Across the world, public water swimming areas are often marked with a flag warning system. It’s a good idea to learn what they all mean and look out for them. Otherwise, you may end up in the kind of danger this woman found herself in on a Mexican beach.
The video posted to TikTok shows Miranda Sharpe joyfully swanning around in the crystal clear waters of Mexico’s Riviera Maya. The stunning blue skies and wonderful landscape are only darkened by an ominous black flag waving on the shore.
Oblivious at the time of shooting the video, Sharpe swings the camera around. However, overlayed on the shot are the words, “Me being oblivious.” Before she uploaded the video, she had questioned a local hotel about the black flag.
They were hesitant to tell her what the reason for it was, worried it would affect their sales. But, after some prying, they let her know that the black flag meant the beach was considered a serious danger. There had been a crocodile sighting in the Riviera Maya.
Black Flag Equals Danger For Mexican Beachgoer
I am not sure what she thought the black flag indicated, whether it was just supposed to be pirates or riptides. Either way, it should have been a sure sign to stay out of the water. There are plenty of nasty things living in Mexican waters to be aware of.
@mirandasharpe Black flag= predator in water.. now I know why I was getting called Crocodile Dundee… #fyp #foryoupage #mexico #travel #beach #crocodile ♬ Oh No – Kreepa
Crocodiles and alligators love the brackish waters that exist around the coasts. The warm waters of Mexico are the perfect place for them to grow to enormous sizes and pose a real danger to any unaware beachgoer.
Many people online were shocked at how oblivious she was to the dangers of swimming at a black flag beach. “Black flag = DO NOT swim or enter the water!” Captain Hindsight added. However, this beachgoer wasn’t the only person who had no idea of the flag system used.
“Lolll me and my husband on honeymoon in Mexico obliviously to the flag flying high color is like high winds or something in us so didn’t think of it but then locals are like nooo crocs in water they have a flag for CROCS IN WATER we didn’t even know they were common in Mexico.”
Next time you take a dip, keep an eye out for any flags. Who knows what dangers the water holds?