[Thanks to Miss Cellania and Neatorama for pointing us down today’s rabbit hole.]
One star hotel at four star prices! – Richard Neal, former owner and current ED of the Frying Pan Hotel.
The scariest, and most dangerous, hotel is the Frying Pan Hotel, 32 miles off the coast of North Carolina atop the Frying Pan Tower. The tower was built in 1964 with a lighthouse to warn approaching ships of the shallow Frying Pan Shoals. Since new technology made the lighthouse obsolete, the tower was sold to Richard Neil in 2010. Now it is a research station and marine wildlife refuge, but it also has an eight-room bed and breakfast.
The location is Spartan, but this hotel has amenities for those looking for adventure. There are boat and helicopter shuttles, a hoist to and from the water’s surface, high-speed internet, scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing, shooting, golf, games, and a full kitchen. There’s even an underwater camera so you can schedule your snorkeling around the sharks.
Book your adventure at the Frying Pan Hotel here. No pets, no children under ten, and guests over 300 pounds must travel by boat. All guests must undergo a safety briefing and sign a liability waiver. – Miss Cellania and Neatorama
A Little Background
Treacherous waters and dangerous shoals presented a hazard off the coast of North Carolina. For over a hundred years, the Coast Guard stationed a lightship to assist with navigation.
By The original uploader was Jll at English Wikipedia. – Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35600064
In 1964, the Lightships were replaced with a structure that was a modified drilling rig. Then along came GPS, and it became too expensive and redundant to maintain the lighthouse, so the Coast Guard put it up for auction. On a lark, Richard Neal submitted a bid of $85K and won. He converted it to a 6-room hotel, and eventually transitioned the site to a non-profit. But guests can still spend the weekend.
Volunteer Activities
Our very own Sally The Intern has applied to be a volunteer on the Frying Pan. Actually, full disclosure, she is unaware that we submitted this application for her. Bon voyage, Sally!
Live Cam
Amazon Deliveries
Fish Food Golf Balls / End-Stage Capitalism
You can while away the hours on the Frying Pan by golfing. Putters not required!
Nice pictorial essay at Star News….
3 replies on “It’s as Safe as We Can Make It. You Signed the Waiver, Right?”
What a terrific way to spend a few days. I might even learn how to hit fish food golf balls!
I guess I need to be the wet blanket, but as an engineer who spent 30+ years working on the design and safety of offshore structures, I would not set foot on the Frying Pan. No launchable rescue craft from the platform, jerry-rigged personnel transfer system, no fire-fighting equipment on the helideck, alcohol on board (what could possibly go wrong?), and the lack of lateral bracing on the platform between the water line and the deck is amazing.
But a trip here is probably no more risky than driving on I-45 in Houston or bungy jumping.
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