Everything is bigger in Texas, and now, that includes scuba diving parks. Located just south of Houston, in Clute, Texas, Mammoth Lake was once a sand pit. Covering about 55 acres, and offering maximum depth at 80 feet or so depending on seasonal water levels, this site is not like most quarries in that the attractions were placed here in advance, after being meticulously prepared for divers to enjoy. Still a brand new and exciting site since its opening in 2009, Mammoth Lake offers a little something for everyone. Let's take a look!
Sunken Attractions and More
There are not many places like this - vast, underwater museums housing everything from an old F-5 Navy jet to a group of big metal turtles. Here, you'll find quite an impressive collection:
- Antique fire trucks and an old passenger bus
- An old military vehicle which has been transformed into a submarine
- The remnants of an old church steeple
- Several boats and old rusty ships' anchors
- A looping starship ride that once belonged to a Six Flags theme park
- A satellite arm and a neutral buoyancy lab module used by astronauts
- The Bermuda Wreck Tangle, with more than 50 old boats to explore, including a prohibition era rum runner
- The Mayan Underworld, a 120 foot long labyrinth of pipe and metal just for cave divers
Mammoth Lake is named in honor of 38,000 year old Colombian Mammoth remains found here in 2003, and one of the attractions here, Jurassic Park, includes two 14 foot high replicas of the mammoths. Made from cement drums salvaged from mixer trucks, they're yet another of the surprises you'll find in this huge lake.
Another unique area is called the Lost City of Atlantis - made from plastic piping, it is meant to resemble a sunken city while providing divers with an interesting and unique place to work on skills; and, speaking of those skills, there are several training platforms here. Ramps and docks, including one which is wheelchair accessible, make entering and exiting the water simple.
As you explore, you'll encounter the fish that now live in the lake - there are several types of bass, along with catfish, shad, and sunfish, plus, there are paddlefish - prehistoric looking, just like the lake's namesake, with long bills and the ability to grow to a length of about five feet.
Visibility at Mammoth lake is usually between 10 and 15 feet, and the water temperature varies seasonally. Basic certification classes and more advanced classes are offered, and as you might expect, the area is busy on weekends and during the summer when people tend to take time off from work to dive.
Topside, there are plenty of amenities, as you might expect. Change rooms and showers, restrooms, and a full service scuba shop to take care of basic needs, and primitive tent camping is available, with plans for an RV park in the works. There is a fee to dive or snorkel, and there's a fee for airfills too. With so much to see, it's no surprise that Texas' newest dive site is also one of its very best.