Frying Pan Shoal Lightship Station (NC)
Historical Light List Characteristics
Historical Light List Optics and Structures
| 1858 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 40 | This vessel is schooner-rigged; the hull painted yellow, with the words "FRYING-PAN SHOALS," painted in large black letters on each side; lower masts yellow; top masts white; day-marks black, (one on each mast.) | In 10 fathoms water, off the end of the Frying-Pan shoals, off Cape Fear, N. C., 1 mile beyond the outer 18-feet shoal. | LHB Light List (US): 270 |
| 1860 | This vessel is schooner rigged; the hull painted yellow, with the words "FRYING-PAN SHOALS," painted in large black letters on each side; lower masts yellow; topmasts white; day-marks black, (one on each mast.) | In 10 fathoms water, off the end of the Frying-Pan shoals, off Cape Fear, N. C., one mile beyond the outer 18-feet shoal. | LHB Light List (US): 254 | ||||
| 1866 | This vessel is schooner-rigged; the hull painted yellow, with the words "FRYING-PAN SHOALS" painted in large black letters on each side; lower masts yellow; topmasts white; day-marks black, (one on each mast.) | In 10 fathoms water, off the end of the Frying-pan shoals, off Cape Fear, N. C., one mile beyond the outer 18-foot shoal. | LHB Light List (All Coasts): 258 | ||||
| 1870 | This vessel is schooner-rigged; the hull painted yellow, with the words "FRYING-PAN SHOALS" painted in large black letters on each side; lower masts yellow; top-masts black; day-marks black, (one on each mast.) | LHB Light List (All Coasts): 273 | |||||
| 1878 | Reflector | Reflector | This vessel is schooner-rigged; the hull painted yellow, with the words "FRYING-PAN SHOALS" painted in large black letters on each side; lower masts yellow; topmasts, black; day-marks, black, (one on each mast.) | LHB Light List (All Coasts): 344 | |||
| 1879 | LHB Light List (All Coasts): 359 | ||||||
| 1886 | Two masts, schooner-rigged; black day-mark at each mast-head. Hull and lower masts, yellow; topmasts, black. The words "FRYING-PAN SHOALS" in black letters, on each side. | Off the end of the Frying-pan shoals, off Cape Fear, N. C., 1 mile beyond the outer 18-foot shoal. | LHB Light List (All Coasts): 408 | ||||
| 1888 | Two masts, schooner-rigged; black day-mark at each mast-head. Hull and lower masts, yellow; topmasts, black. The words "FRYING-PAN SHOALS" in black letters on each side. | Off the end of the Frying-Pan Shoals, off Cape Fear, N. C., about 1 mile beyond the outer 18-foot shoal. | LHB Light List (All Coasts): 428 | ||||
| 1893 | 373/4 | Two masts, schooner-rigged, no bowsprit; mastheads black, with a black circular iron cagework day-mark at each. Hull, yellow, with the words "FRYING-PAN SHOALS" in large black letters on each side and "53" in large black figures on each quarter. A black smokestack and fog signal between the masts. | Off Frying-Pan Shoals, making off to the southward and eastward from Cape Fear, N. C., about 21/2 miles to the southward of the outer 18-foot shoal. | LHB Light List (Atlantic): 535 | |||
| 1898 | 44 | Two masts, schooner-rigged; mastheads black, with a black circular hoop-iron cagework day mark at each. Hull, yellow, with "FRYINGPAN SHOALS" in black on each side and "No. 1" in black on each quarter. A black smokestack and fog signal between the masts. | Moored in 60 feet of water, off Frying-Pan Shoals, making off to the southward and eastward from Cape Fear, N. C., about 21/2 miles to the southward of the outer 18-foot shoal, and about 17 miles from the cape. | LHB Light List (Atlantic): 648 | |||
| 1899 | LHB Light List (Atlantic): 667 | ||||||
