Todos Santos Island Alert Guide

Baja California, Mexico · part of the Todos Santos Island spot guide

Todos Santos is forecast-only — no representative buoy — so this is a model-swell alert set at a high big-wave threshold. The height below is open-ocean; the submarine canyon roughly doubles it on the face. This is an extreme-consequence, expert and rescue-supported wave.

The forecaster's checklist

1. 1.Want the swell from the west to northwest (about 270–305°) within the window; straight northwest is the money direction.
2. 2.Period must be long — 16 seconds and up, ideally 18-to-22 — as that is what the canyon focuses; short-period swell will not build the face even at similar height.
3. 3.Reference a meaningful long-period open-ocean signal (the Tanner Bank-type reading), and remember the reef roughly doubles it on the face.
4. 4.Look for a light east or northeast offshore or glass; the island shelters the northwest wind, but you still want a clean easterly morning.
5. 5.Line up the boat out of Ensenada, a water-safety plan on size, mid-tide timing, and an expert crew — this is a boat-access, big-wave-only reef.

Local winds & tide

Best wind: E–NE offshore (island shelters NW wind) — from 22° to 112° (NNE–ESE).

The bay tidal range can approach ten feet; surf around mid tide as the general rule and watch the swing on big-range days, though swell size and period dominate over tide here.

Dial it in