Sargassum at Happy Bay (Anse Heureuse): today's state
Clear
Chill
Happy Bay, known in French as Anse Heureuse, hides just north of Friar's Bay on the Caribbean coast of Saint-Martin. No road runs down to it: you arrive on a trail over the point, or by boat, and low vegetation backs the sand.
Today's state of sargassum at Happy Bay appears here: a 0 to 5 rating, a summary of what has been recorded and a map for comparing it with the beaches next door. Everything is checked each morning, well before anyone sets off on the walk over the point from Friar's Bay.
Anse Heureuse (Happy Bay) on the sargassum map
What to know about this beach
Like its neighbour, the cove looks north-west on the leeward flank of the island. Easterly trades arrive from behind, over the hills, and hold sargassum rafts at a distance: most of the weed transport runs along the Atlantic face on the far side. A north-westerly swell breaks that pattern by pushing straight along the axis of the bay.
Access is what really sets it apart. With no road, no clearing machinery can reach the sand, so anything that lands here leaves on the sea's schedule rather than a crew's. A deposit can therefore sit longer than at Friar's Bay or Grand-Case under the same conditions, which is reason enough to check the rating before starting the walk.
Frequently asked questions
Is Happy Bay badly affected by sargassum?
It shares the shelter of the leeward coast: opening north-west, it escapes the easterly trades that carry the rafts. Weed mostly arrives here on a north-westerly swell rolling into the cove.
How do I check before making the walk?
Open the FanGass page for Happy Bay in the morning: a 0 to 5 rating, the recorded state and a map of neighbouring beaches. That way the hike from Friar's Bay is a decision, not a gamble.
Is the weed cleared from this beach?
The cove has no road access, so no machinery can work here. A landing goes when the sea takes it back, which can take longer than on a beach that a truck is able to reach.
Where should I look if the cove is loaded?
Friar's Bay lies just over the point, and Baie de Grand-Case is a few minutes away by car. Both appear on the FanGass map with their own rating for the day in question.