| 1905 | Two masts, schooner-rigged; mastheads black, with a black, circular, hoop-iron, cagework daymark at each. Hull, yellow, with "FRYING-PAN SHOALS" in black on each side and "No. 1" in black on each quarter. A black smokestack and fog signal between the masts. | Moored in 60 feet of water, about 21/2 miles to the southward of the outer 18-foot shoal of Frying-Pan Shoals, making off to the southward and eastward from Cape Fear, N. C., and about 17 miles from the cape. | LHB Light List (Atlantic): 789 | ||||
| 1908 | Two masts, schooner-rigged; black mastheads, with a black, circular, hoop-iron, cagework daymark at each; yellow hull, with "FRYING-PAN SHOALS" in black on each side and "No. 1" in black on each quarter; black smokestack and fog signal between the masts. | Moored in 66 feet of water, about 41/2 miles S'ly from the outermost 33/4-fathom spot of the Outer Frying-Pan Shoals, making off to the S'd and E'd from Cape Fear, N. C., about 3 miles SW'ly of the outermost 10-fathom curve of the shoals, about 111/2 miles 118° 30' (S by E 7/16 E) from Frying-Pan Shoals Gas and Bell Buoy, FP, and 281/2 miles 143° 30' (SE 3/4 S) from Cape Fear Light-House. | LHB Light List (Atlantic): 863 | ||||
| 1915 | N/A | N/A | N/A | Yellow hull, "FRYING-PAN" on sides; two masts; lantern on foremast; no bowsprit. Yellow 2d-cl. can buoy, marked LV/FP in black, 400 yards northerly. | In 10 fathoms, on southwest side of shoals, and about 181/2 miles 156° from Cape Fear Lighthouse. | USLHS Light List (Atlantic): 1267 | |
| 1917 | USLHS Light List (Atlantic): 1333 | ||||||
| 1920 | USLHS Light List (Atlantic): 1386 | ||||||
| 1927 | Yellow hull, "FRYING-PAN" on sides; two masts; lantern on foremast; no bowsprit. Yellow whistle buoy, marked LS/FP in black, 400 yards northerly. | In 10 fathoms, on southwest side of shoals, and about 18.5 miles 156° from Cape Fear Lighthouse. | USLHS Light List (Atlantic): 1525 | ||||
| 1931 | 500 mm ei | NA | NA | Yellow hull, "FRYINGPAN" on sides, two masts, lantern on foremast, no bowsprit. Station whistling buoy, 400 yards northerly. | In 60 feet, at south end of shoals, 30.5 miles 1381/2° from Cape Fear Lighthouse. | USLHS Light List (Atlantic): 1864 | |
| 1935 | 375 mm ei | USLHS Light List (Atlantic): 2322 | |||||
| 1946 | 375 mm e | Red hull "FRYINGPAN" on sides, two masts, circular gallery and lantern at each masthead. Station whistle buoy, 400 yards northerly. | USCG Light List (Atlantic): 2767 | ||||
| 1947 | |||||||
| 1950 | Red hull "FRYINGPAN" on sides, two masts, circular gallery and lantern at each masthead. Station whistle buoy lettered FP/LS, 400 yards northerly. | ||||||
| 1951 | |||||||
| 1952 | |||||||
| 1953 | N/A | Red hull "FRYINGPAN" on sides, two masts; lantern and circular gallery at each masthead. Red station whistle buoy lettered FP/LS 400 yards northerly of lightship. | In 60 feet, at south end of shoals. | USCG Light List - Vol. I-VI: 1936 | |||
| 1954 | |||||||
| 1955 | |||||||
| 1957 | Red hull "FRYINGPAN" on sides, two masts; lantern and circular gallery at each masthead. Red station whistle buoy with red reflector lettered FP/LS 400 yards northerly of lightship. | ||||||
| 1959 | Red hull "FRYINGPAN" on sides, two masts; lantern and circular gallery at each masthead. Red station whistle buoy with radar reflector and with red reflector lettered FP/LS 400 yards northerly of lightship. | USCG Light List - Vol. I-V: 2252 | |||||
| 1960 | |||||||
| 1961 | Red hull "FRYING PAN" on sides, two masts; lantern and circular gallery at each masthead. Red station whistle buoy with radar reflector and with red reflector lettered FP/LS 400 yards northerly of lightship. | USCG Light List - Vol. I: 2252 | |||||
| 1963 | |||||||
