Sargassum at Anse de Grande Saline: today's state
Clear
Clean, hit it
Anse de Grande Saline runs along the southern coast of Saint-Barthélemy, behind the old salt pond that gave it its name. You park back from the shore and cross a low sand ridge, then the beach appears all at once, with nothing built along it.
This page follows sargassum at Grande Saline day by day: what the morning shows, a 0 to 5 rating to place the day on a scale, and a map of the beaches around. It is refreshed each morning, early enough to choose between the south coast and the north before you leave the villa.
Anse de Grande Saline on the sargassum map
What to know about this beach
Grande Saline faces south, on the leeward flank of the island and out of the direct path of the easterly trades that drive sargassum rafts across the Lesser Antilles. Landings are less regular here than on north or east facing sand, although a shift in wind or a current running along the coast can still bring a share of it ashore.
The shoreline is long and fairly straight, with no reef flat or deep pocket to hold weed for days, and south swell often takes back what it delivered. Behind the beach, the pond of the former salt works stays separated from the sea by the dune ridge, so the question plays out on the seaward side alone. The morning rating reflects that, rather than an island average.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Grande Saline see less sargassum than the north of the island?
The beach looks south, on the leeward flank. Rafts pushed by the easterly trades meet the windward coasts first and only reach Grande Saline after travelling around the island.
How do I check Grande Saline before crossing the dune?
Today's reading is on this page: a 0 to 5 rating and the FanGass map, both refreshed each morning. The same view tells you whether a neighbouring beach looks better today.
Does weed stay on this beach for long?
The shore is open and straight, with no reef flat to hold sargassum, and south swell often takes back what it left. Only the morning observation settles the question for a given day.
Does the salt pond behind the beach play a part?
The former salt works stays cut off from the shore by the sand ridge. Sargassum is therefore a seaward matter here: south facing coast, the swell of the moment and the prevailing wind.