The East coast of the US generally has less surf. Sad, but true. Why? Because there is less swell and because the Eastern Continental Shelf juts out for miles off of the coast. The bottom of the Ocean is shallower for much longer on the East Coast, than on the West Coast, so waves break way off shore, unless there is a big swell or a hurricane.
One of those places happens to be Savannah/ Tybee Island, Georgia. Nestled in some places sixty miles in from the shelf, waves tend to break way off shore in Savannah. However, with a good hurricane or NorEaster swell and an incoming tide, Tybee Island can get some pretty nice waves. So you can be prepared for the next storm, Brand Ambassador and Savannah-Tybee local Jaylen (@jaylenkate) gave us the info on Tybee Island. When there are waves, she promises it’s worth the wait!
Hello! My name is Jaylen and I am a native Michigander that moved south to Savannah, GA three years ago. I started surfing five years ago on my first trip to Costa Rica with my husband, a Savannah local and avid surfer. I fell in love with the lifestyle, warm waters of Savannah and Costa Rica, and have not looked back. I was a college tennis player and currently teach tennis at a club in Savannah, as well as represent the Southeast for Venus Williams’ tennis line, Eleven by Venus. My husband and I spend our weekends on Tybee Island at our family beach house, surfing when there are waves, or SUPing the back river.
Surf Guide: Tybee Island, Georgia
Where to surf:
Tybee Island, or Savannah Beach, GA is located 18 miles East of downtown Savannah, GA. Tybee is a three mile long North to South island that has two main surf breaks, The Pier and North Beach. The pier is a right and left sandy bottom beach break, while North Beach is is a right break off the North jetty.
While the pier can be crowded with swimmers during summer months, the North Beach is less crowded and has incredible views of incoming container ships coming through the shipping channel into the Savannah River. Waves can range from 1 foot to head high during low pressure systems and hurricane season (late fall). Water is warm all summer, but beware of the Jellyfish through the month of August.
Best Tide: Incoming Mid-tide
Best Wind: Offshore, out of the West
Access: Easy, pay to park public lots
Best Swell: Southeast, East, Northeast
Ability: Beginner to Advanced
Best Season: HURRICANE! Mid summer through winter
Water Temp: 50 degrees F in the winter to mid 80s in the summer (MI OLA weather!)
Crowd Factor: High on summer weekends. Moderate during the week. Very low from October through March.
Other activities:
If the waves are flat, try renting a SUP or Kayak and exploring the Back River (i.e. Tybee Creek). This inland waterway runs through miles of low country Savannah and has no shortage of dolphin and ocean life sitings.
How to get there/where to stay:
18 miles East of Savannah, it is a quick drive from downtown on US 80E, or a 40 minutes ride from the Savannah / Hilton Head Airport. Savannah is four hours Southeast of Atlanta, GA.
Apres Surf:
If you are in the water in the morning, you’ve got to go to The Breakfast Club. Expect long lines on the weekends from 9AM-on. For a typical southern fried seafood dinner, check out AJ’s Dockside on the back river. For a laid back surf vibe, don’t miss Social on the main drag of Butler Ave. For the best food on the Island, have dinner at Sundae Cafe, located on 80E, next to the Chu’s gas station.
We’ve been covering the science of surfing in the past few months, so click here to learn more about swell, how waves are formed, how wind affects waves or what makes a wave a left or a right. We also have super handy surf guides from all around the world, written by our local ambassadors, so if you are headed on a surf trip be sure to check them out!