Mount Pleasant Magazine Sept/Oct 2021

30 www.MountPl easantPodcas t . com | www. ReadMPM. com | www. I LoveMountPl easant . com BY J ENNY HARR I SON Stranger on the Beach OneVacationer Encounters a Famous Sullivan’s Island Specter A s one of the most historic spots in the United States, East Cooper is known for its Southern hospitality and charm, and it’s also notorious for ghostly inhabitants who came but never left and allegedly take up residence amongst the living. Lowcountry tourists and locals alike line up for historical haunted tours in search of a good ghostly tale, oftentimes with the hopes to encounter the spirits stuck somewhere between our world and the afterlife. Eric Lavender, owner of Charleston Pirate Tours, is an avid researcher and native South Carolinian, and his expertise in ghoulish legends extends well beyond piracy to include all of the specters of the Lowcountry. That includes a haunting East of the Cooper river that Eric refers to as “Stranger on the Beach,” a thrilling tale for locals, literature buffs and anyone who enjoys the retelling of a paranormal encounter. This is the story of a former soldier once stationed at Fort Moultrie, whose strong connection to the Lowcountry may be the reason his spirit still visits. Edgar Al l en Poe.