Sargassum at Frenchman's Bay (Treasure Beach): today's report
First bulletin for this beach lands with tomorrow morning’s update.
Frenchman's Bay is one of the coves that make up Treasure Beach, in the parish of St Elizabeth on Jamaica's southwestern shore. Fishing boats, a string of small bays split by rocky points: this stretch works differently from the island's resort coasts. The page reads it through a single lens, sargassum, updated daily.
You get the morning rating, from 0 for clear sand to 5 for a landing that has settled in, a map placing the cove among the other southern beaches, and the trend over recent days. Daily refreshes let you pick which bay to walk down to instead of guessing.
Frenchman's Bay (Treasure Beach) on the sargassum map
What to know about this beach
The cove opens to the southwest, the least exposed angle on this coast. The trades blow from the east, so a raft has to travel the full southern flank of Jamaica before it gets here, shedding weed on the shores it passes along the way. Less material reaches Treasure Beach as a result.
Local shape adds the nuance. This is not one continuous strand but a series of bays closed by rocky points, each opening at a slightly different angle, so two neighbouring coves can look unalike on the same morning depending on the wind. The community lives from fishing, which makes the question practical: a loaded bay hampers launching boats as much as swimming.
Frequently asked questions
Does Frenchman's Bay get hit hard by sargassum?
Its southwestern opening keeps it relatively sheltered from the easterly trades. Rafts must cross the whole south coast to arrive, and some strands elsewhere first. Episodes still happen, usually lighter than on eastern shores.
How do I check conditions before heading to Treasure Beach?
The FanGass rating for Frenchman's Bay, from 0 to 5, is recalculated every morning and plotted on the southern map. One look before you set out for St Elizabeth frames the whole day.
Do the other Treasure Beach coves give the same reading?
Not always. Rocky points separate bays whose openings differ by a few degrees, and an angled wind can load one while leaving the next one clear. Compare the neighbouring ratings on the map.
When are landings most frequent in this part of the coast?
As elsewhere in the Caribbean, the window runs from spring to late summer. On this leeward shore, episodes often declare themselves a few days behind the beaches facing east.