MND Local: Fishing, celebrations and storms in Baja California Sur
In Baja California Sur, September is a month of celebrations and storms. The former, like those in towns and cities across Mexico, are largely Independence-themed, with parades on Sept. 16 after regional politicians have delivered the iconic grito on Sept. 15, a symbolic reenactment of Miguel Hidalgo’s call to arms in Dolores, Guanajuato, in 1810.
In addition to the civic celebrations, there are also many parties … particularly in Los Cabos, which can turn any civic holiday into an excuse for fine dining or revelry. Hilton Los Cabos, for example, is hosting a “Viva Mexico” dinner at onsite restaurant Talavera on Sept. 15; Grand Fiesta Americana is spotlighting dinner and live music at its Independence celebration on the same day; and at El Squid Roe, “tequila and margaritas flow” as DJs and live entertainment are featured across all three levels of the signature Cabo San Lucas nightclub on the eve of Independence Day.
Epic Viva México Celebration at El Squid Roe Cabo! 🎉🌮
September storms and rainfall
September is traditionally the month when Baja California Sur residents take their vacations. Not only because it’s a slow month for tourism, but also because it’s a good month to be somewhere else.
It’s the month when hurricanes are most likely to hit and to be most potent. Of the 10 strongest hurricanes ever to hit Baja California Sur (measured by sustained wind speed), seven of them struck in September. But even if it’s one of the fortunate years without damaging tropical storms, there’s no dodging the rain.
Baja California Sur gets less rain than any state in Mexico each year (176 millimeters, or about 6.9 inches). But you wouldn’t know it in September. That’s because the state gets nearly 40% of its annual rainfall (71.6 millimeters) during this single month, per data from Mexico’s national weather service. In Los Cabos, the percentages are even higher, with almost half of annual precipitation falling in September.
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That’s on average. During strong storms, the amount of rain can dwarf the average annual rainfall. The best example of this comes from Hurricane Juliette in 2001, when Caduaño and Santiago — small communities in Los Cabos — were deluged with more than three feet of rain (39.8 inches), the most intense downpour ever measured in the state.
Nothing so dramatic has happened so far this year, although the maximum rainfall from Hurricane Marie in Los Cabos (66.3 millimeters in El Tezal) was equivalent to about 32% of the municipality’s average annual rainfall.
The rainbow that follows
September can be a challenging month due to storms and the attendant fallout — from flooding to power outages — but it’s also transformative, as rains turn the brown landscape a vibrant green.
The speed of this color change is amazing. Palo blanco, palo verde and other trees, which have dropped their leaves to conserve water during the long, hot summer, flush with new leaves within a matter of days following September rains. A mass flowering likewise occurs as many native species of wildflowers, grasses and vines burst into bloom simultaneously.
Resurrection shrubs like palo Adán, ocotillo and the Baja fairy duster (Calliandra californica) also spring back to life, sprouting not only leaves but vivid pink and red blossoms, while stately cardón and organ pipe cacti swell in size as they absorb and store precious water, giving the landscape a new dimension.
This transformation is a kind of foreshadowing of that of the tourism high season, which begins in October.
High tourism season draws near
October is now only a few weeks away, promising some of Los Cabos’ biggest annual events. Sammy Hagar’s annual birthday bashes at Cabo Wabo Cantina, a local tradition since 1990, return … along with the attendant lines, as Redheads line up around the block for a chance to purchase limited dinner show tickets, sold on a first-come, first-served basis. This year’s shows, as usual, are scheduled for Oct. 9, 11 and 13.
The biggest events in October, however, are the two Bisbee-sponsored fishing tournaments: The Los Cabos Offshore and Black and Blue (aka “The Super Bowl of Fishing”). These are scheduled for Oct. 12-17 and Oct. 19-24, respectively, and offer a chance for fishing glory for those who hook enormous black and blue marlin or other approved billfish and game fish species, but also enormous amounts of prize money.
The Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore, which kicked off Bisbee’s annual trio of tournaments in Los Cabos in August, boasted a prize pool of US $1.6 million this year … and that was the warm-up event. The Black and Blue, in particular, has topped eight figures before, with a world-record in excess of US $11 million in 2022, while the Los Cabos Offshore reached more than US $2.7 million last year.
Fishing tournament returns in La Paz
Those are the headliners, but not the only fishing tournament on the October calendar. In the state capital of La Paz, the La Paz Fishing Tournament returns for its second edition on Oct. 18, with a prize pool of 200,000 pesos for those who boat the biggest marlin.
Chris Sands is a writer and editor for Mexico News Daily, and the former Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best and writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook. He has also contributed to numerous other websites and publications, including The San Diego Union-Tribune, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise and Travel, and Cabo Living.
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