The Gray Man Returns
In South Carolina, a figure known as the Gray Man appears on the beach before devastating storms. The harbinger spirit normally appears in Pawleys Island, but as Hurricane Florence bears down on the Carolinas, some believe he’s making the rounds to warn residents up and down the coast.
Dating back to 1822, the legend of the Gray Man goes something like this:
A mysterious man in gray appears on the beach – either walking near beachgoers or waving to boaters – before disappearing without a trace. Soon after his appearance, a major storm strikes the area, leaving many people hurt or homeless. Though the area is devastated, those who saw the Gray Man before the dangerous weather survive the storm unscathed.
The Gray Man in Myrtle Beach?
In July, a family vacationing in Myrtle Beach took pictures from their balcony and were surprised to see a gray figure in one of the images (below
). Was it the Gray Man? Myrtle Beach is 25 miles from Pawleys Island, but perhaps the beach-dwelling spirit traveled north to warn residents about the future hurricane.
Gray Man Reports in Pawleys Island
As Hurricane Florence approaches the Carolinas, residents of Pawleys Island have reported seeing the Gray Man.
One of my regulars said he and a group of five people walking the beach said they saw the Gray Man on pawleys yesterday. Time to start packing my bags and head inland y’all.
— Rian Fontaine (@RianFontainee) September 9, 2018
Oh lordy, it’s getting real now. I just read that there was a sighting of the Gray Man at Pawleys Island yesterday. South Carolina better get ready because he doesn’t appear for nothing!
— Ciara Jade Dove Lee (@SCarolinaCiara) September 9, 2018
Hurricane Hugo was the last serious hurricane to strike Pawleys Island, but Hurricane Florence may soon change that. What do you think of the Gray Man legend? Endearing story or a real-life guardian spirit?
Photo by Josh Sorenson from Pexels.
