A Child’s Recollection

Children sometimes have imaginary friends that turn out to be ghosts. Other posts that talk about this phenomenon are located here and here.

The following 1^st person account is unique because this little girl, Sandra knew her “friends” were ghosts.

When I was six years old my parents and I lived in an older house in southern California. My bedroom was in the home’s attic.

This room had other inhabitants besides me.

I remember three figures that would float about the room. They were children like myself but taller so I believed they were older than me.

I enjoyed their company, they visited me at night, but sometimes I refused to play with them wanting to sleep instead.

At first I felt they were just other children but it slowly dawned on me that they were ghosts. I think this occurred to me because their facial features were unclear—it was like they had veils over their heads.

I now know my belief that these night visitors were the spirits of children—was correct.

They liked to play in front of my mirror but I don’t remember ever seeing their reflections.

They also liked my rocking chair and we spent hours playing with my dolls and stuffed animals. I particularly liked it when we pretended to have tea parties.

One night as they awakened me, I became irritated because I just wanted to sleep. I told them to go away.

But their voices persisted. They urged me to get up. I remember one stated, “Get up, you must get up and look down the stairs.”

As I stumbled out of bed reluctantly the floor beneath my feet began to shake. I realized the whole house was shaking. It was an earthquake.

As I stood frozen in fear one spirit ordered, “Go to the doorway, you will be safe.”

I went to the doorframe, crouching down low.

When this shaking subsided they told me to lie on my belly and slide down the stairs. When I reached my parent’s bedroom we were able to escape the house unscathed.

Sandra * is grateful for these spirits presence when she was child. She feels they saved her from injury or even death.

*  Name has been changed at request of storyteller.

Hurricane’s Grey Man, Part ll

So is the Grey Man just a whimsical legend? Does he actually appear to warn of impending hurricanes?

The residents of Pawley’s Island off the coast of South Carolina would firmly state he does exist. Shortly before each hurricane that has hit this island, in the last 200 years, at least one resident has seen this harbinger ghost.

Here are just a few of these eyewitness accounts.

In anticipation of an impending hurricane, one tenet farmer was herding animals when he encountered the Grey Ghost in October of 1893.

He spoke to the figure not realizing he was a ghost. “Hey mister you better follow me off the island, there is a storm brewing tonight.” When he received no response he continued, “I say follow me off the island there’s going to be a storm tonight.”

When he still received no reply he shouted at the man, “Are you crazy man, do what you want.”

When the next day’s hurricane blew right past his home and the plantation owners’ home without touching them, he realized that it was the Grey Man he had spoken to.

Genevieve Peterkin, a long-time resident of Georgetown County, states those who see the Grey Man before a hurricane are protected as well as their property.

She has heard many stories over the years. She states they are always reported in the local newspaper. Her favorite story happened in 1954.

A neighbor of hers in Georgetown owned a summer home on Pawley’s Island. He saw the Grey Ghost just before Hurricane Hazel blew in.

Pawley Island beach.

His home was so protected, that beach towels left hanging on his porch railing, were still there after the storm. Most of the properties around his were completely destroyed.

Peterkin states, she would not have believed this if she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes. She feels people who see the Grey Man are truly blessed.

At midnight on September 22, 1989, Hurricane Hugo after laying waste to the Caribbean slammed into the coast of South Carolina.

Its winds hit speeds of 135 mph. Thousands were forced to flee their homes. In South Carolina alone there was over 5 Billion dollars in damage.

Over 9,000 homes were destroyed. Practically every structure on Pawley’s Island was demolished.

Jim Moore, a resident of the island recounts that Pawley looked like a giant dump pile. Chairs, coaches and iceboxes were piled up in the middle of roads.

Even though Moore’s entire neighborhood was destroyed his home was virtually untouched. His wife Clara, “was happy to find everything just as she had left it.”

Several weeks after Hugo hit, residents of the island started to wonder what had happened to the Grey Man.

Jim and Clara read a headline in their local paper announcing, "The Grey Man Failed To Appear.”

This jarred their memory. Two days before Hugo struck, the couple had a strange encounter.

The Moore’s habit was to take a walk along the beach every afternoon. During their walk two days before Hugo struck, they only saw one other person on the beach.

Jim waved and then greeted this stranger but as he did so this man who had been walking toward them just vanished.

Clara taken aback questioned Jim. “Where did he go?” At the time Jim had no response. He could not explain the fact that the man was there one minute and then the next he was gone.

After reading the headline it dawned on the Moore’s why their home had been spared--the man who had disappeared right in front of them was the Grey Man.

