Frying Pan Tower -The World's Most Dangerous Hotel
- bioworld090
- Aug 19, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 9, 2022
Image Credit: Frying Pan Tower
Frying Pan Tower, also known as the world's most dangerous hotel, is a B&B in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The tower originally served as a lighthouse from its construction in 1964 until its decommission in 2004. After its decommission, the initial plan was to demolish it and make it an artificial reef but was instead sold in an online auction. The tower was bought for $85,000 by Richard Neal in August 2010.
LOCATION
Frying Pan Tower is located near the Frying Pan Shoals of the Atlantic Ocean. The nearest land is Bald Head Island, North Carolina which is 32 miles(51 km) from the tower.
STRUCTURE & FACILITIES
Image Credit: Frying Pan Tower
The 80ft(24m) tall tower sits on a foundation of four steel pillars anchored 300 feet below the water and the structure is similar to that of an off-shore oil platform. This type of lighthouse, modelled after off-shore oil platforms, is known as "Texas Tower".
The top of the tower has an 80 by 80 feet helipad. Below the helipad is the living area that consists of eight bedrooms, a kitchen, office, storage area, recreation room and toilet. At one of the corners of the helipad is situated the lighthouse with an American flag flying just beside it.
The tower is powered mainly by solar energy. The building also has a strong, high-speed internet connection.
MAJOR ISSUES & WEAR AND TEAR
As a result of being situated in the ocean, the Frying Pan Tower constantly faces the forces of nature resulting in its rusting and deterioration. Not only the ocean water but also the storms and hurricanes challenge the sturdiness of the tower. Irene, Sandy, Dorian, Florence and Arthur were some of the major hurricanes that hit the tower.
SIGNIFICANCE
The Frying Pan Tower was and is still an important structure in the Atlantic Ocean. The tower is situated near Frying Pan Shoals. As a lighthouse, it served as a signal to warn mariners of the shoals.
Now, as a B&B, the tower is used for environmental research and studies, providing safety to the mariners in the Atlantic Ocean and of course, as an adventure destination for people.
DANGERS
The fact that one must sign a waiver before visiting here says enough about how dangerous this place is. The ocean itself is a danger to the tower and the people. The saltwater of the ocean causes the parts of the tower to rust and deteriorate. The dangerous sharks and potentially dangerous barracudas that live in the waters around the tower pose a threat to humans. Then, there are storms and hurricanes which can potentially be dangerous to the tower. However, the tower is pretty strong as it has withstood many major storms and hurricanes over the years.
ACCESSIBILITY
There are only two ways to access the tower. The first one is by helicopter. It is the more convenient way to get on and off the tower as it drops you directly on the helipad. The other way to access the tower is by boat which is a not-so-convenient way to get on and off the tower. To get on the tower from a boat, the visitors and their supplies are carried up the tower with the help of a bosun's chair.
ACTIVITIES TO DO
Here's an entertaining video on the Frying Pan Tower.
The fact that the tower is in the ocean doesn't mean that there are no fun activities to do. The most common thing to do here is fishing. People fond of golf can play golf with balls made of fish food. Other fun games include cornhole and skeet shooting.
People not interested in playing games have the option of snorkelling and scuba diving in the 50ft deep waters or they can just do nothing and relax on the helipad.
Image Credit: Frying Pan Tower
At night, one can relax near a firepit, light up the sky with fireworks or if the weather allows, stargaze.
Those were all the fun activities that can be done outdoors. There are also a couple of fun things to do indoors such as playing pool, darts, cards or just listening to music, watching sports or movies.
COST OF STAYING
Image Credit: Frying Pan Tower
According to the official website of the Frying Pan Tower, the Eco-Tourism Adventure Weekend package costs $1550 per person and the Volunteer Voucher costs $850. The Volunteer Voucher is for people interested in volunteering and requires them to work for 4 hours per day. Find out more about the cost and policies at fptower.org.
The tower requires constant restoration of the rusty, deteriorated parts and regular maintenance which depends upon the contributions of the people. If you also want to contribute to the restoration and maintenance of this piece of history, you can do so just by visiting the tower or by volunteering to help with certain restoration projects. You can buy merchandise or donate by visiting fptower.org. You can also visit smile.amazon.com and search for Fptower Inc to donate without spending any extra money.
Click here to watch live camera footage from the Frying Pan Tower.
REFERENCES:
Comments