What It’s Like to Stay at The Frying Pan, a Historic Oil Rig in the Middle of the Ocean

Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu are one of the bold couples around the world who have decided to swap conventional living with sailing onboard their own vessel, called La Vagabonde. What makes their adventure even more surprising is that they’ve got their two young children onboard as well. Apparently, that wasn’t enough adrenaline, so they switched things up a little by staying a few nights at a very unusual Airbnb.

It doesn’t get more off-grid than literally staying in the middle of the ocean, at a dangerous height, with sharks lurking beneath you. This is 32 miles (51 km) off the coast of North Carolina, at 135 feet (41 meters) above the Atlantic Ocean. It’s called The Frying Pan Tower, born from the restoration of a tower built in 1964.

The “Texas Tower” was a modified Texas drilling platform meant to offer housing for crewmen of the U.S. Coast Guard while also warning ships in the area of the shallow waters, which had caused many troubles for large ships before. As decades passed, the Frying Pan Shoals Light Station became outdated and was eventually abandoned by the Coast Guard by 2004.

Richard Neal purchased the Tower at auction and turned it into a “glamping” destination to cover the renovation costs. But it’s so much more than that, acting as a platform for environmental research, preservation, and studies.

Using solar and wind power for its electricity, and a filtration system for potable water, the Frying Pan includes multiple bedrooms, a fully-equipped kitchen, large living and dining areas. Despite its dangerous character, the Tower is perfect for leisure activities such as fishing, golf, scuba diving, and enjoying bonfires at night.

The bold sailing couple wasn’t afraid to let themselves be hoisted up to the front door of the Tower and enjoyed total freedom during their stay. They’ve shared all the juicy details in the video below.