Petite Anse (Pointe-Noire): sargassum today
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Petite Anse sits on the shoreline of Pointe-Noire, on the western flank of Basse-Terre, where the mountains drop quickly to the water. The sand is dark and volcanic, and the cove is short: a local beach rather than a broad sweep of coast.
This page gathers what you need before setting off: today's sargassum rating from 0 to 5, a note on conditions along the shore, and a map of this part of the Leeward Coast. The calculation is redone every morning, so it matches the day ahead of you rather than the one before.
Petite Anse on the sargassum map
What to know about this beach
At Pointe-Noire the shoreline turns its back on the trade winds. The commune occupies the western face of Basse-Terre, and the easterly airflow that carries sargassum crosses the island before it ever reaches this sea. Rafts therefore settle on the far side first, and this coast sees them rarely, usually in scattered form.
Two local features are worth knowing. The coastal strip is narrow and backed by the massif, so rivers reach the sea quickly and, after heavy rain, can carry branches down and cloud the water, which has nothing to do with a seaweed landing. The cove is also hemmed in by headlands, so a small amount of drift shows up at once on a short band of sand. The daily report keeps these situations apart.
Frequently asked questions
Does sargassum reach Petite Anse?
Not often. On the western coast of Basse-Terre it stays sheltered from the trade winds that push rafts toward the Atlantic side. When deposits do arrive, they are generally limited in size.
What should I look at on the morning of my visit?
The FanGass map publishes a rating from 0 to 5 for Petite Anse every morning, together with a comment on observed conditions. Check it when you wake up, before heading into Pointe-Noire.
The water looks murky after rain. Is that sargassum?
No. On this mountain-backed coast, rivers rise fast and can cloud the sea or leave plant debris on the sand. It is a separate phenomenon from seaweed drifting in from open water.
Why is the sand grey here?
Basse-Terre is a volcanic island, and its western beaches take their sand from the dark rock of the massif. It changes nothing about how seaweed drifts, only how visible it looks against the shore.