Frying Pan Tower

Serving up science for the next generation

BY Fritts Causby

Published June 27, 2023|
Frying Pan Tower helipad at sunset with rainbows. All photos courtesy of Frying Pan Tower
Frying Pan Tower helipad at sunset with rainbows. All photos courtesy of Frying Pan Tower

Photos Courtesy of Frying Pan Tower

Rising 135 feet above the Atlantic Ocean, Frying Pan Tower has guarded the coast of North Carolina since 1964. It was initially built as a lantern house to guide vessels seeking to navigate the shallow and treacherous waters around Frying Pan Shoals. The tower was automated in 1979 and maintained by repair crews from the United States Coast Guard Station in Oak Island until 2004, when it was abandoned.

The advent of GPS technology made the tower obsolete, and Frying Pan Shoals’ designation as a protected reef area made plans for relocation or destruction impossible.

“I spent the last decade trying to figure out how to fix this thing. My goal was not to turn it into the world’s most dangerous hotel,” says Richard Neal, who purchased Frying Pan Tower in a government auction in 2010.

Neal has transformed it into an adventure destination for ecotourists, similar to a maritime science lab.

Richard Neal enjoys a slick ride out to Frying Pan Tower.

“I realized the best way to fix it was to give it away, so I divested my ownership,” says Neal, who serves as executive director of the nonprofit focused on restoring the tower.

The tower provides opportunities for education and environmental research. Underwater cameras stream wildlife on YouTube, creating viewing opportunities for a variety of species, from sharks and barracudas to sea turtles, jellyfish and whales.

Clockwise from top left: An overview of the tower from a skydiver flight. A skydiver comes in for a landing over the helipad. The tower is exposed 34 miles from land, and some days the wave action can be intense. Guests arrive and depart by water or air. A hoist chair is lowered for passenger pickup.

One of the more interesting forms of wildlife Neal has spotted was a massive school of shrimp.

“We had a large number of shrimp come to the surface and snap and pop in unison, creating this amazing bioluminescence, this cool blue on the sea surface, all at the same time,” he says.

Top left: Richard Neal captures the view from the tower walkway. Top right: A helicopter on the helipad at sunset. Center left: Volunteers are an integral part of the repairs and maintenance. A volunteer learning to weld. Center right: Richard Neal welding with volunteers. Above left: Volunteers working under the belly of the tower. Above right: a volunteer fishing from the walkway.

The tower is primarily powered through wind and solar, though Neal uses a generator to help during times of additional need. There is a filtration system for potable water and an indoor garden that uses hydroponics to produce fresh vegetables. Visitors can fish, go scuba diving and snorkeling, hit biodegradable golf balls off the deck, watch movies and play games.

Top L-R: Richard Neal’s daughter Olivia embarking on, or returning from a free dive. A unicycle was discovered in the junk left behind and has been restored to action to be enjoyed by Richard Neal. Like all man-made objects in the sea, the tower structure becomes a place for all sizes and species of fish and marine life to congregate. Center L-R: Volumes of fish cloud captured by a fixed camera. Rays, barracuda and sharks are frequent visitors under the structure. A school of angelfish beneath the tower. Above: Sunset viewed from the top deck.

With very little light pollution, the Milky Way and Venus are on display on clear nights. To see the light show in person, it’s possible to volunteer and help with restorations. The tower can also be supported through donations, buying merchandise, or weekend-long adventure tours.

The night sky is breathtaking so far from man-made light. Views of the moon and the Milky Way galaxy are spectacular.

“The best thing I can do is get the next generation excited about it. If I do my job, then I will end up working my way out of a job,” laughs Neal. “My hope is the next generation takes this and runs with it.”







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