NUFORC Sighting 42819

Occurred: 1979-08-22 21:00 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2005-03-08 18:38 Pacific
Duration: 40 Mins
No of observers: 4

Location: Lake Wateree (on), SC, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Lights on object, Emitted beams, Changed Colo

On a midweek night in late August 1979, I, my oldest son ((name deleted)), his friend who was home on leave from the Army and ((name deleted)), owner of ((name deleted)) Marina on Lake Wateree took a ride with Mr. ((name deleted)) on his speedboat down the lake.

It was almost dark as we turned off the lake into Beaver Creek. We immediately noticed a large red light blinking about 1/4 mile up the creek that looked similar to a radio tower light only we knew there was no radio tower at that location. Then we thought it might be a helicopter since it wasn't moving.

Mr ((name deleted)) cut the engine on the boat but there was no sound coming from that direction. As we sat there pondering what it might be, the light intensefied and started moving slowly at first coming our way. It then picked up speed and passed by us at tree top level about 150 feet away, the light turning from red to greenish white and was about the size of a school bus.

As the light moved out over the lake, it suddenly shot almost straight up at a tremendous speed turning solid white and looked like it went up into the stars. As we all sat there completely amazed, the light started moving back our way and when it got back over our location, it started moving in a "box" formation directly overhead.

We sat and watched this thing for several minutes. Mr. ((name deleted)) then fired up the engine and we started back up the lake to his marina which was about four miles away. When we had gotten about half-way up the lake, the soldier hollered: "The Damn thing is coming back at us". We all turned to look and it was coming down about a 45 degree angle and was growing in size.

Mr. ((name deleted)) shoved the throttle to the firewall and we were moving about 70 MPH when suddenly, on a very dark night, a beam or shaft of light suddenly hit our boat, turning night into day and lighting up the lake immensily. It scared the heck out of all of us.

Mr ((name deleted)) turned off the lake into the creek leading to his marina running flat out and there was a highway bridge that we had to pass under. As we approached the bridge, the light suddenly went out and he "shot" that bridge (which only had about a ten foot clearance)and barely missed the pilings.

When we got back to the dock, we all discussed what we had seen for several minutes and then decided that none of us would tell what we had seen since we thought no one would surely believe us. We only had one six-pack of beer between the four of us, so no one was drunk or even high for that matter.

We made a pact to say absolutely nothing about this incident for 20 years and as far as I know, not one of us broke that pact. I have no idea what we were looking at, where it came from or where it went There was absolutely no noise coming from this "thing".

NUFORC Note:

Witness indicates that date is approximate. PD

Posted 2005-04-16