Sargassum at San San Beach (Port Antonio): today's report
First bulletin for this beach lands with tomorrow morning’s update.
San San Beach lies at the head of San San Bay, east of Port Antonio in Jamaica's Portland parish, facing north-east with a small wooded island sitting offshore. It is one of a run of reef-fringed bays along this shore.
Use this page for the current sargassum picture at San San Beach: what the shoreline looks like today, a 0 to 5 rating that reads at a glance, and a map placing the bay next to its neighbours. The update lands every morning, so the reading matches the day you are actually going.
San San Beach on the sargassum map
What to know about this beach
Start with the compass. North-east is the trade wind axis, the line along which drifting sargassum reaches Jamaica, so on exposure alone this bay is more in the path than the north-facing coves closer to Port Antonio.
The bay then works against that. The offshore islet and the coral shallows take the punch out of the swell before it reaches sand, which is why the water inside stays quiet. Quiet water cuts both ways for weed: less of it is driven in during ordinary conditions, but what crosses the reef line is slow to leave again. A moderate arrival can stay parked in the inner bay for days, where a beach open to surf would have scoured itself clean in a tide or two.
Frequently asked questions
Why does San San Beach still get sargassum if the water is calm?
The calm comes from the reef and the islet, not from the aspect. The beach faces north-east, straight down the trade wind line, and weed that clears the reef then sits in sheltered water.
How can I tell what the bay looks like before I drive out?
Check the FanGass map that morning. San San Beach carries its own 0 to 5 rating, rebuilt daily from observations of this stretch, so you can pick between the bay and a neighbouring beach.
Does the little offshore island protect the beach?
It helps. The islet and the shallow coral around it absorb much of the incoming swell, which limits heavy storm deposits on the sand, but it cannot stop a raft drifting through the gaps.
Where else can I try if the bay is covered?
Compare ratings first. Frenchman's Cove faces north and Winnifred Beach at Fairy Hill sits behind its own reef, both within a short drive, and the map shows all three side by side.