All Los Cabos Beaches Now Closed Due To Life-Threatening Conditions

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Last Updated 8 months ago

Black flags currently cover virtually all the beaches on the Cabo shoreline. Even those beaches that don’t feature these signs have been effectively closed off to the public due to the imminent arrival of Hurricane Hilary.

The port of Los Cabos was officially closed Thursday afternoon as well. Meaning there will likely be no water-based activities for tourists in Los Cabos this weekend. 

Under current conditions, local authorities are expecting that many Cabo beaches will see waves of up to 22 feet high.

With wind gusts reaching up to almost 50 mph as the hurricane approaches Cabo. Authorities sent out a special warning to surfers who may have wanted to risk their lives in search of the perfect wave.

They even enlisted the help of the local surfing association and the municipal sports director to send a message to the surfing community.

The popular local surf instructor known as “Cayito” sent out a message warning about the potential consequences of heading out to look for big waves, saying, 

“It is important that surfers follow the recommendations issued by Civil Protection … Sometimes, in search of the biggest, highest or longest wave, they take a risk, but the consequences can be catastrophic.”

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Why Cabo Beaches May Be Even Riskier Within The Context Of A Hurricane

The large waves and the strong winds are certainly enough to ensure that most people stay away from the beaches.

However, the popular surf instructor also talked about a particular aspect that’s somewhat unique to Cabo beaches and makes them even more dangerous under these conditions.

That is the fact that a lot of Cabo beaches are filled with rocks on the seafloor.

Surfers or just regular beachgoers that are trying to tame the waves may be at risk of being dragged into the ocean due to the strong currents while also potentially injuring themselves with one of these rocks on the seafloor or even near the shore.    

To finish off his statement, the popular surf coach mentioned that it’s never recommended that people go into the ocean when conditions are uncertain.

He would go on to add that it’s also not a good idea to swim on a beach with nobody else around. This second statement is a great warning sign for people as the storm draws closer.

Currently, there may be civil protection staff on most of the popular beaches in Los Cabos to ensure that no one is going into the water.

If conditions continue to worsen, it’s likely that even this staff will be ordered away from the beach and into safe spaces.

This means there will likely be no lifeguards or even members of the police on duty to try and orchestrate a rescue of anyone who deliberately ignored the warning signs. 

21 Shelters Have Been Set Up Around Los Cabos 

Apart from closing the beaches, local authorities have also set up 21 shelters across the region so that if conditions get too severe, locals and tourists can leave their oceanfront properties and head further inland, where they will be safer.

It’s important to point out that tourists staying at local hotels are not going to have to worry about finding the shelter that’s closest to them.

Local hotels have a protocol for these types of situations. In most cases, guests are able to stay on hotel property but may be moved to a higher floor or one of the conference rooms that the hotel has. If they are eventually evacuated to a shelter, hotel staff will guide them through the process. 

For people staying in vacation homes, that will not be the case. These travelers are advised to follow the instructions that local authorities will provide through social media.

Recently, it was also announced that these shelters would not be set up at local sporting facilities. Public schools will serve as shelters in most cases.

For travelers staying in vacation homes, locating their nearest shelter before conditions worsen is a great way to be prepared for the arrival of Hurricane Hilary.