Sargassum at Higgs Beach, Key West: this morning's reading
First bulletin for this beach lands with tomorrow morning’s update.
Higgs Beach fronts the Casa Marina district on the south shore of Key West, between the White Street Pier and the park lawns behind the sand. This page collects the morning sargassum reading for Higgs Beach, a rating from 0 to 5, and the map of every Keys beach we follow.
The report is rebuilt each morning before beach hours. You see today's rating and the recent movement, which is worth checking here because the look of this short bay can shift quickly with the direction of the current running along the island's south coast.
Higgs Beach on the sargassum map
What to know about this beach
Like the whole southern shoreline of Key West, Higgs opens to the ocean and meets the rafts pushed in from offshore by easterly and south-easterly winds. What sets it apart from its neighbours is the size and the edges of the bay rather than the exposure itself.
The strand is short and closed at its eastern end by the White Street Pier, a solid structure reaching out into the water that cuts the longshore drift. Depending on which way the current runs, floating weed piles against one side of it instead of travelling on along the coast. For the same amount of sargassum offshore, Higgs can therefore show a denser line than the long beach nearby, or stay clear when the current sets the other way.
Frequently asked questions
How exposed is Higgs Beach to sargassum?
It faces south on Key West's ocean coast, the side that meets rafts driven in by easterly winds. Its small size and the neighbouring pier tend to concentrate whatever lands into a short stretch of sand.
How do I check Higgs Beach before bringing the kids?
The FanGass map refreshes every morning and gives Higgs Beach a rating from 0 to 5, from clear sand to a heavy landing, with the previous days shown so you can judge the trend.
Why does weed gather near the pier?
The White Street Pier reaches out into the water and interrupts the drift along the shore. Floating material runs into it and collects on whichever side the current of the moment is pushing toward.
When are arrivals most common in Key West?
From spring through the end of summer, when rafts drift north from the Caribbean toward the Straits of Florida. In winter, northerly winds behind cold fronts more often carry the weed away from the shore.