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St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed #61370 07/11/2015 04:00 AM Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 2,114 Likes: 1 Southport, North Carolina, US candj OP Traveler OP candj Traveler Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 2,114 Likes: 1 Southport, North Carolina, US Today in the Daily Herald it was reported that St. Martin is assigning people to help clean up the sea weed: http://www.thedailyherald.com/index.php?...s&Itemid=54 Fair winds and following seas! SSN691-May She Ever Prowl The Seas in Defense of Human Freedom! SSN787-Preserving Peace, Prepared for War

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed candj #61371 07/11/2015 05:00 AM Joined: Jun 2014 Posts: 57 J JimDS Traveler JimDS Traveler J Joined: Jun 2014 Posts: 57 Interesting information. Any information on when the action is expected to start and which beaches will be targeted would be appreciated.

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed JimDS #61372 07/11/2015 06:55 AM Joined: Jul 2013 Posts: 837 Florida W wilsonck Traveler wilsonck Traveler W Joined: Jul 2013 Posts: 837 Florida Thats good for the affected businesses. I was told Palm Beach pays $150 a day to have someone remove the seaweed in the morning, however, it just comes back all day long.

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed wilsonck #61373 07/11/2015 07:30 AM Joined: Jun 2014 Posts: 57 J JimDS Traveler JimDS Traveler J Joined: Jun 2014 Posts: 57 I know that to be true. You need someone to clean it up all day long so it doesn't accumulate and you need to clean it up in the morning where it has accumulated during the night. Doing it with 20 people for all the beaches is like trying to empty the ocean with a glass. I think the only thing to do is try to contain it by cleaning up the beaches once a week so it doesn't accumulate excessively.

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed candj #61374 07/11/2015 07:54 AM Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 7,132 St Louis, MO SXMNorm Traveler SXMNorm Traveler Joined: Jul 2001 Posts: 7,132 St Louis, MO OBBR has hired a consulting firm to figure out some way to keep it off Dawn Beach or at least reduce it. Next SXM visit -November 2023. Also January 2024.

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed candj #61375 07/11/2015 08:03 AM Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! Carol_Hill Traveler Carol_Hill Traveler Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! Glad they are doing something. I do wonder, since this will be a concerted effort, I wonder what they will be doing with the accumulated seaweed? I believe what most hotels and restaurants have been doing is to bury it. I wonder if they will attempt to actually compost it. Carol Hill

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed Carol_Hill #61376 07/11/2015 03:58 PM Joined: Oct 2008 Posts: 153 Texas P popatop Traveler popatop Traveler P Joined: Oct 2008 Posts: 153 Texas It helps with the building of sand dunes which helps retain sand on the beach,it is unpleasant but part of the natural process that built the beaches,ps just left Orient Friday,Club Orient end OK with seaweed coming in all day but blankets of seaweed coming in down by old Boo Boo Jams,I guess because of the direction of the waves.

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed candj #61377 07/11/2015 04:04 PM Joined: May 2009 Posts: 250 K KATEONTARIO77 Traveler KATEONTARIO77 Traveler K Joined: May 2009 Posts: 250 could you just imagine the $$$$$ if it was really weed......kate <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/canada.gif" alt="" />

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed candj #61378 07/11/2015 08:42 PM Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 7 C CTN Traveler CTN Traveler C Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 7 Someone mentioned sea lice attached to the seaweed. When it is buried wouldn't the sea lice effect the sand where people walk?

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed CTN #61379 07/12/2015 02:19 PM Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,294 J january Traveler january Traveler J Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,294 The reason the northern end of Orient Bay gets a lot of seaweed is that there is a channel cut through the reef so boats can come in and out of the bay. This allows a pathway for the seaweed. The reef in front Club O is the healthiest. That's why you see all the white-caps there. Next time you walk the beach, look out over the water while you are strolling and you will see what I am talking about.

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed candj #61380 07/14/2015 08:33 AM Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! Carol_Hill Traveler Carol_Hill Traveler Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! Dutch side also taking action Carol Hill

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed Carol_Hill #61381 07/14/2015 08:49 AM Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 2,114 Likes: 1 Southport, North Carolina, US candj OP Traveler OP candj Traveler Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 2,114 Likes: 1 Southport, North Carolina, US Yes, we saw that today in the Daily Herald. Hopefully they will be able to better manage the clean-up of the beaches. Fair winds and following seas! SSN691-May She Ever Prowl The Seas in Defense of Human Freedom! SSN787-Preserving Peace, Prepared for War

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed candj #61382 07/14/2015 09:30 AM Joined: Apr 2008 Posts: 266 P Packedready Traveler Packedready Traveler P Joined: Apr 2008 Posts: 266 I am glad they are taking action, we are not returning until the Sargassum weed is gone. We come for the ocean and it has ruined that. We are vacationing other places and patiently waiting.

