April 2017
Day 4 was another day away from the Savannah Historic District. We headed over to Tybee Island and burned off some of the shrimp and grits and pralines we'd been eating by climbing the Tybee Island Lighthouse. While we were up there, we got to watch a Coast Guard helicopter land below us which was cool. We also went into Fort Screven which is across from the lighthouse. We then drove over to Fort Pulaski National Historic Site. Once we got back into town, we headed over to The Pirates' House for dinner. Besides a good meal (yes, more shrimp & grits!), we also took a tour of the 264 year old restaurant. Of course, we then went to sit along the waterfront to watch the ships go by and battle the ever-present sand gnats.
Tybee Island, where road signs are sea turtles
The Tybee Island Lighthouse
The Tybee Island Lighthouse
Bell at Tybee Island Lighthouse
Looking out a window on our way to the top of the Tybee Island Lighthouse
The view from the top of the Tybee Island Lighthouse
The view from the top of the Tybee Island Lighthouse
Looking down on the grounds of the Tybee Island Light Station
Placards with historical information surround the old bell at Tybee Island Light Station
Container ships heading into Savannah pass just off the beach. This is the Maersk Stralsund.
Container ships heading into Savannah pass just off the beach. This is the Maersk Stralsund.
Fort Screven as seen from the top of the Tybee Island Lighthouse
Fort Screven as seen from the top of the Tybee Island Lighthouse
Police activity at the helipad below the Tybee Island Lighthouse means something is coming in for a landing.
Fort Screven as seen from the top of the Tybee Island Lighthouse
Container ships heading into Savannah pass just off the beach. This is the Colombo Express.
A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter approaches the Tybee Island Light Station
A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter approaches the Tybee Island Light Station
A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter approaches the Tybee Island Light Station
A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter lands at the Tybee Island Light Station
A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter lands at the Tybee Island Light Station
A Coast Guard rescue swmmer walks from the chopper that just landed
Coast Guard rescue swimmer gets a police officer suited up to board the chopper.
A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter takes off from the Tybee Island Light Station
A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter heads out to sea
A 1000 watt bulb inside the first order fresnel lense atop the Tybee Island Lighthouse
We climbed several hundred of these spiral stairs to the top of the lighthouse.
This oil tank is a throwback to the days before the Tybee Island Lighthouse was electrified.
A potbelly stove right next to the oil tank seems like a bad idea to me.
The Head Keeper’s cottage at Tybee Island Light Station
The lighthouse keeper had quite a nice stove at their disposal.
No built-in kitchen counters and cabinets here
Believe it or not, my grandfather still had this exact same sink up until a few years ago!
US Lighthouse Service Library
Hard to believe that radios used to be furniture
A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter idles on the helipad at Tybee Island Light Station
The lighthouse has had varying day marks over the last 150 years.
Battery Garland at Fort Screven
Fort Screven houses a military museum
Diving in these old suits had to be a little scary.
Looking across the street at the Tybee Island Lighthouse from atop the battery at Fort Screven
Tybee Island used to be home to an amusement park
Another Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter approaches Tybee Island Lighthouse
Another Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter approaches Tybee Island Lighthouse
Sitting out on the dock having lunch at AJ’s Dockside restaurant
This little guy was hanging around on the railing hoping we’d let him have some food at AJ’s Dockside
My mother trying out the adirondack chairs in front of AJ’s Dockside
I look like I shrunk in this huge adirondack chair at AJ’s Dockside.
Cockspur Island Lighthouse is not exactly accessible for tours.
The tugboat Emma-D passes behind a frame of palm trees.
Fort Pulaski is surrounded by a moat
One of the tunnels leading into Fort Pulaski
Concrete is supplimented with oyster shells at Fort Pulaski
Heading across the drawbridge into Fort Pulaski
Passing through the inner doors into Fort Pulaski
Inside the walls of Fort Pulaski
Inside Fort Pulaski
The Army got its bread from Brooklyn
One of many cannons at the fort
This cannon can be swivelled for aiming
Inside the walls of Fort Pulaski
In the corridors of Fort Pulaski
This cannon was built in Springfield, MA
This cannon was built in Springfield, MA
Who knew cannons wear belts
Cannon on display in the interior of Fort Pulaski
Powder kegs
Looking out from the top of the fort at the sluiceway that brings water into the moat
There are cannons of every variety here
Looking down on the interior of Fort Pulaski
Imagine having to run up and down these stairs as the fort was engaged in battle!
Atop the wall at Fort Pulaski
Looking up the sluiceway that brings water into the moat
We spotted some deer hanging out outside the fort
The Savannah Marriott was built to be part of the Olympic Village for the 1996 Summer Olympics, thus the torch-like structure on top.
The Pirates’ House opened in 1753
Chatham Artillery Punch is the house specialty at The Pirates’ House
The orange marmalade on fresh biscuits was delicious.
Trying another take on shrimp and grits.
After dinner we took a tour of The Pirates’ House
The windows are less than straight here
The Pirates’ House has tunnels below it that lead out to the river. Sadly, obnoxious tourists throw trash into them.
The Pirates’ House has tunnels below it that lead out to the river.
The sun sets over the Savannah River and the Talmadge Memorial Bridge