Ponta do Ouro · Mozambique · Reef
Texas
Overhangs and arches on a shallow fossil-dune reef
Area photo: Derek Keats · CC BY 2.0
Texas is a large reef in 12 to 16 m off Ponta do Ouro, cut with overhangs and arches. Underwater Explorer groups it with the shallow reefs it dives rather than the advanced ones, which start at 18 m. Like the rest of the reefs on this coast it is fossilised coastal sand dune rather than coral rock, and it lies inside the Maputo National Marine Reserve.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Ponta do Ouro and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
Texas is a boat dive on the reefs off Ponta do Ouro, and Underwater Explorer groups it with its shallow reefs rather than its advanced ones: the reef sits in 12 to 16 m, and the operator's advanced list starts at 18 m. The centre offers those shallow reefs to Open Water students, and asks every diver for proof of certification before the first dive of a trip.
The structure is what the site is dived for. It is a large reef cut with overhangs and arches to work along, and the reefs here are not coral rock at all but fossilised coastal sand dune, which is what gives these sites their ledges and gaps. The shallow profile means the dive is bounded by the air in your cylinder rather than by depth, so there is time to move along the structure slowly.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
Season follows Ponta do Ouro: Resident dolphins are seen year-round; shark activity at Pinnacles and whale migration peak July-October.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Texas reef at Ponta do Ouro?+
The reef runs between 12 and 16 m, which puts it on Underwater Explorer's shallow-reef list rather than the advanced one, which starts at 18 m. It is shallow enough that the dive ends on air rather than on the profile.
Do you need an advanced certification for Texas?+
No. Underwater Explorer groups Texas with the shallow reefs it offers to Open Water students, and its advanced dives start at 18 m. All divers must show proof of certification before their first dive.
Sources
- Reef Diving — Underwater Explorer
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