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed Packedready #61383 07/14/2015 09:39 AM Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! Carol_Hill Traveler Carol_Hill Traveler Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! It depends on where you are on the island. Some beaches are not affected at all, like Simpson Bay beach. Carol Hill

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed Carol_Hill #61384 07/14/2015 03:02 PM Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 847 Oshawa BGH Traveler BGH Traveler Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 847 Oshawa Cleaning up beaches is one challenge however the larger issue is keeping the water clean for swimming and that will require a change in ocean current / wind direction . The Dutch side was a better choice during our April trip . Perhaps those empty resort pools will soon be more crowed if this trend continues .

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed BGH #61385 07/14/2015 03:38 PM Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 4,761 Likes: 3 Newtown, CT kim Traveler kim Traveler Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 4,761 Likes: 3 Newtown, CT I hope they don't burry the seaweed. Just saw on the news that one theory to the beach explosion in Rhode Island that sent a 65 year old into the air could have been caused by methane gas buildup from buried seaweed!!

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed kim #61386 07/14/2015 04:30 PM Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 2,666 MIA I irina Traveler irina Traveler I Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 2,666 MIA Get out! That's wild. I'm gonna look it up. When you coming down? To MIA! cheers i

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed irina #61387 07/14/2015 05:01 PM Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 4,761 Likes: 3 Newtown, CT kim Traveler kim Traveler Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 4,761 Likes: 3 Newtown, CT Saw it on WABC NY, so it must be true!! . If sun doesn't stay out for more then 2 days at a clip you may find me on your door step!!

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed kim #61388 07/14/2015 07:42 PM Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 13,531 Peaceful Eastern North Carolin... GaKaye Traveler GaKaye Traveler Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 13,531 Peaceful Eastern North Carolin... Quote kim said: I hope they don't burry the seaweed. Just saw on the news that one theory to the beach explosion in Rhode Island that sent a 65 year old into the air could have been caused by methane gas buildup from buried seaweed!! That certainly is believable!

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed GaKaye #61389 07/15/2015 03:44 AM Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 2,114 Likes: 1 Southport, North Carolina, US candj OP Traveler OP candj Traveler Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 2,114 Likes: 1 Southport, North Carolina, US Another article in the daily Herald on the seaweed clean-up: http://www.thedailyherald.com/index.php?...s&Itemid=54 Fair winds and following seas! SSN691-May She Ever Prowl The Seas in Defense of Human Freedom! SSN787-Preserving Peace, Prepared for War

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed candj #61390 07/15/2015 07:18 AM Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! Carol_Hill Traveler Carol_Hill Traveler Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! Hi. That's the same article I posted yesterday. Carol Hill

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed Carol_Hill #61391 07/19/2015 03:56 PM Joined: May 2013 Posts: 31 Southern Illinois Leslierx Traveler Leslierx Traveler Joined: May 2013 Posts: 31 Southern Illinois We were on island July 4-11. The one day we went to orient the seaweed was bad. We went to Pinel one day, and like others have said the smell of decaying seaweed in Cul de sac was terrible. We found simpson bay, mullet bay, and meads bay Anguilla to be seaweed free. The French side was also terribly brown due to lack of rain. Not sure why the Dutch side of the mountains looked greener.

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed Leslierx #61392 07/25/2015 04:07 PM Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 56 Connecticut C caeguy Traveler caeguy Traveler C Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 56 Connecticut Any recent reports on the seaweed situation? Last edited by caeguy; 07/25/2015 04:07 PM.

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed caeguy #61393 07/27/2015 06:34 AM Joined: Jul 2015 Posts: 10 T Tailgater Traveler Tailgater Traveler T Joined: Jul 2015 Posts: 10 Been on Club O section of beach the past two days and no problem at all. A fistful here and there in the water but nothing to speak of. Did not see other end of beach up close but did not notice any from a distance.

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed Tailgater #61394 07/27/2015 07:19 AM Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! Carol_Hill Traveler Carol_Hill Traveler Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! Have you been down past Pedro's at all? Would be interested to hear the status of the construction down there. Carol Hill

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed Carol_Hill #61395 07/28/2015 07:37 AM Joined: Jul 2015 Posts: 10 T Tailgater Traveler Tailgater Traveler T Joined: Jul 2015 Posts: 10 Drove through the parking lot area the other day. The building lot is cleared, with a big chain link fence around it and some construction equipment on site. But have not seen any building going on. Will take a better look today. On the seaweed -- was much worse Monday, especially the closer one got to Perch bar as opposed to Papagayo end. Still swimmable but was building up on sand and a nuisance for the first time in our three days here.

