Why there is no Sargassum on Panama Beaches

So it's Sunday morning, middle of winter, snow is on the ground, the wind is howling, roads frozen, and your dreams are of a delicious hot coffee to start the day. Moving the heavy duvet off your roasty toasty sleep nook and stepping barefoot onto the cold floor make you wish you had a butler to deliver what I consider the liquid of life. Not everyone can be so lucky as to have said butler so off you go to suffer through those frigid moments wrapped tightly in your robe; as if the tighter you try to wrap it, the warmer you will be, to impatiently await that incredible brew. That first sip brings you back to life and reminds you that you can, indeed, survive another day on this beautiful planet.

As your fingers thaw around that handmade pottery cradling your life giving morning brew, you see that long awaited email from yours truly to transport you to the exotic jungle paradise of Panama where it's warm, the sun is shining, and you fantasize about being on that beach or catching that wave.

Since teleportation has yet to materialize and your brain waves have been picked up by your social feeds, beautiful photos of tropical beaches have you scrolling, daydreaming, and distracting you from adulting, but wait...sar-what? Brown tide? Sea weed invasions? Sargassum covered beaches and inlets? Overwhelming smells of toxic farts while strolling the beach? Not inviting and just might make that white snow-covered mountain a wee smidge more enticing.

So, what am I talking about? Sargassum is a type of floating brown algae that plays an important role in ocean eco systems but is reeking havoc on Atlantic, Caribbean, and South American coastal communities where it's washing up on shores and floating in the waters in massive amounts. Not exactly the type of beach walk or turquoise water swim of your cold-climate winter escape desires.

But wait. What if I told you it's not on every beach...those warm, tropical destinations of your dreams still exist! Sargassum is currently contained to what is known as The Great Altlantic Sargassum Belt of which Panama is outside of kinda like the Hurricane belt - Panama is outside of that too! But we'll save that story for another day.

The Sargasso Sea and sargassum concentration areas of the Atlantic / Ocean 71

So, if swimming in tropical waters while being wrapped in weird, prickly, smelly, seaweed isn't your idea of a great holiday or Instagram photo yet, you still want an amazing place to get away, warm up, surf, swim, or just chill, away from the craziness of life for a bit, we, once again are waiting to welcome you with open arms over here on the Pacific - a lonnnnng way from the Sargasso Sea.

If you want to dive in a little deeper about this fascinating plant photo-bombing Carribean beach weddings, our good friends over at Waterlust got that covered for you. And, to further taunt you into coming to stay with us in Panama, a recent guest of ours was so kind as to take some pro drone footage of our sweet little eco-surf oasis that we hope you enjoy.

With love from Panama,

Cari & Ryan Mackey

Owners and hosts