What size does Little Tybee Island work best at?

2–6 ft is the working range. Below that it goes flat; above, it stops being fun and the lineup thins out.

When is the best season to surf Little Tybee Island?

Peak season runs through the months when the swell window aligns and trade winds blow offshore. See the month strip in Wave fit for the working window.

What are the main hazards?

Strong currents and miscellaneous sea creatures. No one around to help you if you injure yourself so take precaution.. Reef booties are common at reef breaks; check tide and crowd conditions before paddling out.

What type of wave is Little Tybee Island?

Little Tybee Island is a a-frame breaking wave over beach. Shifting sandbar beach peaks, rights and lefts.

Georgia, Georgia, United States

Little Tybee Island

31.967, -80.870

Edited by Thomas Jackson

Verified May 2026

Editor-verifiedCross-checked against 1 reference

A-frame · BeachBeginner → Advanced2–6 ftFeb – Oct

A shifting sandbar setup south of Tybee Island, Georgia, Little Tybee picks up more swell than its mainland neighbor and rewards the effort of getting there. ESE and ENE hurricane swells are the primary drivers, with the bars best read at mid to high tide on W or NW winds. Size runs knee to head high on a good day, nothing intimidating on its own, but the channel crossing demands respect: strong tidal currents can sweep you out to sea if you paddle across on the wrong tide. This is open to everyone from beginners to advanced riders, with zero crowd pressure, but the isolation is a double-edged sword. Bottom: sand. Season: late summer, early fall, early spring. Consistency: moderate, swell-dependent. Paddle across on a neutral tide and tell someone your plan before you leave the beach.

Wave fit

Skill suited

Beginner → Advanced

BegIntAdv

Best months

Feb – Oct

Character

Shifting sandbar beach peaks, rights and lefts.

Conditions

When it works

Hazards

Strong currents and miscellaneous sea creatures. No one around to help you if you injure yourself so take precaution.

Trip planning

Quick facts

Water temp

14° to 29°C

Wetsuit

Boardies to 3/2

What to bring

Longboard or funboard for the typical small surf
Fish or shortboard when hurricane swell pushes head high
SUP for the channel crossing on flat days

Lineup

Mellow lineup

Where it sits

Location

Loading map...

About this break

What it's actually like

Crowd Access Nearby Alternatives

Crowd & Localism

About as uncrowded as East Coast surfing gets. The effort of the crossing keeps the masses away, and there is no local contingent to navigate. Give the place the respect that kind of solitude deserves and leave no trace.

Access & Facilities

Reach Little Tybee by kayak, boat, or a half-mile paddle across the channel from Tybee Island. Time the crossing to a neutral tide to avoid being swept by tidal flow. There are zero facilities: no water, no food, no first aid. Pack everything you need and treat any injury as a serious logistical problem. Strong currents and miscellaneous sea creatures round out the hazard list.

Nearby Alternatives

Tybee Island itself breaks on similar ESE and ENE swells and is far more accessible if conditions are marginal or the channel looks sketchy. Further up the Georgia and South Carolina coast, other beach breaks catch hurricane groundswell during the same late-summer window.

10-day swell, wind and tide