5 Shocking Truths About The 'Submarine' Spotted Off Myrtle Beach: What You're Really Seeing

Every summer, the same viral photos and videos resurface: a dark, ominous shape lurking just off the beautiful shores of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, prompting widespread speculation that a military submarine has been spotted. As of December 17, 2025, the latest claims continue to circulate on social media, but the truth behind these mysterious sightings is far less classified and much more natural.

The reality is that the vast majority of these "submarine" sightings are a recurring natural phenomenon known as a "bait ball." While the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the Grand Strand is indeed a critical operating area for the U.S. Navy’s Atlantic Fleet, the object beachgoers see close to the shore is almost always a dense school of fish, a crucial part of the local marine ecosystem.

The Viral Sighting Debunked: What Beachgoers Really See

The dark, elongated shapes that trigger panic and viral posts are not the hulls of the U.S. Navy's nuclear-powered vessels. Instead, they are massive aggregations of small forage fish, commonly referred to as bait balls or menhaden schools.

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• The True Identity: These bait balls consist of thousands of small fish, such as whiting, croaker, and pinfish, grouping together as a defense mechanism against predators. The sheer density of the school, combined with the dark color of the fish, creates the illusion of a large, solid, black object when viewed from the beach or from the air.
• A Seasonal Phenomenon: Bait balls are a common sight along the South Carolina coast, particularly as the water temperatures warm up during the late summer and early fall months. This is when the schools move closer to the shore, making them visible to beachgoers.
• The Predator Factor: The appearance of a bait ball often signals a feeding frenzy, attracting larger predators like Brown Sharks, Blacktip Sharks, and Cobia. Lifeguards and local authorities are trained to look for these black spots, not because they are a threat from a foreign power, but because they are indicators of increased shark activity close to the swimming areas.

Officials, including the U.S. Coast Guard, have repeatedly confirmed that the viral photos and videos do not show a submarine, debunking the claims that frequently circulate on platforms like Facebook and YouTube.

The Atlantic Fleet's Silent Watch: Real Submarine Activity

While the sightings near the shore are misleading, it is an undeniable fact that the waters off the coast of South Carolina are a critical and active operating area for the United States Navy. The Atlantic Ocean is home to the Submarine Force Atlantic, which maintains a constant presence for national security and training purposes.

The Classes of Submarines in the Atlantic

Submarines operate far from the coastline, often hundreds of miles offshore, but they are a constant, silent presence. The U.S. Navy's submarine force consists entirely of nuclear-powered vessels, which include four primary operational classes:

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• Virginia-class (SSN): These are the newest and most technologically advanced fast attack submarines, designed for a wide range of missions, including intelligence gathering and special operations. The USS Massachusetts (SSN 798) is one of the latest to complete sea trials in the Atlantic.
• Los Angeles-class (SSN): A large fleet of fast attack submarines, many of which are still in active service across the Atlantic Fleet.
• Seawolf-class (SSN): A small, highly capable class of attack submarines known for their speed and stealth.
• Ohio-class (SSBN/SSGN): This class includes both ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs, carrying nuclear missiles) and guided missile submarines (SSGNs, carrying cruise missiles and special forces). These are the largest and most strategically vital vessels.

The waters of the Atlantic provide the necessary depth and isolation for these vessels to conduct their required training and patrols, making the South Carolina coast a peripheral but important point in their vast operational theater. The presence of surface naval ships, such as the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, has also been confirmed conducting certification training in the area, further adding to the occasional legitimate military sightings.

Beyond the Hype: A Century of Naval Presence Off the Grand Strand

The military significance of the waters off the Carolina coast is not new; it stretches back over a century, providing a historical context that fuels the modern-day curiosity about submarine sightings.

World War II: The Ghost of U-boats

The most dramatic historical submarine presence occurred during World War II. In the spring of 1942, German U-boats patrolled the American coastline in what became known as the "Second Happy Time" for the German Navy.

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The area off North Carolina's Outer Banks, known as Torpedo Junction, saw intense U-boat activity, with German submarines sinking numerous Allied merchant ships. While Myrtle Beach itself was not the epicenter, the entire South Carolina coast was part of the theater of operations, with German U-boats hunting ships in the region, bringing the war directly to American shores. The sinking of the U-boat U-352 off the coast is a permanent reminder of this history.

Current Training and Global Exercises

Today, the military activity is focused on joint training exercises. The Atlantic Fleet regularly participates in major multinational exercises like UNITAS 2025 and deployments like Southern Seas 2024, which involve ships and personnel operating across the East Coast and the wider Atlantic region.

These large-scale operations ensure the readiness of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. While the main vessels—including the nuclear submarines—remain far from the vacationing crowds, the sheer volume of military traffic and training exercises in the broader region ensures that the occasional sighting of a naval ship, or even a distant submarine periscope, is a legitimate, though rare, possibility. Ultimately, the "submarine" that goes viral on social media is a natural wonder, but the real, silent watch of the U.S. Submarine Force Atlantic continues to operate just beyond the horizon.