Dangerous rip currents make swimming at Todos Santos beaches unadvisable. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

Walking for miles on a wide-open beach brings me incredible joy. Looking at that vast ocean that is too dangerous to swim in makes me a little sad.

While it’s more love than hate with this situation, it’s still frustrating at times because I love the water.

But this is the reality in Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

If the rip current weren’t so strong, this beach would be inundated with people. While that would not necessarily be a bad thing, it would change my experience at this oasis.

There’s something about looking at this expansive area. Walking it. Sitting to enjoy the waves, the whales and natural sounds. It really is one of my happy places. I’m not sure if it would still be if it were crowded.

That’s not to say I don’t enjoy crowded beaches. I do. They are great for playing. To swim, body surf, boogie board—even people watch. I was able to do all of those things in Nuevo Nayarit, Mexico, on the mainland days before arriving in Todos Santos.

The beach in Todos Santos, Mexico, seldom has many people on it. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

Todos Santos beaches, to me, are for walking, talking, thinking, contemplating—and just being.

Swimming and surfing are possible south of town in Cerritos; and even north of Todos Santos people were surfing at La Pastora earlier this month.

These rip currents, though, aren’t something to take for granted no matter how good of a swimmer you are.

“Rip currents are often referred to as drowning machines by lifeguards and are the leading cause of rescues for people in the surf,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s website. “They are particularly dangerous for weak or non-swimmers, but a strong rip current is a hazard for even experienced swimmers. Rip current speeds are typically 1-2 feet per second, but speeds as high as 8 feet per second have been measured. That is faster than an Olympic swimmer.”

NOOA’s website goes on to say, “The United States Lifesaving Association estimates that the annual number of deaths due to rip currents on our nation’s beaches exceeds 100. Rip currents account for over 80 percent of rescues performed by surf beach lifeguards.”

That’s on U.S. beaches; not Mexico or cumulative for the world.