Thunderbolt is a small town located in Chatham County about 5 miles southeast of downtown Savannah. Thunderbolt runs along the western shore of the Wilmington River (a tidal creek that is part of the U.S. Intracoastal Waterway). The town is important to Georgia's shrimping industry, with scores of docks for shrimping trawlers. The town's picturesque atmosphere and seafood restaurants draw many local visitors.