Tevennec Lighthouse is a tiny structure that sits in isolation off the coast of Brittany, France. The island is now owned by philanthropist and lighthouse enthusiast Bobby Sager. In winter, ice covered the stone buildings, even capping the chimney of the dwelling on one occasion. The living quarters were also damaged, and boulders were swept onto the island. The frequent storms repeatedly leveled the outbuildings, water tanks, and helipad. In 1855, the current 41-meter-tall (133 ft) lighthouse was built. The lighthouse was also the place of retreat for lighthouse keepers when the sea washed over the low-lying island in storms, which happened frequently and would damage other buildings and gardens there.
The original wooden lighthouse was destroyed and replaced in 1805 with a stone tower and again in 1831 with a stronger stone structure. It is a tall, stone structure erected on a flat, low-lying island, a beacon to warn ships to keep away from the dangerous rocks around an island that has at least once housed cannibalistic shipwreck survivors. While other lighthouses on this list are jagged, mystical spires of mystery and imagination, the Boon Island Lighthouse, situated just off the Maine coast, has a long and well-recorded history.
It was originally built as an oil rig, and the name of the Frying Pan Shoals predates its construction. The entire structure somewhat resembles an electric frying pan, which was probably unintentional. In 2004, the coast guard deserted the whole structure, which was purchased in 2010 for a mere $85,000.
Once the lighthouse was automated, the living area (which is now the B and B part) was abandoned. For 110 years prior to that, the light that warned ships of the treacherous ground was provided by a stationary lightship that was anchored near the current lighthouse. The Frying Pan Tower is situated at the end of the Frying Pan Shoals, the southern tip of the “Graveyard of the Atlantic” off the coast of North Carolina.Īs a lighthouse, the structure was manned from 1960 to 1979. If the idea of staying overnight in a lighthouse appeals to you and you rue being born into a world of automated lighthouses, then perhaps staying at a B and B that is a decommissioned lighthouse is the weekend away for you.