Skip to content
Map of Port Isabel Reef
Add the first photo
IntermediateBoat entry

Port Isabel Reef

Texas, United States
AOW suggestedTexas Gulf reef, rig and Flower Garden Banks diving is overwhelmingly far offshore and boat-access only22 m (72 ft) depthBoat entry3mm wetsuit typical

Boat dive — see Entry & access.

Port Isabel Reef at a glance

Port Isabel Reef is an intermediate boat dive site in Texas, United States with depths of up to 21.9 m (72 ft). Typically most favorable Aug · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Great barracuda, Atlantic spadefish, and Gray (mangrove) snapper. Recent reports put the water around 26°C (80°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Favorable window now· until 19:00 · sunset 18:51

Forecast for this hour · 17:00 · run 5 h ago
0.8 m (2.7 ft)waves — under a meter expected (waves — about three feet expected)

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 26°C · seasonal avg 28°C ( · Forecast 80°F · seasonal avg 83°F)

Site hazards: Texas Gulf reef, rig and Flower Garden Banks diving is overwhelmingly far offshore and boat-access only

Read the full hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Smallest waves: Sat
Sun13:00–19:00 favorable

0.8 m waves · 12 kn wind (2.6 ft waves · 12 kn wind)

Mon8:00–19:00 favorable

0.7 m waves · 8 kn wind (2.4 ft waves · 8 kn wind)

Tue8:00–19:00 favorable

0.9 m waves · 12 kn wind (3.0 ft waves · 12 kn wind)

Wed8:00–19:00 favorable

0.7 m waves · 13 kn wind (2.3 ft waves · 13 kn wind)

Thu8:00–19:00 favorable

0.9 m waves · 10 kn wind (2.8 ft waves · 10 kn wind)

Fri8:00–19:00 favorable

0.8 m waves · 10 kn wind (2.6 ft waves · 10 kn wind)

Sat8:00–19:00 favorable

0.6 m waves · 8 kn wind (2.1 ft waves · 8 kn wind)

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

Every forecast dive window each day, site-local time, from wave and wind forecasts. Numbers under each bar are daylight averages.

First light 7:09 · Sunrise 7:32 · Sunset 18:51 · some windows run past sunset

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 10 km from site · updated 25 Oct, 12:24 GMT-5

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Compare this weekend’s windows near Port Isabel Reef

Forecast · NOAA tide model

Tide & slack timing

Loading tide predictions

Recent diver reports

Dated firsthand observations from divers — not current conditions.

No diver reports for this site yet. — one dated observation helps every diver after you.

Dived here today — did the forecast match?

What Divers Say

Known for: Great barracuda, Atlantic spadefish, Gray (mangrove) snapper
Best time: The prime summer dive season runs May through October, when seas are calmest and water clearest; Flower Garden Banks also has a winter season February-April. Whale shark encounters are a July-September phenomenon, coral mass-spawning occurs about 7-10 days after the August full moon, and spotted eagle ray and hammerhead schooling is a January-March feature. Calm, beginner-suitable conditions offshore are rare - plan for current.

Based on community reviews and site data. Conditions vary — always verify before diving.

Best months, historically

What conditions have historically been typical at this site, month by month — not a forecast.

  1. January, 33% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 18°C (64°F), waves have typically been 1.6 m (5.4 ft), wind has typically been 20 knots
  2. February, 47% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 18°C (65°F), waves have typically been 1.5 m (4.8 ft), wind has typically been 18 knots
  3. March, 53% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 21°C (69°F), waves have typically been 1.5 m (4.8 ft), wind has typically been 18 knots
  4. April, 39% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 23°C (74°F), waves have typically been 1.6 m (5.1 ft), wind has typically been 19 knots
  5. May, 52% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 27°C (80°F), waves have typically been 1.3 m (4.2 ft), wind has typically been 17 knots
  6. June, 60% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 28°C (82°F), waves have typically been 1.3 m (4.2 ft), wind has typically been 17 knots
  7. July, 90% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 28°C (82°F), waves have typically been 1.0 m (3.2 ft), wind has typically been 15 knots
  8. August, 95% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 29°C (84°F), waves have typically been 0.7 m (2.4 ft), wind has typically been 13 knots, historically most favorable
  9. September, 90% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 30°C (86°F), waves have typically been 0.9 m (3.0 ft), wind has typically been 14 knots
  10. October, 60% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 28°C (83°F), waves have typically been 1.3 m (4.2 ft), wind has typically been 16 knots
  11. November, 50% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 25°C (77°F), waves have typically been 1.4 m (4.7 ft), wind has typically been 18 knots
  12. December, 69% of days have historically been favorable, water has typically been 22°C (71°F), waves have typically been 1.4 m (4.5 ft), wind has typically been 16 knots

August has typically had the largest share of favorable days here. Conditions vary year to year — this is historical context, not a forecast.

Based on 3 years of archive data. Bar height shows the share of days each month whose conditions have historically scored favorably.

Marine life seen at this site

Species noted at this site — not a promise of what you’ll encounter.

Species seen here

Rough labels: “Commonly seen” usually means two or more recorded sightings near this site in public dive logs (GBIF), “Occasionally seen” one; “Seasonal” and “Rarely seen” come from dive-guide research. Not a measured rate.

Fills & rentals nearby

No dive shops mapped within 25 km (16 mi). Know one? Add it to the map.

Data updated June 2026

Site details

Port Isabel Reef is a dive site in United States. Maximum depth is around 22 m. The site is reached by boat. Rated intermediate based on available data.

reef

Texas Gulf reef, rig and Flower Garden Banks diving is overwhelmingly far offshore and boat-access only — TPWD reef sites range from about 5 to 100+ miles from shore, and the Flower Garden Banks banks sit roughly 70-115 miles out, so trips involve long boat rides (often multi-hour runs or overnight liveaboards), and divers must be self-sufficient with an SMB and surface signaling gear in open ocean far from help. Currents are the headline hazard this far out and are described as unpredictable - divers commonly encounter multiple currents running different directions and speeds at different depths, currents can appear, vanish or reverse mid-dive, and you may have to swim hard against current to reach the exit; previous current and SMB experience is strongly recommended, so most operators treat these as advanced dives. Variable wave height and frequency can make boarding the boat difficult and occasionally dangerous. Reef tops and rig structure commonly sit deeper than recreational limits (typical profiles 70-130 ft, with operators capping the first dive at 130 ft and later dives at 100 ft, and Nitrox recommended for the deep flat profiles), so unintended deep exposure and nitrogen loading are real concerns. Heavily fished reefs and rig legs carry snagged monofilament and sharp encrusting growth (barnacles, fire coral, hydroids); decommissioned rig structure can disorient divers, and the standard rig-diving cautions apply - stay near/inside the structure for reference but never surface inside a rig. Hurricanes routinely shut down the summer season, and surface intervals are strictly enforced (2.5 hours minimum at FGBNMS).

Reviews

No reviews yet — this site is waiting for its first. Dived here? Your rating and a few lines help the next diver.

Spot something off?

Help keep this listing accurate for the next diver.