Port Aransas & Corpus Christi · United States · Artificial reef
Mustang Island-828 Reef
Four-pile platform jacket rising from about 50 m of open Gulf water
Mustang Island-828 Reef is a four-pile oil platform jacket about 27 nautical miles (50 km) from Port Aransas, standing in approximately 50 m (165 ft) of water. Like the other Texas rigs it works as a vertical reef in open water. It is reached only by private charter, and the depth to the seabed makes it a dive for advanced divers.
Also known as Mustang Island 828.
Where it is and how deep
27.4489° N, 96.7631° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The trip starts with a chartered boat out of Port Aransas. The jacket lies about 27 nautical miles (50 km) offshore, relatively close to shore by the standard of Gulf platforms, but there is no scheduled dive boat, so a group of four or more usually shares the charter and its substantial fuel cost. The boat ties off at the structure and divers descend along it in open water.
The structure is a four-pile jacket standing in approximately 50 m (165 ft) of water. Rigs work as vertical reefs, so divers cover a large area with little effort.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Off-season |
Season follows Port Aransas & Corpus Christi: Diving runs from late spring to late autumn and peaks in summer; winter and early spring rarely suit offshore trips, and sea conditions change from day to day.
Know before you go
- The seabed lies at about 50 m (165 ft), so depth and gas need planning.
- This is open-ocean boat diving 27 nautical miles (50 km) offshore; currents are often light but can be moderate to strong on some days.
Questions divers ask
How far offshore is Mustang Island-828 Reef?+
The jacket lies about 27 nautical miles (50 km) from Port Aransas and is reached by chartered boat.
How deep is the water at Mustang Island-828 Reef?+
The four-pile jacket stands in approximately 50 m (165 ft) of water.
Sources
- The Gulf of Mexico's Hottest Diving Spots Are Decommissioned Oil Rigs — Smithsonian Magazine
- Where to Dive in Corpus Christi — Transformation Scuba
- Local Diving — Copeland's Inc.
- TPWD Artificial Reefs Hosted Data (ARData_Final) reef site centre points — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
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