The crystal clear waters of the Caribbean sea are hard to resist! No matter what age you are, or how experienced you may be, the sea is an interesting place that take anyone by surprise! What we do love about the east coast of Mexico is the relative calmness of the ocean compared to other vacation destinations. When you end up in one of the many bays, or in Playa del Carmen, or find yourself at the beach on a north wind day when the seas are extra flat, water safety is still important!
What you won’t find in the Caribbean Sea in the Rivera Maya
Your will not find riptides on 85% of the coast. You will not find sharks close to the shore and there are many places were rocks are nowhere to be seen. You will not find hot sand that burns your feet, you will not find lifeguards at every beach! Without a life guard on every beach, it is important to be extra cautious with your kids and how far they choose to swim. Playa del Carmen, the north beach in Tulum, and Akumal all have lifeguards for the beaches but they are limited. Swim close to shore and it you are not a big swimmer, wear a life vest. Waves will not get to big, this is a not a surfers paradise so swimming can be done every day! Playa del Carmen and the bays are protected by natural reef systems or in the case of Playa, the island of Cozumel so high waves just don’t happen very often.
What you will find in the Caribbean Sea in the Riviera Maya
Clear waters that will let you know if rocks are around. You can easily avoid any rocks when you can see the bottom of the sea anywhere you step! You will find that there are no sudden drops in the sea floor and in some places you can walk out for ever! YOu will see fish, you will see turtles, you will see sea urchins, but the nice thing is you will see all of this with the naked eye. Put on a scuba mask and you will see even more! Some of the more popular beaches have designated swimming areas where only people not boats can play. If you are venturing out in waters that are for boats and people, keep an eye out and snorkelers, bring a surface buoy with you so boats can see you in the open sea.
Water safety while around the sea and in the Riviera Maya
Use local guides for sea excursions so you find all the good stuff fast. The reef can be over 500 meters from shore and swimming out that far is not recommended.
If you are in the open seas off the shore, have a water buoy so others can see you, and wear a life vest
Introduce your kids to swimming lessons before you arrive. Increase their water confidence and have then learned basic water safety. Even if kids are not planning on swimming, we love to see them running around in life vests and water wings…just in case!
Do a refresher course in CPR before you come on vacation so you are fully equipped with CPR knowledge. Local dive centers are all CPR certified and many are CPR instructors but a refresher course is useful. If anything it just boosts your confidence level, for your own family or someone else’s family member.
The sea has a mind of its own. Water safety is just prudent and good safety measures. Millions of people enjoy the water all year round, but water safety is important….I love my family and want them to have a great time at the beach! Check out some of the various beaches and seafront areas in the Riviera Maya. The sea is gorgeous and hard to resist….but why would you when you know about water safety! YOur kids will be experts by the end of their vacation!