Frying Pan Shoals Light

Frying Pan Shoals Light Tower is a decommissioned lighthouse located approximately 29 miles (47 km) southeast of Southport, North Carolina. The light tower is modeled after a steel oil drilling platform, known as a “Texas Tower” on top of four steel legs that was engineered to be used as a lighthouse housing several Coast Guard members. The 80-foot (24 m) light tower marks the shoals at the confluence of the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean. The platform consists of two floors. The subfloor is a living area of approximately 5,000 square feet (460 m) that includes seven bedrooms, kitchen, office, storage area, recreation area and toilet facilities. The light tower is accessible by helicopter and by boat. A January 2010 onsite...