Tybee Island is the eastern-most island in Georgia's barrier island chain. The island consists of a sandy beach on its eastern shore, and a tidal salt marsh on its western shore. The Savannah River empties into the Atlantic Ocean to the north, which made the island an important strategic location in history. Originally occupied by the Euchee tribe, Tybee Island served as Spain's northern-most settlement in North America for a brief period, a haven for pirates, English settlement, and grounds for Union siege batteries against nearby Fort Pulaski during the American Civil War.
My visit to Tybee Island coincided with a series of thunderstorms and almost non-stop rain, resulting in a more limited itinerary. However, the dark rain clouds and drizzle against the backdrop of the the Atlantic Ocean and salt-marshes created a unique atmosphere, making my visit enjoyable. Approaching the Tybee Island from the west, the main highway cuts through the expansive salt-marshes.
The small ocean-front town of Tybee has a small cluster of shops, restaurants, and bars along 16th Street and Strand Avenue. I stopped at
Fannies on the Beach, a small restaurant on Strand Avenue, and ate the best margarita pizza I have had yet. The chips and salsa tasted homemade; the chips were flaky, and fried to a golden brown. During my visit, I also noticed the consistent references to pirates, including pirate statues, and Jolly Rodger flags, including one flying above the town center. Perhaps such displays are a subtle reference to Tybee Island's history as a pirate haven?
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Salt marshes surround Tybee Island's western shore.
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| Shrimp trawlers docked along Tybee Island's western shore. |
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| I stopped on a road along the salt-marsh to get pictures of shrimp trawlers. I noticed a group of feral cats watching me intently from under some palm trees. As it turns out, they were waiting for a gentlemen who comes along every few days and feeds them. I happened to stop a few moments before their feeding ritual. |
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| Between the road and salt-marshes, I noticed the ground appeared to move. After a closer look, it was hundreds of little craps scurrying under palm trees to hide. |
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| 16th Street toward the beach and Atlantic Ocean. Unlike many other ocean-front developments, Tybee maintains a small-scale, relaxed atmosphere. |
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| The beach along Tybee Island's eastern shore. |
Week Two: Hilton Head Island and Pinckney Island National Wildlife Preserve
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