Balandra Hides a Phenomenon That Has Claimed Lives in Its Waters

Not to alarm you, but awareness is key

With the arrival of the Easter holidays, Balandra Beach has become one of the most visited destinations in Baja California Sur. Known as one of the most beautiful beaches in the country, it also harbors a natural phenomenon that has led to fatal incidents: the deep zone, popularly called the “Balandra Trench.”

Located at the entrance of the bay, farthest from the beach, this area presents a challenge for those unfamiliar with tidal dynamics while also playing a crucial role in the ecosystem’s balance.

This hidden danger has disoriented and claimed the lives of several tourists, yet it remains a stable natural phenomenon that has existed for millennia.

Balandra is a semi-enclosed coastal system where water exchanges with the sea through a deep channel. This phenomenon, driven by the interaction between sedimentation and tidal flow, occurs naturally. During rising tides, water flows in from the Gulf of California and collects in the Balandra Lagoon. When the tide recedes, the flow reverses, funneling water through the deep zone.

According to Professor Leonardo Álvarez, a specialist in coastal systems, this underwater depression is part of a geological process that has remained unchanged for thousands of years.

“This not only creates a localized current but also generates an eddy,” he explains.

Unlike other marine currents that pull swimmers out to sea, Balandra’s water moves in a concentrated flow within the deep channel, which can disorient inexperienced swimmers.

“It’s not that the water actively ‘pulls’ people under, but if someone gets caught in this flow without strong swimming skills, they can quickly become exhausted and panic.”

The deep area of Balandra is easy to recognize by its water color. While most of the bay is a light turquoise due to its shallow depth, the trench appears a darker blue. Despite this noticeable difference, many visitors underestimate the risk.

Experts advise against crossing the bay during changing tides, recommend wearing a life jacket for those who are not strong swimmers, and stress the importance of following park rangers’ instructions and posted warnings.

Real-time tide monitoring systems, used at other beaches with similar risks, could provide valuable safety information for swimmers. Implementing such a system here would be ideal.