| 1965 | Red hull "FRYING PAN" on sides, two masts; lantern and circular gallery at each masthead. Red, 1st-cl. nun station buoy with radar reflector and with red reflector lettered FP/LS 400 yards northerly of lightship. |
Historical Light List Audible Fog Signals
| 1858 | Bell. | None | LHB Light List (US): 270 |
| 1860 | Bell & horn. | LHB Light List (US): 254 | |
| 1866 | LHB Light List (All Coasts): 258 | ||
| 1870 | A bell and horn. | LHB Light List (All Coasts): 273 | |
| 1878 | LHB Light List (All Coasts): 344 | ||
| 1879 | LHB Light List (All Coasts): 359 | ||
| 1886 | Bell or horn. | LHB Light List (All Coasts): 408 | |
| 1888 | LHB Light List (All Coasts): 428 | ||
| 1893 | 12-inch steam whistle; blasts 5 sec., alternate intervals 10 and 40 sec. | If whistle be disabled a bell will be rung by hand. | LHB Light List (Atlantic): 535 |
| 1898 | 12-inch steam whistle; blasts 5 sec., silent intervals 55 sec. | If whistle be disabled, a bell will be rung by hand. | LHB Light List (Atlantic): 648 |
| 1899 | LHB Light List (Atlantic): 667 | ||
| 1905 | If whistle be disabled a bell will be rung by hand. | LHB Light List (Atlantic): 789 | |
| 1908 | If whistle be disabled a bell will be struck by hand five strokes at intervals of about 1 sec., separated by silent intervals of approximately 55 sec. | LHB Light List (Atlantic): 863 | |
| 1915 | 12-inch steam chime whistle: Blast 5 sec. Silent 55 sec. | Bell (hand) if whistle is disabled: 5 strokes 5 sec. Silent 55 sec. | USLHS Light List (Atlantic): 1267 |
| 1917 | USLHS Light List (Atlantic): 1333 | ||
| 1920 | USLHS Light List (Atlantic): 1386 | ||
| 1927 | USLHS Light List (Atlantic): 1525 | ||
| 1931 | OSCILLATOR, air blast 5 sec., silent 25 sec. | Bell, hand, if whistle disabled; 5 strokes 5 sec., silent 55 sec. | USLHS Light List (Atlantic): 1864 |
| 1935 | Bell, hand, if oscillator disabled; 5 strokes 5 sec., silent 55 sec. | USLHS Light List (Atlantic): 2322 | |
| 1946-1947 | DIAPHONE, two-tone, air; blast 4 sec., silent 26 sec. | Bell, hand, if diaphone disabled; 5 strokes 5 sec., silent 55 sec. | USCG Light List (Atlantic): 2767 |
| 1950-1952 | |||
| 1953 | DIAPHONE, two-tone; when operating, is synchronized with radiobeacon ev 3 minutes for distance finding. | Bell, hand, 5 strokes for 5s, si 55s, if diaphone is disabled. | USCG Light List - Vol. I-VI: 1936 |
| 1954-1955 | DIAPHONE, two-tone; when operating, is synchronized with radiobeacon ev 3 minutes for distance finding. | ||
| 1957 | |||
| 1959-1960 | USCG Light List - Vol. I-V: 2252 | ||
| 1961 | USCG Light List - Vol. I: 2252 | ||
| 1963 | DIAPHONE, two-tone; 1 blast ev 30s (4sbl). | ||
| 1965 |
Historical Light List Other Signals
| 1927 | None | Submarine bell; 1 stroke every 3 sec. | USLHS Light List (Atlantic): 1525 |
| 1931 | RADIOBEACON, transmits 2 dashes. | SUBMARINE BELL; 1 stroke every 3 sec. | USLHS Light List (Atlantic): 1864 |
| 1935 | RADIOBEACON: Transmits gps. of  . |
None | USLHS Light List (Atlantic): 2322 |
| 1946-1947 | RADIOBEACON: Transmits on 294 kc, groups of 2 dashes (). DISTANCE-FINDING STATION. |
USCG Light List (Atlantic): 2767 | |
| 1950-1952 | |||
| 1953-1955 | RADIOBEACON: 294 kc (Code: ). |
USCG Light List - Vol. I-VI: 1936 | |
| 1957 | |||
| 1959-1960 | USCG Light List - Vol. I-V: 2252 | ||
| 1961 | USCG Light List - Vol. I: 2252 | ||
| 1963 | RADIOBEACON. | ||
| 1965 |
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1854 - 1893 (Station vacant 1860-1863.) |
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1894 - 1906 |
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1907 - 1929 |
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1930 - 1965 (Marked by buoy 1942-1945. Station still listed after 1964.) |