Sargassum at Boston Bay Beach: today's conditions
First bulletin for this beach lands with tomorrow morning’s update.
Boston Bay cuts into the north-east coast of Portland parish, east of Port Antonio on the road towards Long Bay. The beach faces north-east and takes the swell that draws surfers to this corner of Jamaica, in a bay equally known for its roadside jerk stalls.
This page carries the daily sargassum reading for Boston Bay Beach: how the shore stands today, a 0 to 5 rating, and a map to weigh it against the other beaches nearby along the same road. The update goes out every morning, early enough to change your plans.
Boston Bay Beach on the sargassum map
What to know about this beach
Exposure here comes down to one thing: open water. The bay looks north-east, straight along the trade wind line, with no islet or reef standing between the horizon and the sand. That is what builds the surf the bay is known for, and it is the same door through which drifting weed arrives when rafts are moving past Jamaica.
The energy then cuts the other way. A shore that works constantly keeps sand and water in motion, so deposits get churned, broken up and often dragged back out by the backwash instead of settling in place as they would in a closed bay. Conditions can therefore turn around quickly in either direction, which makes the morning check more valuable here than on the sheltered coves west of the bay.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Boston Bay more exposed than the coves near Port Antonio?
It opens north-east into the trade winds with no islet or fringing reef to slow anything down, so weed drifting offshore reaches the sand directly instead of being filtered on the way in.
How do I check conditions before a surf session here?
FanGass publishes a 0 to 5 rating for Boston Bay Beach on the map each morning, so you know whether the water is clear before loading the board into the car.
Does the surf help clear seaweed off the beach?
It does not stop weed arriving, but a working shoreline breaks deposits up and carries part of them back out faster than a sheltered bay would. The picture can shift day to day.
Which nearby beach should I check as a backup?
Winnifred Beach and Frenchman's Cove face north and sit behind more shelter, both west along the coast road. Long Bay, further south-east, is even more open to the easterly wind.