Sargassum at Anse des Flamands: today's conditions
Clear
Clean
Anse des Flamands faces northwest, on the leeward side of Saint-Barthélemy. It is one of the longest stretches of sand on the island, lined with latanier palms and backed by the hills above the village, with a footpath leaving the western end toward Anse de Colombier.
This page reports sargassum at Flamands for the day you are reading it: whether weed is on the sand, a 0 to 5 rating that puts the day in context, and a map covering the beaches on either side. The reading is refreshed each morning, early enough to shape how you spend it.
Plage des Flamands on the sargassum map
What to know about this beach
Facing northwest puts Flamands behind the island rather than in front of it. The easterly trade winds that carry most sargassum rafts across the Caribbean meet the eastern and northern shores first, so weed reaching this bay has usually travelled around a headland on a coastal current, or come in with a winter north swell running straight into the opening.
The bay is broad and open, with no enclosed lagoon to trap what enters. When a deposit does form it gathers at the ends, against the rock, while the middle clears faster once the surf picks up. If Flamands is loaded on a given morning, the trail at the western end climbs over to Anse de Colombier, a tighter cove with a different exposure.
Frequently asked questions
Is Flamands less exposed to sargassum than the north coast?
Usually, yes. It opens northwest, away from the trade winds that drive rafts across the region, so arrivals are less frequent than on beaches facing north or east. Less frequent is not never.
How can I check Flamands before driving down?
Look at this page in the morning. FanGass updates the 0 to 5 rating and the map for Flamands daily, so you see the state of this bay and of its neighbours before committing to the drive.
Can I walk to another beach from Flamands?
A footpath starts at the western end and crosses the hill to Anse de Colombier, a more enclosed bay. It makes a useful backup on a morning when the open sand at Flamands is holding weed.
Does winter swell change the sargassum picture here?
It can. North swells enter the bay directly, moving whatever floats offshore toward the sand and often taking part of it back out again. That is why the rating shifts from one morning to the next.