Here is an article by the Coastal Observer, a newspaper on the island, about the Grey Man.

In Part l of Hurricane’s Grey Man, one story about the origin of the Grey Man is shared.

Hurricane’s Grey Man, Part l

In another post, The Grey Man of Cape Hatteras the story of this unique ghostly harbinger is shared. This ghost when he appears is taken as a warning that a hurricane is about to hit the coast of North Carolina.

Pawley Island

There are even more stories told about this helpful ghost in South Carolina. Just like their neighbors to the north the residents of Pawley Island in Georgetown County believe this ghost appears before every hurricane that hits their coastline.

Residents of this island right off the coast of South Carolina--state when the Grey Man is seen-- he warns these witnesses to leave the island immediately. The ones who have heeded his advice not only survive their homes survive as well.

So just like the residents of North Carolina people in South Carolina are grateful when the Grey Man appears.

Residents of Georgetown County tell a romantic story of how the Grey Man came to be.

In the late summer of 1822, a young wealthy plantation owner, named James was galloping his horse along the beach with his manservant. James was impatient to arrive at his destination, which was the plantation his fiancé Rachel lived on.

They were to be married in two days. In his emotional haste, James became careless. He fell from his horse head first into a marsh near the beach.

His manservant leapt from his horse to help but he was too late, James was dead.

Later that day, Rachel’s father had the sad task of telling her that James was gone. According to this legend Rachel started to wander the shoreline alone.

One afternoon she spotted a shadowy figure standing in the sand in front of her. She recognized James and started to run toward him but as she drew near he faded away.

That night Rachel had a vivid dream. She heard James’ voice whisper an urgent warning, “Flee the island, the wind is coming.”

She told her parents about this encounter the next morning. She and her family left the island just before a hurricane slammed Pawley’s Island. Rachel and her family not only survived but their plantation was spared as well.

Pawley Island residents believe the Grey Man lingers because he is looking for his lost love.

This story of the Grey Man’s original appearance is not unique, for many witnesses in the future would tell a similar tale.

For this ghost has appeared before every hurricane that has hit the island for over 200 years. The local Pawley Island newspaper always covers who saw the Grey Man before each storm.

In Part ll Hurricane's Grey Man several eyewitness accounts about this phenomenon are shared.

The Grey Man of Cape Hatteras

Hurricane Floyd

North Carolina is fourth on the list of states in the U.S. that are hit by category 4 hurricanes. 

Located in the Outer Banks, Cape Hatteras is an area that still has natural, unspoiled beauty--it has a pristine beach that is 70 miles long. But it is also a point where two major Atlantic currents collide. 

So when hurricanes hit Cape Hatteras, it is always the most vulnerable spot in the Carolinas. This island has experienced many bad storms. 

Hurricane Hazel in 1954, and Hurricane Floyd in 1999, both category 4 hurricanes, took over one thousand lives and their floods caused billions of dollars in property damage in the Cape Hatteras area.

Other victims of the violent storms that hit the Carolinas are ships. One such vessel, the Sea Venture was traveling to Jamestown when a violent storm hit off the Carolina coastline. 

This ship was tossed around for days by this storm’s violent wind. Waves almost tipped the vessel completely over. When the crew finally reached port, their ship was so damaged it took many months to repair. 

Once the Sea Venture returned home to England the story of this violent storm inspired William Shakespeare to write his play, The Tempest.

After this, the Spanish and the locals in the Caribbean called the storm that hit the Sea Venture a hurican--their word for their god. This word then was used to describe these violent storms--hurricanes. 

Hurricanes have caused many a ship to sink off the Outer Banks. * One such shipwreck that occurred off Cape Hatteras is believed to be the cause for the following ghost sighting.

Despite the tragedies that resulted from Hazel and Floyd, many locals on the island believe that even more residents would have died if they didn’t have one fascinating phenomenon. ** 

The Grey Man of Cape Hatteras, as he is known, is a ghost that appears just as the first winds of a strong storm touch the island. His spirit has appeared just before every bad hurricane that has hit the island for over a century. So this ghost is a harbinger.

Unlike many local legends when the Grey Man appears, tourists and residents of Hatteras take note--for when he is seen people do not take his warnings lightly. 

His appearances have always been accurate, so people heed them and immediately leave the island. In fact, his appearances are so appreciated that many islanders consider him more as a beloved resident than a ghost.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Built-in 1870
Tallest in North America

The Grey Man ghost is always seen walking along the beach near the Cape Hatteras lighthouse. His appearances began in the early 1900s, and he has been seen ever since just before violent storms. 

He is described as appearing out of nowhere, and then he just fades away amidst the rain and wind. 

