Captain Archie Neil ‘Poo’ McLauchlin, former owner of Captain Archie’s in North Myrtle Beach, died Wednesday at age 87.
Local and regional legend. A “larger than life” character. The Ernest Hemingway of South Carolina.
Those are a few words Billy Riggs, manager of Captain Archie’s in North Myrtle Beach, used to describe its former owner, Captain Archie Neil “Poo” McLauchlin, who died Wednesday at age 87.
“He was a pioneer in the boating and fishing communities,” Riggs said.
McLauchlin, born May 16, 1935, was a lifelong resident of North Myrtle Beach and was the first dockmaster of Palmetto Shores Marina, which would later open the Palmetto Yacht and Fishing Club. Known as Captain Poo, he took over the restaurant in 1981, which would later be renamed “Captain Archie’s” in 2017, under Riggs’ management.
Why was he called Captain Poo? According to the restaurant’s website, he was nicknamed “Poo” by his older sister when he was born at 13 pounds. The name refers to a 1930s cartoon character, “Poo the Giant”.
Poo graduated from Wampee High School in Little River. He then served in the United States Air Force as a security officer in Del Rio, Texas between 1954 and 1958. After serving the country, he returned home to pursue his boating career.
Poo was known for several things in North Myrtle Beach, but he is best known for his Captain Poo’s Mack Attack Tournament, a fishing tournament he hosted in the 1960s and 70s for king mackerel that will always stand out among locals. from North Myrtle Beach.
He remained involved in numerous marlin and king mackerel fishing tournaments until his death, according to Susan Watson, his niece.
“When he wasn’t fishing or delivering boats, he was spending time under the oak tree in Little River with many of the local captains,” Watson said.
Poo’s former fishing tournament crew, dubbing themselves ‘The Poo Crew,’ has asked the South Carolina legislature to renaming the Little River Swing Bridge in his honor in 2018. The swing bridge is now called the “Captain Archie Neil ‘Poo’ McLauchlin Swing Bridge”.
Besides boating and fishing, Captain Poo was instrumental in starting the Intracoastal Christmas Regatta, an annual Thanksgiving Maritime Parade held at Docks Holiday Marina. The event is organized by Yachts for Tots.
Poo was well known along the east coast in the boating community.
A memorial service will be held Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. at Captain Archie’s, located at 2200 Little River Neck Road.
This story was originally published October 28, 2022 4:13 p.m.