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed Tailgater #61396 07/28/2015 08:29 AM Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! Carol_Hill Traveler Carol_Hill Traveler Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! OK, thanks for the note, on both issues. Carol Hill

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed candj #61397 07/28/2015 08:41 AM Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! Carol_Hill Traveler Carol_Hill Traveler Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! According to a story in today's Daily Herald, which apparently is not online that I saw, the Prefecture is currently cleaning up Cul de Sac, which started on Saturday and is to run through tomorrow. Next up is a clean up of seaweed at Orient. The final disposition of the seaweed is supposed to be compost. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> Last edited by Carol_Hill; 07/28/2015 08:42 AM. Carol Hill

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed Carol_Hill #61398 07/28/2015 11:35 AM Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 19,490 Likes: 4 Auburn, WA SXMScubaman Traveler SXMScubaman Traveler Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 19,490 Likes: 4 Auburn, WA Here is the article. http://www.thedailyherald.com/index.php?...s&Itemid=54

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed SXMScubaman #61399 07/28/2015 11:52 AM Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! Carol_Hill Traveler Carol_Hill Traveler Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! Huh, ok, thanks. I didn't find it there earlier. Glad they tackled Cul de Sac first, as from all accounts, it was really bad there. Carol Hill

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed Carol_Hill #61400 07/31/2015 11:02 AM Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 301 St. Maarten Terrance Sponsor Terrance Sponsor Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 301 St. Maarten Hope they find a creative solution for this sargassum weed problem because it can be a great threat to our SXM tourism product. The latest I heard now is that the sargassum weed is now actually growing in the Caribbean. Order your flowers, bouquets and giftbaskets online at www.stmaartenflowers.com. We will deliver your flowers and gifts to hotels, villas, yachts, hospitals, residences, businesses and universities.

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed Terrance #61401 08/01/2015 02:46 PM Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 19,490 Likes: 4 Auburn, WA SXMScubaman Traveler SXMScubaman Traveler Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 19,490 Likes: 4 Auburn, WA Another article in todays paper. http://www.thedailyherald.com/index.php?...s&Itemid=54

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed SXMScubaman #61402 08/02/2015 01:14 PM Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,294 J january Traveler january Traveler J Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,294 I just read today that the whole Gulf of Mexico and the Tilium coast is now completely inundated.

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed january #61403 08/02/2015 01:35 PM Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! Carol_Hill Traveler Carol_Hill Traveler Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! OK, that is incorrect. To say that the whole Gulf of Mexico is inundated is just plain WRONG. Florida's Gulf coasts are definitely NOT completely inundated with seaweed. I actually don't know what the Tilium Coast is, will look it up. And for SXM even, there are certain beaches, like Simpson Bay and Mullett that currently have no seaweed issues, although Simpson Bay did have an issue in May, for sure. Carol Hill

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed Carol_Hill #61404 08/02/2015 01:45 PM Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! Carol_Hill Traveler Carol_Hill Traveler Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! OK, I did a quick Google search and I still don't know what the Tilium coast is?? Carol Hill

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed Carol_Hill #61405 08/02/2015 01:47 PM Joined: Apr 2001 Posts: 14,713 Likes: 1 Brookfield, CT. pat Traveler pat Traveler Joined: Apr 2001 Posts: 14,713 Likes: 1 Brookfield, CT. And for the record, when we were there in mid to late April, Mullet did have a few days when the seaweed was there although not to the degree many of the other beaches were covered with it. Respectfully, pat "Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed Carol_Hill #61406 08/02/2015 04:18 PM Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 19,490 Likes: 4 Auburn, WA SXMScubaman Traveler SXMScubaman Traveler Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 19,490 Likes: 4 Auburn, WA Quote Carol_Hill said: OK, I did a quick Google search and I still don't know what the Tilium coast is?? Poster probably meant to say Tullium (I'm not sure of spelling) which would be the shore on the western side of the Gulf of Mexico. Close to Cozumel. I find it hard to believe it would be effected that much also.

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed kim #61407 08/02/2015 05:20 PM Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 4,595 Likes: 2 Rhode Island RonDon Traveler RonDon Traveler Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 4,595 Likes: 2 Rhode Island Quote kim said: I hope they don't burry the seaweed. Just saw on the news that one theory to the beach explosion in Rhode Island that sent a 65 year old into the air could have been caused by methane gas buildup from buried seaweed!! That's not true. No buried seaweed. No seaweed problem here at all. They think it was from an abandoned cable that once fed the light at the end of the causeway.

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed SXMScubaman #61408 08/02/2015 05:21 PM Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! Carol_Hill Traveler Carol_Hill Traveler Joined: Aug 2000 Posts: 83,993 Likes: 4 Central Florida! Tulum? Carol Hill

Re: St. Martin take action against the Sargassum weed Carol_Hill #61409 08/02/2015 07:46 PM Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 19,490 Likes: 4 Auburn, WA SXMScubaman Traveler SXMScubaman Traveler Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 19,490 Likes: 4 Auburn, WA Yep, if that's the way it's spelled.