Sargassum at Anse Mabouya, Sainte-Luce: today's report
Clear
Clean
Anse Mabouya tucks into the shoreline of Sainte-Luce, on the leeward Caribbean side of southern Martinique, between two low points of land. This page carries the part you need before leaving: sargassum at Anse Mabouya as observed this morning, a rating from 0 to 5, and a map of the Sainte-Luce coast.
The reading is taken again at daybreak and published here with the recent history. It says whether the cove is clean, whether anything is floating across the entrance, or whether weed has gathered on the sand. Neighbouring beaches along the same stretch appear alongside, so comparing takes seconds.
Anse Mabouya on the sargassum map
What to know about this beach
Sainte-Luce faces the Caribbean Sea, on the sheltered side of the island, and that single fact shapes everything here. Sargassum rafts travel with the easterly trade winds and reach the exposed shores first, while the bulk of Martinique screens this coastline. Arrivals are therefore less frequent, and usually thinner, than along the exposed southern beaches.
Two qualifications apply. During large episodes, part of the drifting mass rounds the southern points and works its way up the leeward coast, where it can slip into the bays. And Anse Mabouya, narrow between its two headlands and open to the south, holds on to whatever crosses its mouth longer than a straight beach swept by current. Checking beats assuming, even on the quiet side of the island.
Frequently asked questions
Does Anse Mabouya escape the sargassum?
It sits on the sheltered Caribbean coast, far less affected than the exposed southern shores of Martinique. During heavy episodes, some rafts round the southern points and can still drift into this cove.
How do I check the cove before going?
The FanGass map on this page is refreshed every morning and gives Anse Mabouya a rating from 0 to 5. One look tells you whether the cove is clean or whether weed has gathered on the sand.
What happens once weed gets inside the cove?
Framed by two headlands, the bay clears slowly, so anything crossing the entrance can linger for several tides. The daily rating shows whether the situation is easing off or settling in for a while.
Which other beaches sit along this stretch of coast?
Anse Gros Raisin and the town beach at Sainte-Luce are both minutes away and share the same leeward position. Their pages carry the same daily rating, useful when one cove is loaded and the next is not.