Playa Olas Altas
January 2009
Because of its proximity to our apartment, we have adopted as our local beach the Playa Olas Altas. Olas Altas, bound on the south end by shields symbolizing the State of Sinaloa and the City of Mazatlan, is the beach associated with the zona del Centro Historico of Mazatlan. The stretch of the malecon abutting Olas Altas (the promenade bordering17 to 21 kilometers, depending on your source, of beach in Mazatlan) serves as the center for Carnival celebrations in town (which are touted as the third largest in the world). The beach is situated in a cove which was formed in the late 1800s when it was separated from the southern Playa Sur buy a substantial filling project to aid the port operations. The seawall behind Olas Altas was constructed shortly thereafter in an effort to buffer the substantial wave action of the beach and thus allowing development of the historic downtown area.
We ourselves have witnessed the effects of this wave action. Upon our arrival in Mazatlan, the northern half of the beach consisted of wide, high, gradually descending, dry sand, well above the reach of the normal tides. However a few windy and cloudy days have all but eroded away this dry sand, exposing large rocks and creating a four foot cliff between the now extremely narrow stretch of dry sand which remains against the sea wall and the rest of the beach. The eroded sand has been largely redeposited several meters into the water, creating a shallow sand bar and tide pools at low tide. While we were sad to lose our ideal spot, we figure there are worse problems to have and have moved farther south on the beach.
The beach as seen when we first arrived
A few weeks later
Current, eroded conditions
Olas Altas is well suited for standard beach activities and is quite empty, especially since the holidays have passed. The active surf is popular among surfers and boogie-borders but the currents are not too strong to prevent casual swimming. Marine life is abundant with jumping fish, always a few fishermen, several crab species scurrying about the beach and rocks, frigate birds and gulls. Although not the best beach for actual beach combing, there are some small shells and the sand is quite smooth underfoot and seems to be a popular jogging spot for local boxers in training. There is however, an ample supply of canines on the beach so one should be wary of their deposits. It is utilized by locals and tourists alike with many folks socializing along the seawall. Occasionally a pastry salesman may pass along the beach but most groups either come prepared or hop over to the adjacent stores or restaurants for any needed refreshments. Beaches and stretches of the malecon north of Olas Altas are characterized by significantly more souvenir and snack vendors - a characteristic which perhaps helps maintain the more local and tranquil nature of Olas Altas.
The southern end of the Olas Altas Cove
Because of its proximity to our apartment, we have adopted as our local beach the Playa Olas Altas. Olas Altas, bound on the south end by shields symbolizing the State of Sinaloa and the City of Mazatlan, is the beach associated with the zona del Centro Historico of Mazatlan. The stretch of the malecon abutting Olas Altas (the promenade bordering17 to 21 kilometers, depending on your source, of beach in Mazatlan) serves as the center for Carnival celebrations in town (which are touted as the third largest in the world). The beach is situated in a cove which was formed in the late 1800s when it was separated from the southern Playa Sur buy a substantial filling project to aid the port operations. The seawall behind Olas Altas was constructed shortly thereafter in an effort to buffer the substantial wave action of the beach and thus allowing development of the historic downtown area.
We ourselves have witnessed the effects of this wave action. Upon our arrival in Mazatlan, the northern half of the beach consisted of wide, high, gradually descending, dry sand, well above the reach of the normal tides. However a few windy and cloudy days have all but eroded away this dry sand, exposing large rocks and creating a four foot cliff between the now extremely narrow stretch of dry sand which remains against the sea wall and the rest of the beach. The eroded sand has been largely redeposited several meters into the water, creating a shallow sand bar and tide pools at low tide. While we were sad to lose our ideal spot, we figure there are worse problems to have and have moved farther south on the beach.
The beach as seen when we first arrived
A few weeks later
Current, eroded conditions
Olas Altas is well suited for standard beach activities and is quite empty, especially since the holidays have passed. The active surf is popular among surfers and boogie-borders but the currents are not too strong to prevent casual swimming. Marine life is abundant with jumping fish, always a few fishermen, several crab species scurrying about the beach and rocks, frigate birds and gulls. Although not the best beach for actual beach combing, there are some small shells and the sand is quite smooth underfoot and seems to be a popular jogging spot for local boxers in training. There is however, an ample supply of canines on the beach so one should be wary of their deposits. It is utilized by locals and tourists alike with many folks socializing along the seawall. Occasionally a pastry salesman may pass along the beach but most groups either come prepared or hop over to the adjacent stores or restaurants for any needed refreshments. Beaches and stretches of the malecon north of Olas Altas are characterized by significantly more souvenir and snack vendors - a characteristic which perhaps helps maintain the more local and tranquil nature of Olas Altas.
The southern end of the Olas Altas Cove
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