Episode 69: The Gray Man of Pawleys Island
A silver lining in the calm before a storm…
Episode Transcripts
When we think of ghosts, the image that comes to mind is often grim, if even frightening. Whether it’s the spirit of a passed loved one, or an entity that comes from beyond our human existence, the paranormal is and always will be meant to haunt the living.
It’s sad when you put it that way—equating life after death to something so bleak and permanent. I mean, I surely wouldn’t want to spend my afterlife in that lonely sort of solitude with my only sense of human interaction being the startled reactions of those whom I’ve spooked from the other side.
And yet there’s this fascinating we have with the paranormal. We all must feel it, otherwise, you wouldn’t be listening to this podcast and I wouldn’t have spent the better part of a decade researching the alleged existence of ghosts.
So that presents the question: what’s it really like on the other side? Is it true that ghosts are doomed to simply haunt a location for all eternity or could it be that there’s something more fulfilling to that existence?
Well if you ask me, a spirit might stick around for any number of reasons. Of course, there are some who have nefarious intentions--who set out to torment the living from beyond the veil.
On the other hand, there are those who just want to make up for lost time—to finally tie up the loose ends of their own unfinished business and leave this world a better place than what they had found.
Simply put, the paranormal comes with the good, the bad, and the ugly. With phantoms who create the storms we whether, as well as souls who simply want to help.
I’m Courtney Hayes and you’re listening to haunts. Stay tuned.
Nestled along the coast, in the marshes of South Carolina, sits a small but quaint community called Pawleys Island. With a population of about 100 people, the island itself is anything but crowded. It’s a far cry from the hustle and bustle of nearby Myrtle Beach.
Still, Pawley’s island is no stranger to out-of-town guests—with visitors coming from far and wide to enjoy the quieter aspects of low country living. Instead of chaotic boardwalks and overcrowded beaches, tourists of Pawleys Island enjoy the laid-back, easygoing lifestyle of island locals. All before heading back to their room at the Pelican Inn—a hotel renowned for its history as well as its haunts.
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Now for many of us, Pawleys Island sounds like the ideal destination for your next summer-time getaway. It’s a place where you can the family or meet up for a quiet weekend with friends. Although, I should warn you that an island this serene, of course, comes with a few drawbacks.
You see, being that it sits on the outer edge of the Carolinas, Pawleys Island is often subject to extreme weather conditions. In fact, the state of South Carolina has an 80% percent chance of being affected by tropical systems each year. And given its coastal location, Pawleys Island receives the brunt of those effects.
Of course, this means that hurricane season can be quite unpredictable for the locals of this small island community. Conditions can change in a matter of minutes and advanced warnings could mean the difference between life and death.
When you put it that way, it really makes you hope that someone is looking out for this southern jewel—that there are precautions in place to protect the islanders and their homes. Well someone might be a bit of a stretch; but if local legend is true, there is something keeping watch against storms out on the horizon.
They call him the gray man and he is likely one of low country's most renowned haunts. Lurking along the beaches of the Carolinas, this specter is as gray as the water-drenched clouds overhead.
At least in the beginning, the Gray Man was thought to simply be a bit of Carolina lore. An old wives tale that's meant to offer comfort in rough waters, a silver lining in the calm before a storm.
Of course, he's most often associated with Pawleys Island, given its notoriety for unpredictable weather. Although, the gray man has also been reported all across both North and South Carolina--always appearing in the hours before some of the worst natural disasters these states have ever seen.
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So the legend goes, the gray man will appear as a devastating storm approaches the island. He'll find a local, a visitor, anyone who is willing to listen and beg them to leave Pawley's island at once.
"You're not safe here," "A storm is coming," "Leave the island while you still can." Regardless of what the warning is, the Gray Man is said to be the last line of defense during hurricane season, meaning that this forewarning should not be ignored.
They say that those who listen to the Gray Man, who take his words at face value and leave Pawley's Island, are spared the worst of the destruction. When they return after the storm, they find that their homes are still standing where as the neighboring structures are severely damaged or even washed away entirely.
On the other hand, those who write off their experience--telling themselves that ghosts and the Gray Man don't exist--are usually met with disaster during the storm. Tragically, their homes will often be torn apart around them while they hope and pray to whether the wrath of Mother Nature.
