The Gray Man of Pawleys Island is one of South Carolina’s most famous legends. He is a manly figure dressed all in gray that wanders up and down the coast. If the Gray Man appears, it’s a dark foreboding of devastation to come.
The story of the Gray Man dates back to 1822 and last seen in 2018 before Hurricane Florence. Other sightings include Hurricane Hazel in 1954 and Hurricane Hugo in 1989. The legend says that if you are lucky enough to see him, your home and belongings are safe from the incoming storm.
What exactly is this legend? Well, there are a few variations, but here is one:
A young man was traveling from Charleston to ask his girlfriend to marry him. He had been at sea for a long time and yearned to see his love. With a storm brewing, he decided to take a shortcut in the marsh. Unfortunately, his horse was getting stuck in the pluff mud, and he threw the rider off. The man died after being pulled under the thick mud and water.
His lover heard the news and was heartbroken. She would take walks on the beach to clear her head, and one fateful day, a man dressed all in gray was on her path. She saw his face and gasped. It was her dead lover. She began to question him, but all he did was warn her that a terrible storm was approaching.