Sargassum at Coco Plum Beach (Great Exuma): today's conditions
Clear
Easy, a few traces
Coco Plum Beach runs along the north shore of Great Exuma, a stretch of pale sand famous for the sandbars that surface as the tide drops and for shallow, gentle water that suits families. The spot has stayed simple and barely developed, which is a large part of its appeal.
To pick the right moment, start with today's mark, from 0 to 5, alongside the Exumas sector map and a bulletin renewed each morning. You will see at once whether the bars are clean, whether a few strands are floating offshore or whether a deposit sits on the wrack line.
Coco Plum Beach on the sargassum map
What to know about this beach
Angled toward the north-east, Coco Plum looks straight onto Exuma Sound, the exposed flank of the chain: rafts moving through the region travel along that ocean corridor and can land here with no screen in the way. In the same sector, Tropic of Cancer Beach, further south on Little Exuma, obeys the same logic of exposure.
What sets this spot apart is its shallows. As the sea pulls back, the sandbars trap weed in conspicuous ribbons; as it rises again, part of it drifts back out. By contrast, Volleyball Beach, set against Elizabeth Harbour on Stocking Island, remains the sector's sheltered option and often serves as the fallback on heavy days.
Frequently asked questions
Is Coco Plum Beach as exposed as Tropic of Cancer Beach?
Both face Exuma Sound, the windward facade of the chain, and share one sector rating. The nuances come from the exact bearing, north-east here versus due north there, and from the day's currents, which can load one shore and spare the other.
Do the sandbars hold on to the sargassum?
Yes, and that is the thing to watch. On a falling tide the shallows trap ribbons of weed and make them very visible; the incoming tide carries some of it away. Cross-check the morning rating with the tide times before heading over.
Where should I go in the Exumas when the rating is high here?
The sector's natural fallback is Volleyball Beach on Stocking Island: oriented toward Elizabeth Harbour, it turns its back on the Sound and stays shielded from arrivals. The map at the top of this page shows its state before you move.
Which months are quietest for sargassum here?
Caribbean arrivals concentrate from spring to late summer; outside that window, episodes become rarer and shorter. Since the Sound-facing shore stays reactive, a same-morning check remains the safest habit.