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I know, like I said, this story, while chilling, does sound sort of far-fetched. I mean, with modern technology it's not hard to predict when and where a hurricane will make landfall, so the idea of a ghost-playing weatherman is a little hard to take seriously.
Even still, Pawleys Island locals seem to think that this supposed legend is much more than meets the eye. So who is this Gray Man? And for that matter, why are they so sure he exists?
Like any good piece of folklore, there are a few differing theories attempting to identify the Gray Man.
Some believe that this spirit is that of Plowden Weston, the original owner of the aforementioned Pelican Inn. Others believe that the Gray Man was once a Confederate soldier who returned to his home on Pawleys Island after the war just in time to endure the wrath of an oncoming hurricane.
One of my sources even went as far as to claim the gray man was the spirit of Percival Pawley, the original owner of Pawley’s island. Which of course would explain the gray man’s connection to the island itself.
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Now as inconsistent as these theories may be, the one thing that everyone seems to agree on is that the gray man was a bit of a romantic during his life. Even though his greatest love story ended in tragedy.
The year was 1822 when the Gray Man, whoever he may be, was returning from some sort of maritime voyage. After returning to shore in Georgetown he mounted his horse and rode in haste toward Pawley’s Island, eager to get back to his new fiancée.
Evidently, in his hurry, this sailor decided to take a shortcut back to the island, which eventually brought him to a thick and swampy march. Now he was left with a choice: he could turn back and take the longer but safer route back to the island or he could press on and face whatever dangers lie ahead.
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Now like I said, this man was in quite a hurry. So he ultimately decided to ride straight through the marsh and onto Pawleys Island. Although he never made it to his destination, as he and his horse were both caught and eventually buried in a vat of deadly quicksand.
Later, once she had learned what became of her love, the man’s bride took to the beach on Pawley’s island to clear her head and mourn this monumental loss. It was there that she encountered a grayish figure, the whisper of a shadow off in the distance. One that looked oddly familiar the closer it got.
Even as the wind picked up around her, even as the rain began to pour, the widowed bride knew exactly who this figure was. Although she likely wasn’t prepared for her groom's final parting words: "Leave the island at once," he told her. "You’re in danger.
Without any hesitation, the bride turned and fled. Not out of fear in this spirit but out of trust in the man she loved. She raced into her parent's home and within a matter of minutes the family was evacuating the island—traveling inland just as a devastating storm made landfall.
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Like I said, it’s a heartbreaking story. And yet to the locals on Pawleys Island, the tale offers a bit of comfort.
Sure, it may have been a love for his bride that brought the Gray Man back from the dead, but that’s not what’s keeping him here. No, instead it’s a love that runs much deeper—a desire to protect the island he once called home.
Okay, so this first encounter certainly makes it clear why the gray man is so concerned with bad weather. But one sighting alone doesn’t explain why Pawley’s island locals trust this spirit more so than they do local weather reports.
As a matter of fact, there are over 200 years' worth of Gray Man encounters that have been reported all across the Carolinas. Each of which being made just before some of the most devastating hurricanes those states have ever seen.
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Take, for instance, the story of Jim and Carla Moore who had a strange encounter on Pawley’s Island only two days before Hurricane Hugo back in 1989. They were taking a walk along the beach late that afternoon when they saw a figure approaching them in the distance.
There weren’t many people on the beach that day. And being the friendly neighbors that they are, Jim and Carla began to exchange pleasantries as the figure got closer. Although, as soon as they did, it disappeared—wafting into the wind alongside salty spray coming off the water.
In the days following the hurricane, Jim and Carla returned to the island prepared for the worst. They were expecting their home to be destroyed along with the rest of their neighborhood. Although as they pulled into the driveway they were surprised and relieved to discover that their home suffered minimal damage.
Today, the Moore’s believe that it was the Gray Man of Pawley’s Island whom they encountered on that September afternoon in 1989. Meaning that they only have him to thank for their protection against the storm and rising tides.
Now I think it’s pretty obvious that the Gray Man likes to stick close to Pawley’s Island. But this is not to say that this spirit won’t travel to where he’s needed most.
