On Sept. 21, 1989, Hurricane Hugo slammed onto the shores of coastal Carolina. When the eye passed over Shem Creek, the water kept rising until it covered 8 feet of shoreline.
Encroaching winds ripped a derelict North Atlantic-style trawler called the Richard & Charlene from its mooring at the Wando Dock and hurled it across a neighboring dock and into an icehouse. Its deck planking folded like an accordion. Once the terror passed, receding waters revealed that the trawler had impaled its massive bulk on the bare pilings. For the next nine months the ruined ship remained stuck, washed over twice a day by the high tides. Finally, salvagers removed the vessel, which was never to sail again.
It is in memory of this indelible event that the existing restaurant on the same site was named The Wreck of the Richard & Charlene. After 36 years of operation, the iconic Wreck has become as much of a legend as the ruined ship for which it is named.
Named the “Most Beloved Seafood Restaurant” in South Carolina by Finance Buzz in March 2025, the seafood shack is renowned for its fried shrimp, bone-in fried flounder, scallops, oysters, deviled crab, grouper, mahi-mahi or fresh catch of the day, which are served as platters with red rice, coleslaw, hush puppies and fried hominy squares, combos with the same sides or a la carte.
According to co-owner Allison Cagle, “The Wreck uses fresh seafood daily. Either local shrimpers bring their catch to us or we go to them. We fill up an igloo cooler and use everything we have until it sells out. Then we start over the next day.”
Cagle, along with her husband Hank Cagle and sister Ann Warner, bought the Wreck in 2017 when the restaurant’s founder, Mr. Scott, retired. “The Wreck is a family business,” she explained. “I’m the office manager and Ann runs the front of the house. Our kids came up in the food and beverage industry and our nieces and nephews in their 20s and 30s still help out when we need an extra pair of hands.”
Behind the scenes, the Wreck’s busy kitchen is a well-oiled machine. Cagle said that’s because, “As my sister Ann and I have been restaurateurs for over half of our lives, we’ve learned to embrace the KISS strategy, which stands for ‘Keep it simple, stupid.’ That means we don’t need to fix our systems that are already working successfully. We stick with the same basics that have worked ever since Mr. Scott founded the restaurant. For example, we flash-fry the shrimp, which takes about a minute and a half. The flounder takes four minutes. We use peanut oil for everything because it’s the lightest fry. And because our kitchen design isn’t laid out for anything beyond what we offer on the existing menu, it’s not necessary for us to extend other options. Although we did add chicken fingers for kids so that we could cover all the bases. That’s worked out pretty well.”
Cagle added, “We love to see the shrimpers in Shem Creek succeed. Because of rising insurance and other costs of doing business, along with competing against cheaper farm-raised shrimp, it’s become difficult for neighboring shrimpers to keep their businesses afloat in recent years. That’s why we buy local. Our product speaks for itself and you can taste the difference.”
With picturesque sunset views over Shem Creek, the Wreck’s bar out back offers a selection of bottled domestic, micro imported or craft canned beer; white, rosé or red wine; cider; and nonalcoholic beverages for guests to enjoy while waiting for a table.
Although the Wreck doesn’t take reservations, the average 30-minute wait this time of year is worth it, according to Cagle. “We can seat 72 guests inside. Because it’s not a huge dining space, the lines do get longer by mid-to-late summer,” she said.
The Wreck is closed on Monday and is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday from 5-8:30 pm. Those just reflect seating times, Cagle said, as during the summer the kitchen is still cooking sometimes until 10:30 p.m.
To learn more about the Wreck, visit wreckrc.com.
By Sarah Rose
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