Buzz
The thought of being a keeper in a remote lighthouse, exposed to the elements, is a romantic vision for many introverts: listening to the call of the gulls, gazing at the shimmering sea, perhaps wrapped in a cozy cable-knit sweater, and possibly finding the time to cultivate a thick, full beard. Indeed, there are many charms to being a lighthouse keeper.
Of course, for some, the idea of isolation with no one to talk to on a Saturday night would be a nightmare. The solitude could lead to wild imaginings, like mistaking fish for mermaids or conversing with coconuts named Wilson.
Nonetheless, there is a certain grandeur in a solitary lighthouse, standing firm against the fierce elements, enduring and resilient in the face of all challenges. Here are 10 of the most stunningly isolated lighthouses.
10. Tourlitis Lighthouse, Greece
Tourlitis Lighthouse is a circular stone structure that appears to rise from the rocks off the coast of Andros. It seems like something from a fantastical tale, having landed on its narrow base in the seabed, its spire stretching high into the sky.
Originally built in 1897, the lighthouse was tragically destroyed during World War II. In the 1990s, it was reconstructed as a fully automated facility, no longer requiring a keeper.
Before its destruction, the lighthouse served as both a home and workplace for a solitary keeper. Was it lonely? Well, perhaps not quite the right word, but definitely isolated in that spire protruding from the sea.
Today, it’s a popular tourist destination, renowned for its curved staircase carved from the very rock it sits upon, surrounded by the brilliant blue waters.
9. Frying Pan Tower, United States
If the thought of spending a night in a lighthouse excites you and you lament the era of automated beacons, then perhaps a stay at a B&B located in a retired lighthouse could be the perfect getaway for you.
The Frying Pan Tower is located at the end of the Frying Pan Shoals, the southernmost point of the “Graveyard of the Atlantic,” off the coast of North Carolina.
As a functioning lighthouse, the structure was staffed from 1960 to 1979. Before that, for over a century, a stationary lightship was anchored near the current lighthouse, providing the warning beacon to ships navigating the dangerous waters.
Once the lighthouse was automated, the living quarters (now functioning as the B&B) were left abandoned. In 2004, the Coast Guard walked away from the entire structure, which was then purchased in 2010 for just $85,000.
The entire structure bears a striking resemblance to an electric frying pan, though this was likely unintentional. Originally constructed as an oil rig, the Frying Pan Shoals had their name long before the lighthouse was built.
8. Thridrangar Lighthouse, Iceland
Thridrangar Lighthouse is truly remote. Unlike most lighthouses accessible by sea, this one can only be reached by air. A helipad has been built to accommodate this exclusive access.
The lighthouse and helipad are perched atop a jagged rock that rises from the Atlantic Ocean. The lighthouse's name, meaning “three rocks,” comes from its location among a cluster of three rocks to the west of the Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands).
Very little information is available online about the construction of the lighthouse, other than that it was built in 1939.
7. The Boon Island Lighthouse, United States
While the other lighthouses on this list stand as mysterious, jagged spires of mystery and legend, the Boon Island Lighthouse, located just off the coast of Maine, has a rich, well-documented history. This tall stone tower was built on a low, flat island to serve as a warning beacon for ships to avoid the perilous rocks surrounding an island that, at least once, became the refuge of shipwreck survivors who resorted to cannibalism.
The original wooden lighthouse was destroyed and replaced in 1805 by a stone tower, and again in 1831 with a more durable stone structure.
The lighthouse also served as a refuge for lighthouse keepers when storms caused the sea to flood the low-lying island, a frequent occurrence that damaged other buildings and gardens on the island.
In 1855, the current 41-meter-tall (133 ft) lighthouse was completed. Constant storms would demolish outbuildings, water tanks, and even the helipad. The living quarters were often damaged, and boulders would be swept onto the island. During the winter, the stone buildings would be coated in ice, even once covering the chimney of the residence.
The lighthouse was automated in 1980. The island is currently owned by philanthropist and lighthouse enthusiast Bobby Sager.
6. Flannan Isles Lighthouse, Scotland
One of the great unsolved enigmas of the early 20th century was the disappearance of three lighthouse keepers from the lighthouse on Eilean Mor, one of the Flannan Isles off Scotland's coast.
In 1900, a passing steamer noticed that the light had gone out. When a ship was sent to investigate, the crew of the Hesperus found that significant damage to the lighthouse had been recorded, and the place appeared to have been hastily abandoned. Keepers James Ducat, Donald MacArthur, and Thomas Marshall were all missing, though only two of their oilskins were gone.
Was it a rogue wave that swept them away? A double murder-suicide? Or an alien encounter? Countless theories have been proposed about the disappearance of the three keepers.
The lighthouse is now automated and uninhabited, standing solitary with only the wind, sky, and seabirds as company.
