TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Sargassum 2024

I just read a news alert that the Sargassum will be larger than normal this summer.
Report says it will be bad from Honduras up the Yucatan Penninsula and up to Florida. Not sure how bad it will be in the Windward Islamds or Lesser Antilles.
Looking for a report in the BVI's of current conditions.
Any current report will be greatly appreciated.

We left Tortola on the 7th. Sargassum was a minor issue when trying to troll between JVD and Anegada, but it wasn't large patches, just small clumps. I don't recall seeing much if any on any of the beaches or in the anchorages. I would say it was quite normal and not an issue for us at all.

Agreed. Currently quite normal and not bad at all

That's great. Let's hope it stays that way through the summer.

Ratman flew back from Beef Island yesterday. He said there is sargassum at the east end of Trellis Bay, some in the Diamond Reef area, and huge islands of it floating between the VI and PR - bigger than some of the small islands in that area.

That is what I am afraid of.

That is what I am afraid of making its way to the BVI.

Nature will do as nature does. I would think as the trade winds ease, more sargassum "islands" will form and they will occasionally be brought into contact with the islands by winds and currents. It kind of is what it is and has been happening since the beginning of time. It won't ruin your trip unless you let it.

I remember growing up in Miami how the launching basin at CRYC used to get absolutely full of the stuff for months at a time during the summer. It got so thick at times you almost thought you could walk across it. If I recall correctly, we even convinced some poor trusting child try give it a try from time to time. It wasn't always appealing, but never stopped us from launching our Opti's and getting in a good day of sailing or anything else. In fact, we found fun and creative ways of enforcing group norms by tricking those who may have tested the groups rules or patience into hanging from the hoist hook and swinging them out over the seaweed as we called it and lowering them until they showed contrition. Ah, the good ole days. It also taught us the importance of boat maintenance and proper cleaning along with the value of maintaining a good coat of Teflon wax.