Cabo San Lucas is a land of debauchery. Tourists roaming the streets, sunburnt like lobsters, carrying large plastic cocktails, watered-down tequila shots poured straight from the bottle, wet t-shirt competitions, and of course, the annual influx of spring breakers.
But it’s not all Las Vegas party vibes on the southern tip of Baja.
With wide-open access to all Southern Pacific Ocean swell activity, Cabo is home to heavy, large, primarily shorebreak surf. Add in motorized aquatic vehicles, and for some visitors, that can spell trouble. Like this woman below, who got absolutely wrecked while attempting to navigate a jet ski to shore amidst some mutant shorebreak waves.
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The video shows the woman, unnamed, hit the throttle ahead of a sizable wave, aiming the PWC towards shore. She outruns the wave for a few moments, before the wall of whitewater consumes her. From there, she’s bucked off the ski, and sent into the washing machine. Luckily, some locals were on deck to rush to the woman’s safety in the aftermath.
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According to The Cabo Sun: “In the dramatic clip, the woman is thrown from the watercraft. She is then forced to dodge her own rented jet ski as it’s tossed around by the storm surge, repeatedly threatening to crush her. The ordeal, which officials confirm happened while beaches were officially closed, has prompted urgent warnings about respecting safety protocols.”
Local officials also used this near-tragedy as an opportunity to warn visitors of the potential dangers when visiting Cabo, and knowing their limits in the ocean.
“The safety systems we have in place, especially the beach flags, are there for a life-or-death reason. A black flag means stay out of the water. There are no exceptions,” an official said. “This incident could have very easily ended in tragedy. You must be honest with yourself about your skill level. The Pacific is not a lake. If you have any doubt about the conditions or your ability to handle the watercraft, do not go out. It is that simple.”
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