Tybee Island

Sunday, October 24

We didn't get up all that early today.  We have had to put our room darkening curtain up on one side as there is a campground light right outside our rig!  I would blame it on Bill but the campground picked this spot.  I got up and fixed pancakes for breakfast today.  I figured we wouldn't have lunch during our travels but might have an early dinner.  After cleaning up we headed out to Tybee (Tie-Bee) Island.  To get there you have to travel through part of Savanna.  There is no other way there. 

Our first stop was the Tybee Island Lighthouse.  We did not take the tour as there are about 178 steps to the top.  They also have the lightkeepers house and other support buildings. 

We walked across the road and out to the beach to sit and enjoy the scenery.  One thing about Tybee Island, there are very few places you can park without have to pay for the priviledge! 

As with all the beach towns we have visited on the East Coast, there are many houses that are built right up to the beach.  No wonder hurricanes do so much damage here!

We drove around town a bit but didn't find anything else we were interested in visiting, especially if we had to pay to park.  I know a number of places allow handicapped people to park free but even those spots had "Pay to Park" signs on them. 

We decided to head back to the campground but first stopped at Fort Pulaski.  This is a National Park Monument so our passes let us in free.  The construction on this fort started in 1829 after President James Madison ordered coastal fortifications after the War of 1812.  It took $1 million, 25 million bricks and 18 years to finish. 

Before Georgia seceded from the Union the Governor ordered state militia to seize the fort.  After Georgia seceded the fort was transferred to the Confederate States of America.  In February 1862 the Union had taken Tybee Island and ordered the soldiers at Fort Pulaski to surrender.  They did not so a bombardment started and by the end of the next day they did surrender.  This fort was suppose to be unbreachable but the development of rifled artillery quickly changed that. 

Also on this island is the Cockspur Island Lighthouse.  You can access this lighthouse only when the tide is out and if you take a .75 mile hike.  Here is a picture taken with my telephoto lens. 

Once we did make it back to the rig we had a light lunch of BLT sandwiches.  After that we collected our dirty laundry and headed into town and the Laundromat.  Fun, Fun.  When we finished I took a short nap and put my feet up as they were still sore.  Later in the evening I made pork chops, hashbrowns and zuchinni for dinner.  We plan on resting the remainder of the evening.  Here are all the pictures.