Outside of Savannah, Georgia is a small windswept island that has seen its fair share of the country’s history. Tybee Island is roughly twenty miles east of Savannah and has been through it all ranging from fighting in two major conflicts to a missing nuclear bomb. Being a history nerd, I decided to jump on my Triumph Tiger 900 and take a day trip down the coast from Charleston to check out the sights and sounds of this small island and see what it had to offer. I rode down US Highway 17 from Charleston which takes you through the scenic marshes and rivers of the Low Country. I cut through downtown Savannah and then essentially followed US Highway 80 and the signs for Tybee Island. This day trip was unique because I didn’t really plan anything, I just jumped on bike and started riding.
My first stop on my adventure was Fort Pulaski National Monument on Cockspur Island. This masonry fort for was one of many that protected the vital Confederate port of Savannah during the American Civil War. It was also the site of an engagement where the first rifled artillery would be used in combat. On April 10th, 1862 the Union Army besieged the fort and unleashed a savage bombardment on it. After 30 hours the walls in one area of the fort had been breached and the Confederate forces surrendered. The new rifled artillery that the Union Army had used was something the Confederates had no answer for. Once the Union forces took control of the fort they rapidly repaired it and all shipping in and out of Savannah had ceased.
After a tour of Fort Pulaski, I jumped back on the Tiger and crossed over to Tybee Island. This island is what you would expect for touristy beach town. The wind-swept beaches are beautiful and the main road onto the island is lined with all sorts of hotels, cottages, and beach houses. I wasn’t to terribly hungry, so I didn’t really seek out any local places to eat. I did however, checkout the Tybee Island Lighthouse. The light house had been replaced several times since 1736 due to storms and erosion with the current tower being built in 1871. There is a small museum inside the old lighthouse keeper’s cottage and if you’re brave you can even climb to the top and get a breath-taking view of the island and Atlantic Ocean.
Now in my opening I briefly mentioned a nuclear bomb that was missing in the waters off Tybee Island. Well, that story is actually true and on February 5th, 1958 a B-47 bomber from the U.S. Air Force was conducting an exercise with another aircraft when they had a mid-air collision. The B-47 bomber was still flyable and after receiving permission from Air Force leadership they jettisoned the nuclear bomb right off the island. The bomb did not explode, and the Air Force launched a massive recovery mission that yielded nothing. Several other search attempts have been launched but to this day the nuclear bomb has never been found and can be a little unnerving.
After a couple hours of riding around and exploring Tybee Island I decided that it was time to head back north to Charleston. The trip takes a little over two hours and is a perfect day trip from the Charleston area on two wheels as well as four. The city of Savannah is on the way and is a great place to stop and can be a nice trip on its own.
Stryker ADV 