Sargassum at Seven Mile Beach: today's conditions
First bulletin for this beach lands with tomorrow morning’s update.
Seven Mile Beach runs along Long Bay in Negril, on the western tip of Jamaica. It is the island's best known stretch of sand, and the one most visitors look up before deciding where to spend the day.
This page tracks sargassum at Seven Mile Beach day by day. You get a 0 to 5 rating that sums up the situation, a map placing the beach inside its coastal sector, and an update every morning. It tells you whether the sand is clear, whether rafts are drifting offshore, or whether weed is piling up at the waterline right now.
Seven Mile Beach on the sargassum map
What to know about this beach
Negril sits at the western end of Jamaica, facing the Jamaica Channel. Seven Mile Beach looks due west, turning its back on the easterly trade winds that push sargassum rafts across the Caribbean. The whole width of the island stands between the open sea to windward and this bay, which is why the eastern and south-eastern parishes usually see arrivals long before Negril does.
Shelter is not immunity. Weed that has drifted around the island can be steered into Long Bay by a coastal current or by several days of onshore westerly wind. The sheer length of the beach cuts both ways: a landing may spread thinly over miles, or bunch up on one short section while the rest stays open.
Frequently asked questions
Does Seven Mile Beach get much sargassum?
Less than Jamaica's eastern and southern shores. Its west-facing, leeward position shields it from rafts driven by the trade winds, though patches still reach Long Bay when currents turn onshore.
How do I check conditions before heading down?
Open the FanGass map at the top of this page. It gives Seven Mile Beach and its sector a rating from 0 to 5, recalculated every morning, so a quick look over breakfast is enough.
When is sargassum most likely in Negril?
Caribbean arrivals cluster from spring to late summer, peaking roughly between May and August. Negril tends to feel that season in short episodes rather than as a continuous presence along the shore.
Is the whole seven miles affected at once?
Rarely. A landing can settle on one section and leave the rest clear, so the northern end near Bloody Bay and the southern end near the town often look different on the same morning.