As Debby rolls in to the Lowcountry, everyone is asking if our old friend will make an appearance. Legend holds that the Gray Man is the ghost of a young man traveling from Charleston to see his fiancée in 1822. On the way, he and his horse were caught in quicksand-like pluff mud in the marshes before Pawley's Island, and died. His spirit has haunted the shore nearby ever since, looking for the girl he loved.
In South Carolina ghostlore, the Gray Man is a ghost reportedly seen on the coast of Pawleys Island, South Carolina that warns residents of coming severe storms and hurricanes. Although there are many variations of the legend, most say the Gray Man was first seen in 1822, three years before the town government was incorporated. The last reported sighting was just before Hurricane Florence hit in 2018, and previously just before Hurricane Hugo hit the area in 1989.
This photo was taken in September 2022 when Ian came ashore. I didn’t take, someone posted in our local page on Facebook. But looks to me like The Gray Man! Who knows? But you can be assured, if he appears this week, we will know.
Stay safe everyone, be smart, and ride it out.
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