On November 13, 1980, 21-year-old Harold Jeffrey Mays (listed as Harold ’Jeffrey’ Mays in some accounts) and 22-year-old Ted Wall left Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, aboard Mays’ 23-foot Sea Ox for a daytime fishing trip. They were last seen about 1:30 p.m., roughly 16 miles offshore. Earlier that day another fisherman reportedly helped them with an engine problem involving the freeze plug.

As evening fell and neither man returned, a large search and rescue effort began at about 9:00 p.m., coordinated by the U.S. Coast Guard and involving aircraft and surface units from the Navy, Marines, and Air Force. Over two weeks the search covered an estimated 104,000 to 211,000 square miles of the Atlantic, but no trace of the men, their boat, or any debris was ever found. Authorities noted the absence of wreckage or personal items was unusual given the Sea Ox’s foam flotation and reputation for seaworthiness.

Investigators considered a boating accident but the lack of physical evidence left the case unresolved and opened other lines of speculation, including possible foul play or involvement with drugs, a theory mentioned by family and the community. Mays’ mother, Shirley Mays, later wrote a book about his disappearance seeking answers.

If anyone knew Harold or Ted, or was on the water off Cape Hatteras that November day, can you share what you remember?