Witnesses who have tried to approach this figure state that by the time they reached where he stood, he is no longer there. Because of this, no one has ever been able to speak to him.

Most who have seen this ghost state afterward, that they were not afraid. In fact, several knowing his story felt appreciation for his “mission to save lives,” and then have packed up and left the island quickly. 

It is believed that the Grey Man was once a sailor, by the name of Grey, who lived at Cape Point. The ship that he sailed upon was lost in a violent hurricane off Hatteras. 

It is said that he drowned in this storm. This is why it is believed he warns people of impending storms--he does not want others to suffer his fate.

* So many ships have sunk in this area that one tourist attraction off Cape Hatteras is to go on “Shipwreck Scuba Explorations.”

** Of course, today there are modern warnings that alert people to the fact a hurricane is coming--but it is stated the Grey Man still appears, and warns people of impending danger.

Do Ghosts Warn of Impending Danger?

There are many stories that reflect the fact that some ghosts take on the role of Guardian Angels. They return with a specific purpose, which is to protect someone they love. 

The following personal account is one of my favorite ghost stories where this is the case. It happened during the Second World War on an American Navel ship.

A young sailor by the name of Victor was serving on a freighter that was traveling with a convoy headed toward Italy when it broke down. Under time restraints, the rest of the ships continued on their way leaving the smaller freighter to make the necessary repairs and then catch up. 

In 1942 if you were “dead in the water” it meant you were in additional danger.

The Atlantic Ocean was crawling with Nazi submarines that lay unseen in wait in hopes of attacking enemy ships. On the third day, the ship still not repaired, the crew became even more nervous. Their ships only defense was a few guns on deck. They knew this was not a defense against under water torpedoes.

In the late afternoon on this day, Victor tense like the rest of the crew and finding he had time between shifts went below to his bunk to get some rest. 

Later, he was awakened by the sensation of something warm touching his shoulder. It almost felt like a hand. Something about it was familiar but Victor annoyed and wanting to sleep ignored it. But when he felt this touch again it was more persistent. When he opened his eyes he saw his mother standing near his bunk.

She touched his shoulder firmly. Now wide-awake and astonished Victor saw her smile and heard her say in her normal gentle tone, “Vic, honey you had better get up now. Its time to get up.” Before he could respond his mother’s form just vanished.

Frozen to his bunk he thought he must have been dreaming. For during his childhood this is the way his mother always nudged him when she wanted him to get up and get ready for school. 

His mind clearing he remembered where he was and that his mother had passed away eight years before. A feeling of unease overwhelmed him. He quickly dressed and left his quarters.

Realizing he had an hour before his next watch he headed to the engine room seeking company. He knew one of his friends was working on the repairs. 

Just as he entered this room a deafening explosion shook the entire freighter knocking him off his feet. His friend lay on his back nearby. The ship, an easy target had been hit by a Nazi torpedo.

Within minutes the entire crew crowded into lifeboats. Fortunately, there were no casualties. Vic looked back at the freighter as he helped row the boat he was in. 

He now understood that he would have been dead if his mother had not appeared. For there was a massive hole in the ship’s starboard side and directly above this amidst the tangled wreckage is where he had been sleeping. His mother had managed to wake him up just in time. 

Famous Ghosts of New Mexico: La Llorona

La Llorona (pronounced “LAH  yoh ROH  nah”) means Weeping Women in Spanish. This story is well known in the state were I live. 

Several versions of this story are retold; the most common version tells of a peasant woman who is jilted by her lover, in an act of revenge she kills their children. 

She throws them into the river, immediately regrets her decision, at which point she goes downstream to save them but they drown. She then is doomed to mourn them forever.

Throughout New Mexico her ghost is heard weeping or wailing for her children—of course this phenomena is most often heard near water.

How La Llorona is described depends upon what part of New Mexico you find yourself in. For instance, she is a woman all in white or a woman all in black. She is often described as beautiful, tall with long flowing black hair. But she always weeps. 

Within the Hispanic culture this story has been passed down from generation to generation since the Spanish Conquistadors were in the area.

This story is used sometimes as a vehicle to warn children away from dangers. Just like the quintessential Bogie Man she is used to remind children they best behave. I experienced this firsthand as a new teacher.

My young students related to me one morning what they knew about La Llorona. Naively, I mentioned that I did not believe in her. At which juncture my students stood and surrounded me, they became quite insistent that I must believe. They wanted to make sure I knew this and protected myself from her wrath. 

I remember this incident fondly—they cared about me and they wanted to make sure I was safe.

So the story of La Llorona is sometimes viewed like a traditional fable.