visitors can scuba dive, fish, and even snorkel around the structure, which rises 135 feet above the ocean. Sharks, barracudas, and schools of fish make it a surreal place to explore. If fishing from the edge of the platform or scuba diving aren’t enough, guests can explore a nearby artificial reef created from a sunken fishing vessel.
The tower, like an oil platform, boasts eight bedrooms, a kitchen, an entertainment room, and a helicopter pad. While the amenities are basic and the structure requires constant upkeep, the charm of Frying Pan lies in its isolation. There are no neighbors, no shops—just the endless ocean, stargazing, and tranquility. At night, the Milky Way glows brightly, offering a breathtaking view of the sky.
Neal and a group of investors maintain the tower through their nonprofit, FPTower Inc., regularly working on restoration projects, from reinforcing its structure to installing solar panels. Guests can either sign up for volunteer trips where they help with upkeep, or simply stay as eco-tourists, supporting the tower’s restoration through their fees.
While staying at Frying Pan is not for the faint of heart—the nearest land is hours away, and supplies must be brought in by boat or helicopter—it’s an adventure unlike any other. Whether helping with restoration projects or enjoying the stunning marine life, Frying Pan Tower provides an unforgettable experience. As one of the few remaining offshore light stations, it still stands today, proof of human ingenuity and resilience, offering both a glimpse into the past and a chance to contribute to its future.
Visit their website at FPTower.org to learn more, make a donation, or book your own adventure. And you can even take in the adventure vicariously, listen to the sounds of the sea, or watch the weather through their webcam at: explore.org/livecams/frying-pan/frying-pan-cam
This story appeared in the
Nov/Dec 2024 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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