Sargassum at Playa Bayahíbe: today's report on the southeast coast
Light
Some weed
Playa Bayahíbe sits in a small cove beside the fishing village turned excursion harbour, on the Caribbean side of the southeastern Dominican Republic, a short drive from La Romana. Boats leave from here for Saona island and for Cotubanamá national park.
This page follows sargassum at Bayahíbe day by day: the observed conditions, a score from 0 to 5, and a map of the southeast coast. The reading is renewed every morning, which helps when the day comes down to a swim by the village or a boat trip out to the islands.
Playa Bayahíbe on the sargassum map
What to know about this beach
Bayahíbe lies on the Caribbean side, in the lee of the island. Easterly trade winds cross the land before they reach this shore, and the sargassum rafts moving through the Atlantic gather mainly along the eastern face. Volumes arriving here are usually on nothing like the scale seen at Punta Cana.
The cove still opens toward the southeast, which leaves a way in: part of what rounds the southeastern tip of the island can track up this coast when current and wind line up. The bay is narrow and sheltered, so water movement is limited, and whatever enters disperses slowly and tends to collect at the closed end near the sand.
Frequently asked questions
Does Bayahíbe get less sargassum than the east coast?
Usually yes. The beach sits on the Caribbean side, in the lee, while the trade winds push rafts toward the eastern shoreline. Smaller arrivals here are still perfectly possible.
How do I check the beach before a boat trip?
Look at this page in the morning. The 0 to 5 score and the southeast map are updated daily, handy when you are choosing between the village beach and an excursion out to Saona.
Where does weed enter this cove from?
Through its southeastern opening. Anything that rounds the southeastern tip of the island can travel up this coast when current and wind align, then drift into the bay without much resistance.
Why does weed sometimes sit at the back of the bay?
Because the cove is narrow and sheltered, with little water movement. What comes in circulates slowly and ends up gathering in the most enclosed section, right against the sand.
Nearby beaches
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