Sargassum at Plage de la Feuillère, Marie-Galante: today's status
Moderate
Filling up
Plage de la Feuillère runs along the edge of Capesterre-de-Marie-Galante, on the eastern side of the island. A long strip of sand faces a shallow lagoon closed off by a coral reef, a few minutes from the village. This page follows sargassum at La Feuillère day by day.
It gives the current status, a 0 to 5 rating that shows at a glance how much weed is around, and a map placing the beach among the other spots on Marie-Galante. The reading is renewed each morning, which counts on a coast where things turn over quickly.
Plage de la Feuillère on the sargassum map
What to know about this beach
La Feuillère looks due east, straight down the path of the trade winds. That is the most exposed setup in the Caribbean: sargassum rafts drift westward across the tropical Atlantic, and a beach with open water in front of it meets them with nothing in between. Marie-Galante lies at the southeastern edge of the Guadeloupe archipelago and often takes that first contact.
The reef works in both directions. It breaks the swell and holds part of the weed offshore, yet whatever clears the barrier lands in shallow water with little current to move it out again. An arrival can therefore sit in the lagoon longer than on an open shore, until wind and tide carry it off. Same-day information is worth more here than any average.
Frequently asked questions
Why does La Feuillère get so much sargassum?
Its east-facing shore lines up with the trade winds and the Atlantic drift that carry the rafts toward the Caribbean. Marie-Galante is among the first islands on that route, so arrivals reach it early.
How can I check the beach before driving over?
Look at the FanGass map the same morning. La Feuillère is scored from 0 to 5 with a status refreshed every morning, which leaves time to pick another beach when the reading is high.
Does the reef keep the weed out?
It holds part of it offshore and calms the swell, but it also slows the way out. Once a patch is inside the lagoon it may stay for several days before the sea takes it back.
Which beaches are the alternative on Marie-Galante?
The western shore around Saint-Louis lies in the lee of the island and often reads very differently on the same day. Compare the two coasts on the island map before setting off.