Constructed in 1929, Lightship #115 “Frying Pan” guarded its namesake Frying Pan Shoals located 30 miles off of Cape Fear, North Carolina, from 1930 to 1965. The Lightship Frying Pan has led a remarkable life. After being abandoned for 10 years while docked at an old oyster cannery in the Chesapeake Bay, it sank and was rescued after being underwater for three years before being raised. After tons of silt and shells were removed from the hull, the ship was outfitted with a new engine and, in 1989, was sailed to New York City. While the outside of the ship has been restored to her original appearance, the inside retains the barnacle-encrusted, sunken-ship motif that acknowledges her storied past.
The Frying Pan is also home to the Pier 66 Maritime Bar and Grill. Visit the Frying Pan website for current dining offerings.