As I’ve mentioned throughout the course of this episode, the gray man has been encountered all across the low country and even into North Carolina. With sightings being reported as far out as the outer banks to as close as Murrells Inlet—a small coastal town no more than 10 miles away from Pawleys Island.
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It was an ordinary afternoon when a local fisherman was shell fishing not too far from the shore. He had been out on his boat for nearly the entire day, sweeping for oysters around the Inlet.
As the sun began to set, he decided to do one final cast near the shoreline. Only as he approached, he saw a man waving at him on the beach. According to the fisherman at least, this man looked somewhat like an old pirate—dressed head to toe in gray tattered clothing.
This was obviously an unusual sight for the fisherman. I mean, why would there be a man dressed as a pirate standing there alone on the beach?
As the waves rocked against his boat, the fisherman couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He quite literally rubbed at his eyes to make sure they weren’t playing tricks. Then when he looked back only a few seconds later he was shocked to find that the man had disappeared.
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Now being a local to the area, the fisherman had, of course, heard the ghost stories. So he knew that an encounter with the Gray Man was both a blessing and a curse. If he didn’t make it back to shore now, then he and his small fishing boat could very well be facing dire circumstances out in open water.
Fortunately, thanks to the Gray Man’s warning, this fisherman made it safely back to shore. And not a moment too soon, because within a matter of hours, a severe thunderstorm was wreaking havoc on Murrells Inlet.
So I’ll be the first to admit that these encounter stories, while intriguing do lack a sense of credibility. After all, this haunt did begin as a local legend. It was all talk backed by little to no evidence. Well, that is until very, very recently.
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It was 2018 when Hurricane Florence rocked the Outer Banks and the surrounding area. As you can imagine, this Category 4 storm had been a devastating catastrophe—causing over 24 billion dollars in damages as well as claiming 54 lives.
Of course, the locals of Kill Devil Hills were prepared for the worst. Many evacuated inland, expecting for their quaint little seaside town to be obliterated by the rising tides and ferocious winds.
The mini golf course, the local fun park, and even the beloved Avalon fishing pier. None of them would be safe against this unforgiving supercell. And yet, upon their return, the locals found that the town had survived relatively unscathed.
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You can call it what you want. Divine intervention, sheer dumb luck, maybe even a bit of paranormal activity. But regardless of what it was the pier stood firm–and I don’t think it was a coincidence that the Gray Man had been spotted on that night in September of 2018.
You see, in the hours before the storm made landfall, Avalon pier CCTV cameras caught something making its way along the pier. If you weren’t looking closely, it would probably be mistaken as a fine sea mist coming off the rising water. But upon further investigation, it’s obvious that this mist was something different. It was gray and almost humanoid in stature.
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Don’t worry, I’ll have the video linked in the show notes in case you want to check it out. Oh and be sure to keep a close eye on timestamp 0:16, I think you’ll be surprised by what you see.
I know, this is all likely a bit hard to wrap your head around. I mean, the gray man of Pawley’s island sure does have all the hallmarks of a great piece of folklore. Romance, tragedy, more than a bit of superstition. And with all that you have to admit this story does seem a bit out there.
Of course, Pawleys Island locals will probably tell you otherwise. Pointing to centuries of encounters and meteorological data, they’ll tell you that the gray man most certainly exists—acting as a watchman over their beloved island.
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Armed with the evidence I’ve presented throughout this episode, I’m sure the believers out there don’t need much more convincing. But to those who are a bit more skeptical, I’d like to leave you with this friendly reminder.
Should you find yourself in the furthest reaches of the low country, surrounded by salt-filled air and water-drenched clouds overheard, do me a favor and keep your eyes on the horizon, because you might just see a gray figure standing off in the distance. Fat chance, I know, so take or leave his warning as you see fit. But just keep in mind that this spirit is only trying to help.
Sources
https://www.grandpalmsresortmb.com/amp/the-grey-man-legendary-ghost-of-pawleys-island
https://sc.edu/uofsc/posts/2022/10/1822_hurricane_gray_man.php
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pawleys_Island,_South_Carolina
https://www.grandpalmsresortmb.com/amp/the-grey-man-legendary-ghost-of-pawleys-island
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tGwwOTlcr3s
https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2018/10/31/gray-man-ghost-caught-on-camera-at-avalon-pier/