Drowning on playa palmar

by Diesel, Sunday, March 19, 2023, 08:20 (196 days ago)

Is there any further info about the drowning on playa palmar about 2 or 3 weeks ago?

Drowning on playa palmar

by midalake @, Sunday, March 19, 2023, 08:31 (196 days ago) @ Diesel

Is there any further info about the drowning on playa palmar about 2 or 3 weeks ago?

There was one about 4 days ago too.
I also watched a rescue yesterday this woman was in trouble another minute and the outcome would have not been good.

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Drowning on playa palmar

by ZihuaRob ⌂ @, Zihuatanejo, México, Sunday, March 19, 2023, 08:52 (196 days ago) @ Diesel

Is there any further info about the drowning on playa palmar about 2 or 3 weeks ago?

Not sure what info you seek. Here's one of the local news articles:
http://www.vozihuatanejo.com.mx/reclaman-a-turista-que-se-ahogo-en-ixtapa/

There are drownings on our open-ocean beaches constantly due to the lack of signage and salvavidas. Playa Linda claimed another life the day before yesterday.

Drowning on playa palmar

by Diesel, Sunday, March 19, 2023, 10:22 (196 days ago) @ ZihuaRob

Yes,I believe that is the incident I was asking about. We were up the beach and saw it unfold. It looked to be serious but I hadn't heard anything more. So tragic. Those waves are really deceiving

Drowning on playa palmar

by IXTZIHUA, Sunday, March 19, 2023, 18:20 (196 days ago) @ Diesel

There's absolutely nothing deceiving whatsoever about those waves.

They come in pretty high continuously with a loud thundering crash, and the pulling out is felt very strong to where you can feel it even if you are only ankle to knee deep.

I use to go out relatively far and try timing the waves and body swimming in on the top of crest without a board or what not. When you catch them just right it feels so cool up high and is a lot of fun as you ride it in.
But when you don't time it you better decide fast to duck under and come out on other side or you'll be tossing n tumbling under water for a bit and can get pretty banged up.....or worse.

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Drowning on playa palmar

by frostbite @, Hamilton MT, Monday, March 20, 2023, 09:24 (195 days ago) @ IXTZIHUA

Went for a swim once in Puerto Escondido. The waves looked fine. When wading back to shore, a huge one appeared behind me and knocked me ass-over-teakettle. When I got back on my feet, my shorts were down around my ankles. Fortunately, they weren't gone all together, since the beach was quite crowded.

Drowning on playa palmar

by Quadra Paul @, British Columbia, Monday, March 20, 2023, 10:06 (195 days ago) @ frostbite

Never turn your back on the Ocean! It happened to me once in Tofino BC. A friend and I were body surfing in wet suits, had our backs turned in thigh deep water. We got hit with a "Rogue Wave" which came from a totally different direction and was twice as big!

Drowning on playa palmar

by Ironwood @, Monday, March 20, 2023, 11:20 (195 days ago) @ Quadra Paul

Never turn your back on the Ocean! It happened to me once in Tofino BC. A friend and I were body surfing in wet suits, had our backs turned in thigh deep water. We got hit with a "Rogue Wave" which came from a totally different direction and was twice as big!

Others have noted the relative safety of ocean swimming on La Ropa compared to open-sea beaches like Playas Palmar, Larga or Blanca.
That said, I almost drowned right in front of the Embarc on La Ropa a few years ago.
Under certain conditions, waves at that spot can come at you from two directions: normal frontal waves from the bay opening, but also from the side, towards La Madera. If it happens to coincide with a "mar fondo", watch out. In my case I was fortunate there was a rope extending out from the shore that I was able to grab. Although I'm a decent swimmer, I had panicked, rather than simply letting the strong side current carry me a few hundred yards down the beach, toward Paty's. Lesson learned.

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Drowning on playa palmar

by mosesk @, Ojai, CA, USA, Monday, March 20, 2023, 17:06 (195 days ago) @ Ironwood

Never turn your back on the Ocean! It happened to me once in Tofino BC. A friend and I were body surfing in wet suits, had our backs turned in thigh deep water. We got hit with a "Rogue Wave" which came from a totally different direction and was twice as big!


Others have noted the relative safety of ocean swimming on La Ropa compared to open-sea beaches like Playas Palmar, Larga or Blanca.
That said, I almost drowned right in front of the Embarc on La Ropa a few years ago.
Under certain conditions, waves at that spot can come at you from two directions: normal frontal waves from the bay opening, but also from the side, towards La Madera. If it happens to coincide with a "mar fondo", watch out. In my case I was fortunate there was a rope extending out from the shore that I was able to grab. Although I'm a decent swimmer, I had panicked, rather than simply letting the strong side current carry me a few hundred yards down the beach, toward Paty's. Lesson learned.

I'm not certain about this but my condo administrator has also alerted me to a rip in Playa Madera. It is toward the Playa Principal end.

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Drowning on playa palmar

by Talley Ho @, Playa la Ropa, Monday, March 20, 2023, 19:30 (195 days ago) @ mosesk

Rip's change constantly. You can't just point to one and expect it to be there on a regular basis. Yes, rips are very visible and regular here, at least on la Ropa, but read this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rip_current

Drowning on playa palmar

by IXTZIHUA, Sunday, March 19, 2023, 18:27 (196 days ago) @ ZihuaRob

I truly don't think much signage is needed ZR, it's a common sense issue.

U can walk in only to your knees or less and feel a hard pull out. That and as I mentioned in other comment you can visually see the size and hear the ferocious pounding when they crash in.

You can post 3 signs per hotel on the beach with warnings and people will still do stupid shit regardless.

Drowning on playa palmar

by Yandosan, Sunday, March 19, 2023, 23:39 (195 days ago) @ IXTZIHUA

I often have dreams of rescuing hapless swimmers, and pulling them to terra firma. A Catcher in the Tide, if you will.

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Drowning on playa palmar

by Talley Ho @, Playa la Ropa, Monday, March 20, 2023, 09:11 (195 days ago) @ Diesel

Back when the buses were allowed to come out to Playa la Ropa, we really enjoyed watching the bus people. That term is not meant derogatorily, simply a convenient term.

Many of the people had never seen the ocean before, much less played in the waves. There was always a small percentage that didn't have bathing costumes and played in their clothes. Then, there would be those, often men, who would drink enough to get brave enough to get in the water, and periodically get in trouble.

Fortunately, drownings are less common in the bay because typically there is less wave action, and more people who are capable of lending a hand.

In our opinion, the issue is simply a case of never being exposed to the ocean, and visiting on an open ocean beach. It's a shame that people die because of their lack of experience and knowledge. Solution? There probably isn't one.

"Bus people" enjoying themselves

by Ironwood @, Monday, March 20, 2023, 11:01 (195 days ago) @ Talley Ho

Back when the buses were allowed to come out to Playa la Ropa, we really enjoyed watching the bus people. That term is not meant derogatorily, simply a convenient term.

On a lighter note, one of our fondest memories of Zihua was the day we attended a regular Wednesday afternoon performance of the wonderful Zihua group, "Solo Tres", at El Pirata on La Ropa. That particular afternoon, a whole busload of "bus people" crowded El Pirata such that there wasn't a seat to be had: standing room only. The huge crowd had a ball!......singing along word for word with every well-known folk song, bolero or "romantico" from an energized Solo Tres. The small dance floor was packed. For well over an hour it was fascinating to see the uninhibited joy of the crowd. Then, on cue, the bus people rose to leave. Solo Tres continued with their wonderful music, but it felt like a spark of life had left the room.