Say what? Owner of tower rides out storm in middle of ocean

WTOP News (Washington DC) ^ | October 8, 2016 9:34 pm | AP

[COBOL2Java]

ON THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, N.C. (AP) — Talk about braving the storm.

A North Carolina man and his fiancee rode out Hurricane Matthew on top of an old Coast Guard light station more than 30 miles off the Atlantic coast.

Richard Neal is the owner of Frying Pan Tower , a platform that is about 100 or so feet above the ocean, only reachable by helicopter or boat. While the 360-degree views of sunsets and sunrises are amazing, there’s no land in sight.

[COBOL2Java]

Photo of Frying Pan Tower (AP Photo) Caption: This photo provided by Jacob Jordan shows Frying Pan Tower. A North Carolina man and his fiancee are riding out Hurricane Matthew on top of the old Coast Guard light station more than 30 miles off the Atlantic coast. Richard Neal is the owner of Frying Pan Tower, a platform that is about 100 or so feet above the ocean, only reachable by helicopter or boat. While the 360-degree views of sunsets and sunrises are amazing, there's no land in sight. (Jacob Jordan via AP)

[C210N]

a platform that is about 100 or so feet above the ocean...

According to NOAA's Mathew Discussions, a perch at 30' ASL is good for a one degree increase in the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane category number.

[cloudmountain]

It's nice enough on a NICE day, but in a storm? They are nuts.

Let's hope they don't, er, replace themselves.

[C210N]

Looks like a cool place to stay .... it's now a B&B:

[MplsSteve]

I’m not sure I could do that.

The whole storm, I’d be having a visions of Texas Tower 4.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Tower_4

[AppyPappy]

I’ve seen bigger rooms in nursing homes.

[JimRed]

I was thinking, what a spot to do some fishing. Then I visualized trying to crank any sizable fish up 100 feet from the water’s surface to the platform...

[COBOL2Java]

I’ve seen bigger rooms in nursing homes.

LOL! Hey, think of it as a Motel 6 with a view! :0)

[COBOL2Java]

I was thinking, what a spot to do some fishing. Then I visualized trying to crank any sizable fish up 100 feet from the water’s surface to the platform...

...or do a cannonball!

[raybbr]

>... a platform that is about 100 or so feet above the ocean, only reachable by helicopter or boat.

How does one reach a 100 foot tower by boat?

[COBOL2Java]

How does one reach a 100 foot tower by boat?

Wait for high tide

[proxy_user]

Two of the major dangers in hurricanes are flooding and flying debris. They weren’t too worried about either of those.

[tired&retired]

[tired&retired]

A man plans to turn an abandoned light tower off the North Carolina coast into a high-seas bed-and-breakfast.

50-year-old Richard Neal of Mint Hill bought the Frying Pan Shoals Light Tower in a federal government auction in May for $85,000.

Neal plans to turn the 44-year-old former U.S. Coast Guard post into a bed-and-breakfast. The tower is 25 miles from Wilmington and is more than 60 feet above the water. It has seven bedrooms, a kitchen, a recreation room and helicopter landing platform. The tower was built in 1966 and was deactivated in 2003.

[Karliner]

Talk about asking to die.

[sparklite2]

You can see a helical ladder on one of the legs. I assume you moor your boat on the leg and climb the ladder.

[Rebelbase]

“I’ve seen bigger rooms in nursing homes.”

30 miles at sea? That’s some nursing home.

[Textide]

Caters to Mothers-in-law.

[miele man]

I wonder how many such storms and hurricanes this tower can handle before normal stresses and strains begin to damage the structure and tower legs?

[COBOL2Java]

Talk about asking to die.

They should have duck-taped Shep Smith to one of the supporting pillars.