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Coming face to face with a ghost can have its benefits. Especially along the South Carolina coast. With the ominous hurricane season upon us, it is no wonder that South Carolinians become nervous when the names Hugo, Hazel, Gracie, and Fran are mentioned. Storms such as these have ravaged the coastal areas of the Carolinas for centuries leaving a wake of destruction in their paths.

Modern technology such as weather satellites have provided weather forecasters with the tools needed to predict the intensity and path of these storms. But there is also a storm warning of the supernatural kind haunting the beaches of South Carolina. As legend has it, prior to devastating storms such as hurricane Hugo, a mysterious figure known as the Gray Man appears on the beach warning of the impending disaster. Those who heed his warnings are spared their homes or even more importantly their lives. Throughout the years, there have been numerous sightings of the Gray Man along the South Carolina coast before every major storm. Locals have talked about this phenomenon for over two centuries and the Gray Man has become known as something of a friendly, life-saving ghost.

Who is the Gray Man and where did he come from? The story of the Gray Man has its roots in the coastal community of Pawleys Island where many of the sightings have occurred. According to local legend, in 1822 a young lad eagerly returning home on horseback from a trip to Europe unsuspectingly encounters a patch of quicksand and quickly sinks to his death. As an unknown storm brews off the coast, his fiance wanders the beach in sorrow when she encounters the ghost of her lover. He attempts to warn her of the approaching hurricane and disappears without a trace. The young lady is so disturbed by the vision of her dead lover that her father decides to move the family back to their inland home. The following day the hurricane strikes with fury but the familys home is spared.

For those who have witnessed the presence of the Gray Man, the ghostly apparition floating in mid-air with no discernable features must be a startling sight. But for those who have not had a spooky encounter with the Gray Man there is one place where tourists and locals are guaranteed to come face to face with this spector who haunts the South Carolina coast. Ghosts and Legends Theatre located in Barefoot Landing, a shopping, dining and entertainment complex in North Myrtle Beach, features a live action hurricane experience every half hour.

In a southern plantation parlor setting, the legendary story of the Gray Man comes to life, complete with slamming shutters, thrashing tree limbs, rain, wind and crashing glass. At the height of the raging storm, the Gray Man comes floating into the room amidst the chaos, to deliver his final message to guests in person (or rather, in spirit!) Although the storm and apparition are all clever simulations, its a haunting encounter not soon forgotten.

John McGuire is the marketing manager for Ghosts and Legends Theatre located in Barefoot Landing, North Myrtle Beach, SC. Ghosts and Legends Theatre features three unique attractions including the Ghost Show, the Myrtle Beach Ghost Walk, and the Blackbeard Sance. Tickets for the Ghost Show featuring the Gray Man are only $8.95 for adults and $5.95 for children 12 and younger. The Ghost Show is performed every 30 minutes starting at 10:30 a.m. daily. The theatre can be reached at (843) 361-2700 for more information.