Should I stay or should I go? That was the question on everyone’s mind as Hurricane Florence ever-so-slowly approached the southeastern coast. My husband and I based our decision to stay on National Hurricane Center updates and the advice of a salty old shrimp boat captain.
Both were more accurate than sensationalized network TV weather reports that had out-of-state friends and family convinced of our imminent demise. But I know the low country’s most trusted meteorologist is the Gray Man.
A true Southern gentleman, this gray-cloaked ghost has wordlessly warned area residents of severe storms and hurricanes since 1822. The benevolent spirit’s misty visage was spotted on a Pawley’s Island beach just days before Florence made land fall. The sighting may have gotten more exit action than the governor’s evacuation order. The Gray Man hadn’t been seen since 1989 – just before the devastation of Hurricane Hugo.
While tales of the ghost’s origin differ, I enjoy the version local historian and author Ed Macy shares during his walking tour…
A young man rode horseback from Charleston to see his beloved fiancé. After becoming trapped in quicksand-like pluff mud, he met a tragic end in the marshes just shy of Pawley’s Island. To this day, he struggles to reach his long-lost love. Those who report having encountered him say that after evacuating they returned to find their homes unscathed despite surrounding destruction.
I think the Gray Man is gunning for a Weather Channel gig.
