What could be the scariest part of a dock horror story?

The scariest part could be the unknown lurking beneath the water. You can't see what's there, but you can feel a menacing presence. Just like in many dock horror stories where something grabs the victim from the water without warning.

For me, it's the isolation of the dock. It's often in a remote area, far from help. So when something terrifying happens, like a ghostly figure appearing, there's no one around to save you. You're completely alone with the horror, which makes it even more frightening. In a lot of stories, the characters realize this and it adds to their panic. For example, when the teens were at the abandoned dock and there was no one to call for help when they encountered the strange woman.

The suddenness of the horror. One moment it's a normal dock, quiet and peaceful. Then all of a sudden, there's a strange noise, a cold touch, or a terrifying apparition. There's no time to prepare. In the story of the fisherman, he was just tying up his boat when the cold hand grabbed him. That unexpectedness is what makes it truly scary.