Galveston, Texas, United States

Stetson Bank

Stetson Bank is the third feature of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, lying about 30 nautical miles northwest of West Flower Garden Bank and roughly 110 nautical miles off the Texas coast. Unlike its two coral-capped siblings, Stetson is a series of claystone pinnacles and ridges covered with sponges, fire coral and a mix of Caribbean-Atlantic species at the northern edge of its range. The crest comes up to 18 metres and the surrounding sand floor sits at 30 metres. Annual coral spawning here, like at the Banks, is a well-known event. Resident species include large schools of horse-eye jacks, scalloped hammerhead sharks in cooler months, the occasional whale shark, manta rays through summer, large green moray eels in the rock cracks and resident goliath grouper. Visibility is typically 18 to 30 metres but is more variable than at the Banks. Like the rest of the sanctuary, Stetson is reached only by liveaboard.