Sun, rain and jellyfish: Beachgoers brave mixed weather on Tybee Island for Labor Day

TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer, and hundreds of visitors and locals made their way to Tybee Island on Monday to close out the busy beach season with a splash.

Though the holiday weekend wrapped up with beautiful, warm temperatures, beachgoers had to brave a little bit of everything, including high winds, jellyfish, heavy rain, and nearby lightning.

The Tybee Island Ocean Rescue team advised caution throughout the day due to rip currents and jellyfish in the water. High winds kept lifeguards on high alert, and swimmers were temporarily cleared from the water after lightning was detected striking within 12 miles of the beach.

But despite the safety warnings and imperfect weather, the beach was packed with smiles, laughter, and families traveling from all over the map, including Missouri, Florida, South Carolina, and beyond.

Among those vacationing were friends Colby Cowan and Rick Janssen from Missouri. For Cowan, the trip marked a major milestone.

“This is my first time at the beach ever...the locals are great, everyone’s great,” Cowan said.

The duo decided to try surfing for the very first time. When asked what the gameplan was for tackling the waves, Janssen laughed, “Not getting hurt...try my best. Go out there and try not to fall down.”

Even if they didn’t quite manage to “hang ten,” they weren’t the only ones enjoying the coast. One family, who recently relocated to Georgia from Germany, gave Tybee Island a 10/10 rating.

“It’s almost as if you were in the Caribbean. That laid-back feeling...I love so much about it,” one family member said.

Other beachgoers managed to squeeze in some sunbathing on the sand and catch occasional rays of sunshine poking through the afternoon cloud cover.

For Savannah State University student Ocean Jenkins-Lofton, the holiday began early with a beach sunrise, though afternoon storms quickly changed her group’s plans.

“We had planned to have a beach day today, then people started getting word of the rain,” Jenkins-Lofton said. “It was just a sprinkle at first but then the uproar came and kind of scrapped that plan. I still had a lovely day and got to enjoy myself.”

As the busy summer season on Tybee Island winds down, the best holiday weather of the year may be behind us. However, as the storm clouds cleared late Monday afternoon, dedicated crowds were already heading back out to the sand, refusing to let a little rain ruin their holiday.