TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Dust and Sargassum

We arrive tomorrow for a one-week charter. Any impact from the dust and sargassum?

I never found the dust to be a problem, but the sargassum is a big problem. It is everywhere, causing clogged water intakes and foul smells in the public water supply.

Several years back, there was so much dust that I could write my name on the deck. We're planning on mooring at Marina Cay and Cooper, and I know the Sargassum piles up on the east side of Cooper and on the shore at Camano behind Marina Cay.

Ratman has been on island for over a week. The first few days the dust was so bad he couldn't see other islands. The sargassum is so bad our community beach is unusable.

The dust has been coming and going since I got here ten days ago..but it has been dry..just a couple of light showers..had to fill the cistern today..No sargassum here on the north shore but stinky on the south side..

Thanks for the update; I appreciate it.

How is the sargassum at Nanny Cay? We’re planning a couple nights there this time next year (one before and one after our charter), specifically for the kids to use the beach and pool. Is that an issue currently?

Sargassum by Scrub Island this morning.

I would change plans for the north shore..plenty of beachfront options from Cane Garden Bay on west..I would not chance it..A coiple of nights at The Sugar Mill..clean small beach ( I was just there), lovely pool and great food in two onsite restaurants..hard to beat..and no sargassum at all on this side..

The beaches at Scrub and Marina Cay face west; the sargassum in the photo may end up in Trellis Bay, Little Mountain or Guana. And when the wind shifts, it can be gone in a day.

Thanks for the info all. For the night we arrive we have a bit more flexibility as we’ll have more time and a rental car. We plan to spend the following morning over on the West End of the north shore anyway. Sugar Mill is obviously a great option, but may be out of our price range and requirements for mom, dad and two young kids, but it’s admittedly an option I haven’t checked out so will look into it. It’s a great place for sure. We initially considered Heritage Inn as it’s been one of our favorites for some time, but with the kids, we thought Nanny Cay might be a more relaxing option with just more to do on property. On the last night, we really want an easy option close to Wickham’s 2 as possible so that mom and kids can hop off the boat and catch a cab to hotel while I finalize check out and then catch up with them.

Sebastian's is an option for a reasonable price..really reasonable is Rhymer's on CGB..basic but I love it ! Columbus on CGB is very nice too..

Bumping this to the top of the list. We arrive Monday to start our charter. Is there any "up to the minute" intel on the sargassum? Is it better or worse over the last couple of weeks?

None on the north shore but plenty on the south shore...

Been back a week, saw sargassum on the beach at Great Camano, but since the wind was easterly, we didn't smell it when on a mooring at Marina Cay. There was some inside the docks at Scrub, and it did smell as you walked by to the restaurants. There was some on the beach at Cooper between the rum bar and the restaurant, but it didn't smell. The staff rake it up in the morning. It did clog the watermaker's intake once.

Thank you for these updates!