South Carolina

SOUTH CAROLINA

RESIDENTS NEAR A QUIET STRETCH OF THE ACE BASIN HAVE BEEN TRADING THE SAME STORY FOR DECADES ABOUT A PARTIALLY SUBMERGED SHRIMP BOAT THAT KEEPS REAPPEARING AFTER MAJOR STORMS. THE WOODEN HULL SITS IN SHALLOW WATER JUST OFF A MARSHY POINT AND HAS BEEN VISIBLE ON AND OFF SINCE AT LEAST THE LATE 1960S. LOCALS SAY THE BOAT WAS ABANDONED AFTER A STORM AND NEVER FULLY REMOVED. OVER THE YEARS THE TIDES HAVE BURIED AND UNCOVERED IT SO MANY TIMES THAT SOME RESIDENTS TREAT ITS REAPPEARANCE AS A KIND OF UNOFFICIAL WEATHER MARKER.

PHOTOGRAPHS FROM DIFFERENT DECADES SHOW THE SAME BASIC OUTLINE OF THE HULL THOUGH THE WOOD HAS GROWN DARKER AND MORE BROKEN. A FEW LONGTIME FISHERMEN CLAIM THEY HAVE TIED UP TO IT IN CLEAR WATER ONLY TO FIND IT COMPLETELY GONE THE NEXT SEASON. COUNTY RECORDS SHOW NO FORMAL SALVAGE EFFORT AND THE SITE IS NOT MARKED AS A HAZARD BECAUSE IT RARELY SITS HIGH ENOUGH TO THREATEN BOATS.

A LOCAL HISTORIAN WHO HAS COLLECTED THE ACCOUNTS SAID THE STORY FITS A PATTERN OF ABANDONED WORKING BOATS ALONG THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST THAT BECOME UNOFFICIAL LANDMARKS. THE DETAILS STAY CONSISTENT ACROSS GENERATIONS EVEN AS THE BOAT ITSELF CONTINUES TO SHIFT WITH THE MARSH.

PEOPLE WHO GREW UP IN THE AREA STILL POINT IT OUT TO VISITORS WHEN THE TIDES ARE LOW. MOST HAVE AT LEAST ONE MEMORY OF SEEING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME AS A CHILD.