5. Saint George Reef Lighthouse, United States
Saint George Reef Lighthouse is perched on the Northwest Seal Rock of the aptly named “Dragon Rocks,” a title bestowed in 1792 by Captain George Vancouver. He wished that one day the “dragon would be slain” and that ships would no longer fall victim to the treacherous rocks.
It took almost a century to carve a stable foundation out of the rocks, allowing construction to begin in 1883. By 1892, the lighthouse was fully operational.
Due to its remote position and the peril of rogue waves, five keepers worked in rotating shifts, enabling them to spend part of the year on the mainland in Crescent City, California, with their families.
The weather was often a formidable challenge, with rogue waves hurling rocks as high as the lantern room at the top of the lighthouse and battering the stone structure itself. On one occasion, the keepers were trapped inside the tower for 59 days.
In 1975, the station was abandoned. Though it was briefly relit on a few occasions, it now remains dark and silent forever.
4. Alligator Reef Lighthouse, United States
Aside from the challenges and risks posed by hurricanes, the Alligator Reef Lighthouse, which was completed on the reef bed of the Florida Keys in 1873, was a peaceful and scenic post.
The lighthouse was constructed to prevent ships from regularly wrecking on the rocks of Alligator Reef.
The structure stands on pylons that are anchored in the reef, just 180 meters (600 feet) from the Gulf Stream waters. To reach the lantern room, one climbs a spiral staircase that ascends through the central tower, supported by beams.
The lighthouse was manned by a head keeper and two assistants. When no hurricanes were in sight, it became a true paradise for lighthouse keepers. Just steps from the back porch, they could spear fish or lobster for dinner and enjoy the delightful climate and stunning views of the Florida Keys.
3. Bishop Rock Lighthouse, United Kingdom
The Bishop Rock Lighthouse appears like a tranquil, solitary dream. Rising 49 meters (161 feet) above the waves, perched on a rock in the Isles of Scilly, this tower might be imagined as the secret home of Merlin or another legendary British wizard.
Bishop Rock proved to be one of the most challenging lighthouses to construct. Due to the relentless winds and fierce waves, the original structure was lost to the Atlantic Ocean in 1850, just as it neared completion.
Yet, the lighthouse was deemed essential, and work began again. The base of the tower was constructed beneath the water's surface, taking on the full brunt of the surging tides and waves.
A small settlement was established on a nearby islet for the workers. Progress was slow, with the construction taking an entire seven years. Unfortunately, giant waves struck once more, damaging the tower before it could even be illuminated.
In 1881, a new lighthouse was built around the old structure, featuring a massive base constructed over and around the original bottom to shield it from the waves. Finally, the isolated spire became operational and was inhabited until 1992.
Bishop Rock now rises from the sea as a monument, symbolizing our rich history of shipping, construction, and the lives of the solitary yet perhaps not so lonely lighthouse keepers.
2. Execution Rocks LighthouseUnited States
Here’s a cheerful name! Many charming places are named with words that don’t seem to connect to their history, right?
Actually, that's not the case here.
Legend has it that the British used to chain men and women condemned to death to iron rings embedded in the rocks of the reef. As the tide rose, the victims would be drowned, far from any protests. Their skeletons remained, serving as a grim warning to others awaiting the same watery fate.
Whether this is true or not is uncertain. Another version of the story simply says the rocks were treacherous and ‘executed’ many ships. Though, the first version is certainly the more captivating.
The lighthouse began operating in 1850, after several years of debates over the location and numerous technical difficulties with its construction.
What set Execution Rocks Lighthouse apart was its unique contract of employment, which allowed keepers to leave whenever they wished instead of being tied to a fixed term. This was probably not the strongest vote of confidence in the living conditions on the little rock just above the New York coast.
At first, the keeper and his wife lived within the tower, a place that was both uncomfortable and leaking. This arrangement lasted for 17 years until a separate house was eventually built for them.
The lighthouse became fully automated in 1979. Today, you can visit the lighthouse and experience a night of camping in a rather rudimentary style, if the allure of solitude is something you seek.
1. Tevennec Lighthouse, France
Tevennec Lighthouse is a small, isolated structure located off the coast of Brittany, France. It is surrounded by dark folklore, with stories claiming it was once a burial ground for the dead and that it was haunted by Ankou, the embodiment of Death itself.
How delightful!
Built in 1875, the lighthouse became notorious after its first keeper was driven mad by voices that urged him to leave. The isolation was too much for him, and running the lighthouse became a two-person job, with no one allowed to stay longer than a year.
After the deaths of a two-man team, it was decided that lighthouse keepers could bring their wives. However, even with this change, some men still met untimely deaths, and others took their own lives. Exorcisms were even tried, but nothing seemed to work.
When a storm partly destroyed the dwelling—while a keeper’s wife was in labor, adding to the drama—the lighthouse was fully automated in 1910. Plans to transform the island into an artist’s retreat have failed so far. Perhaps Ankou, the spirit of death, prefers it untouched by paint.
