Zofemat raises red flags on Los Cabos beaches over sea conditions
The measure applies Tuesday on beaches in San José del Cabo, Cabo San Lucas and the north zone, such as El Médano, Santa María, El Chileno, Costa Azul and Palmilla; authorities ask people not to enter the water.
The Los Cabos Municipal Coordination of the Federal Maritime-Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat) raised red flags on beaches across the municipality this Tuesday, August 18, 2026, due to sea conditions, meaning it is not safe to carry out water activities. The advisory covers beaches in San José del Cabo, Cabo San Lucas and the north zone.
The listed beaches include El Médano, Santa María, El Chileno, El Tule, Costa Azul, Acapulquito, Palmilla, Las Palmas, La Playa, El Corsario, La Gaviota and La Ribera, among others. The agency asked people to avoid entering the sea and to follow lifeguards' instructions at all times.
Zofemat said these measures are meant, above all, to protect the safety of residents and visitors. The red flag typically accompanies heavy-swell episodes like the one keeping the Cabo San Lucas port closed to small-boat navigation this Tuesday.
The flag system is a simple visual guide: green means calm water, yellow caution, red danger and no swimming, and black a closed beach. A red flag at El Médano —the busiest and normally swimmable beach in Cabo San Lucas— is a clear sign that currents and swell are outside the usual range.
As practical guidance, it is best to respect the signals even if the sea looks calm between wave sets, keep children in sight at the shoreline and, if someone is caught in a rip current, not to swim against it: swim parallel to the beach until out of the pull and then head to shore. Any beach emergency should be reported to 911 or to the nearest lifeguard.
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