18th St. Jetty

📍 Local Knowledge

18th Street Jetty, at Tybee Island, is a modest jetty-influenced beach-break where a cluster of nearshore concrete breakwaters can help form surfable peaks—especially a hollow left on the south side when bigger NE swells arrive. It performs best during winter, when northeast windswell and groundswells align with cleaner offshore winds. The break offers short, punchy rides that can reach waist-to-chest high when it fires, and is known to draw a crowd when conditions are favorable. Despite the structure, the bottom remains predominantly sand. Surfers should remain wary of strong currents, submerged rock sections, and rapidly changing tides.