Sargassum at Great Bay (Philipsburg): today's beach report
Clear
Clean
Great Bay, or Groot Baai, is the bay of Philipsburg, the main town on the Dutch side of the island. Sand runs along the seafront boardwalk and the bay opens south onto the Caribbean Sea. This page gives the sargassum picture for Great Bay: a morning reading, a rating from 0 to 5, and a map of the south coast.
Updated at the start of each day, it is built for a quick decision: town beach today, or a drive to another bay. The rating sums up conditions, the map lists the nearby options, and the notes below describe what the shape of this bay means for seaweed.
Great Bay (Groot Baai) on the sargassum map
What to know about this beach
Great Bay opens to the south on the Caribbean shore, so the prevailing easterly wind arrives across the land rather than off open water. Trade-driven sargassum rafts reach the Atlantic-facing coasts first, and whatever turns up at Philipsburg has already travelled around the eastern end of the island.
Two headlands close the bay, which keeps the water calm but also poorly flushed: once inside, a patch of weed moves out slowly and can sit along the waterline for several days after conditions offshore have eased. That is the usual contrast with the open south-western beaches, which clear faster. The bay also serves as an anchorage and takes cruise calls, so visitor numbers concentrate on this same strip of shore.
Frequently asked questions
Is Great Bay exposed to sargassum?
Less than the Atlantic coast, since the bay faces south and sits away from the easterly drift. It is enclosed by two headlands, though, so weed that does get in can linger for several days.
How do I check Great Bay before walking into town?
Open this page in the morning. The FanGass map is rebuilt daily and gives the Philipsburg bay a rating from 0 to 5, alongside the state of the beaches next door.
Which part of the bay tends to be clearest?
It varies by day. Along a shore as long as the boardwalk, weed lands in patches, so walking east or west often changes what you see even when the overall rating stays the same.
Where should I go if Great Bay is loaded?
Little Bay is a few minutes west with the same southern aspect, and Simpson Bay a little further on. The map places these bays side by side so you can compare before driving.