Sargassum at Playa San Francisco (Cozumel): the morning check
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Pristine, dive in
Playa San Francisco stretches along the western side of Cozumel, roughly halfway between San Miguel and the island's southern tip. The sand shelves very gently into the channel that separates Cozumel from the mainland, and the beach faces due west, with its back to the prevailing winds. This is the leeward flank of the island, the side turned away from the open sea.
What you follow here is sargassum at Playa San Francisco: the morning reading, a 0 to 5 rating that sums up the day, and a Riviera Maya map that places this beach against the others. The update comes through each morning.
Playa San Francisco on the sargassum map
What to know about this beach
Facing due west from an island set in a trade wind sea is the most sheltered position on this coast. The whole mass of Cozumel stands between Playa San Francisco and the path sargassum follows up from the Atlantic; the rafts meet the island's eastern shore first.
The channel then plays its part. The current there runs north, so anything that manages to round the southern tip is carried along this side, from the south towards San Miguel. Playa San Francisco lies further north than Playa Palancar, which means episodes hitting the southern end do not always reach this far, and rarely at the same strength. The very low gradient at the water's edge counts too: on a profile like this, mats sit close to the waterline and shift with any change in the current.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Playa San Francisco lightly exposed?
It faces west, behind the full width of Cozumel. Rafts driven by easterly trades meet the island on its windward side, and only a share of them rounds the southern point and moves up the channel.
How can I be sure of conditions before coming?
The FanGass map updates every morning and gives Playa San Francisco a 0 to 5 rating with the observed conditions. It is the quickest way to decide before renting a car or a scooter.
How does it compare with Playa Palancar?
Palancar sits further south, closer to the point weed has to round. San Francisco, halfway up the coast, usually gets what the channel current has already broken up and spread out.
Are some months worse on the west coast?
May through August concentrates most arrivals across the region, here too though in a milder form. Outside that window episodes are less frequent, without ever being ruled out.
Nearby beaches
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