If you have wondered why tons of sargassum have been washing up on St. Martin shores for the last decade, now you can find out. The story is told in the new book, Suddenly Sargassum! The book was produced by the Les Fruits de Mer association and explores many aspects of this mysterious seaweed.
“The sudden arrival of sargassum in St. Martin is a big story,” said author Mark Yokoyama.
“In recent years, we’ve learned about the unseen forces that bring sargassum here each year. We’ve also seen how it impacts people and nature.”
Suddenly, Sargassum! reveals many facets of this unusual seaweed. It includes guides to the creatures that depend on it, both in the sea and on the land. It outlines the process that brings sargassum blooms to St. Martin. It investigates the impacts of sargassum and even how it inspires art.
To launch the book, a free book giveaway event will be held on Saturday, October 1st at Amuseum Naturalis at The Old House in French Quarter from 9am to noon. Free copies of the book will be available in both English and French. A new exhibit about sargassum will also be launched.
The book was researched and written over the past year. Vivid photos reveal an entire world of life that is hidden in the sargassum, from microscopic sea creatures to birds that have learned to hunt and forage in it.
This book and the exhibit were produced with the financial support of the Office francais de la biodiversité, through a micro-project grant from Te Me Um. As part of the project, free copies of the book will be distributed to local schools, libraries and other institutions.