Frying Pan Tower
Located 32 miles off the coast of North Carolina, the Frying Pan Shoals Light Station is a former U.S. Coast Guard light tower built in 1964.
It was constructed on the treacherous Frying Pan Shoals to warn ships of the shallow waters. After GPS technology made it obsolete, the Coast Guard decommissioned it in 2004. The tower was purchased at auction and is now managed by FPTower Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to its restoration and preservation. It operates on solar and wind power and is used for ecological research, environmental studies, and as an eco-tourism destination. Visitors can book overnight stays and participate in activities like fishing, diving, and observing marine wildlife.
How it Works
WSF is proud to support the continued efforts of the FPTower team to Protect, Restore, and Preserve this iconic piece of maritime history. From equipment, supplies, and volunteer transport to the direct support and execution of numerous underwater tasks like the installation and cleaning of camera’s, debris and trash removal, to ongoing efforts to install zinc corrosion inhibitors on the platform itself.
