Scuba diving in Gulf of Mexico rivals Caribbean destinations

A magical place in the Gulf of Mexico, south of the Texas-Louisiana border has been discovered by Pam Leblanc, a news editor who writes about her scuba diving experience in an article for the Austin American-Statesman.

Published by Chron.com, an online digital magazine, Leblanc's article sheds light on a little known scuba diving paradise in the American state of Texas; the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Comprising 100 miles of underwater biodiversity sitting right in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, this amazing site can be described as one of the wildest, most beautiful marine wonders of the world, at the mercy of the unpredictable Gulf currents, which at times can be very unforgiving indeed.

From manta rays to whale sharks, octopuses, sea turtles giant coral heads larger than cars and hundreds of colourful sea creatures and invertebrates, the Flower Garden Banks are teeming with exotic life. All kinds of fish thrive here in an environment unlike any other where the underwater scenery changes completely depending on what time of year you venture out here to enjoy scuba diving holidays in the Gulf of Mexico, at exactly 115 miles south of the Texas-Louisiana border.

As Leblanc explains in her article, this glorious scuba diving site has only been recently discovered. "A century ago, only a few long-line fisherman knew about this place. They dubbed it the Flower Garden after the colourful, bloomlike bits of coral and sponge that turned up on their fishing hooks. In the 1930s it appeared on nautical charts, and by 1950 the first contour charts were produced.

Today the coral looks healthy and lush. Fishing is no longer permitted, and with just one commercial boat visiting the area regularly, things stay pretty pristine."

Special guided trips and scuba diving excursions are offered from February through October aboard a liveaboard boat that includes lunch. Those embarking on diving adventures at the Flower Garden Banks are briefed on what to expect before descending down to the azure depths of the gardens' waters.

"It's beautiful, in a strange way. I feel like I've parachuted onto the set of a science-fiction movie, or maybe the interior of a giant version of the old game KerPlunk. Pipes crisscross into oblivion above and below, and sunlight filters through it all, silhouetting divers hovering all around. Big fish cruise past, eyeballing us with curiosity." - Leblanc recalls when writing about her experience.

And if you, like Leblanc, where wondering about the clarity of the water and whether it can be compared to exotic Caribbean scuba diving destinations, your mind can be put at ease as she explains: "Today, at least, the visibility stretches between 75 and 100 feet, currents are minimal, and the water temperature is hovering in the mid-80s.

Best of all? No signs of sludgy oil. Crew members told us the oil spill didn't affect the Flower Garden because currents pulled the mess farther east."

If looking for alternatives to scuba diving destinations in the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico is a great option, with just as good warm waters and a vast array of colourful marine species, as fascinating as the ones you can find in the Caribbean. According to Pam Leblanc, schools of hammerheads can be found here in February and March, "and in late summer there's always a chance of spotting a whale shark, a plankton-eating giant that grows up to 40 feet in length. Manta rays cruise through now and then, too, flapping their kite-shaped wings."