Sargassum at Anse Désert (Sainte-Luce): today's conditions
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Clean
Anse Désert is a small cove on the Sainte-Luce shoreline, in southern Martinique, reached by the coastal footpath that runs west of the village. It is a short strip of sand, better suited to a stop along the walk than to a full day out.
This page tracks sargassum at Anse Désert day by day. You get the state recorded this morning, a rating from 0 to 5 that sums it up at a glance, and a map showing how the rest of the Sainte-Luce coast looks. Everything is refreshed each morning, so the plan rests on today rather than on last week's photos.
Anse Désert on the sargassum map
What to know about this beach
Sainte-Luce faces the Caribbean Sea, on the leeward side of Martinique. Sargassum rafts drift over from the Atlantic on the easterly trade winds, so the windward shores take the first hit. Anse Désert, which opens due south, sits away from that main path.
That does not make it immune. During large influxes, part of the raft field rounds the southern tip of the island and travels up the Caribbean shoreline, which puts southern Sainte-Luce back in the way, especially when the wind swings to the south-east. The cove itself is narrow and enclosed, and that has a practical consequence: whatever drifts in leaves slowly, and weed can sit there for a few days after the arrival has stopped. Checking the evening before, or the same morning, is worth the minute it takes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Anse Désert badly affected by sargassum?
It sits on the Caribbean side, sheltered from the main flow carried by the easterly trade winds, so landings are less frequent than on the Atlantic coast. Big influxes that wrap around southern Martinique still reach it.
How do I check conditions before walking down?
Open the FanGass map before you leave. It gives Anse Désert a rating from 0 to 5 for the current day, next to the other Sainte-Luce beaches, and the whole thing is updated every morning.
When is sargassum most likely in this cove?
Arrivals cluster between spring and the end of summer, with peaks that shift from one year to the next. Episodes outside that window happen too, though they tend to be shorter and more scattered.
Where can I go if the sand is covered?
The neighbouring coves of Sainte-Luce lie minutes away on foot or by road, and they do not always react the same way to a given influx. Compare their daily ratings before deciding where to settle.