Key Largo, is having a dive guide important/necessary?

[Danman1967]

PS - I just spent three days with Silent World and they did a great job, smaller boats, nice guys, etc...

 

[iztok]

I was diving last week of the year at Key Largo. My first ever diving down there.

Dove with both Cpt. Slate's and Scuba-Do. I can't tell you much about dive briefing on shallow dive with Cpt. Slate's as I only dove Spiegel Grove (2 trips double dip each).

Both operations will give you good dive site briefing and I imagine most other operations will do the same. If you are doing wreck diving you might want to spend few bucks to get a slate with wreck info. If you are doing reef diving then pay attention to the dive briefing even more. With
Cpt. Slate's the Spiegel Grove briefing was good, told us where we moored and how to return. On my first dive I did miss the line and came up on the wrong side but lucky for me I was up the current so it was bit easier but current was minimal anyways, I was not the only one missed the right line, but second and all subsequent dives on SG I got better and came up the right line.

Reefs are not a biggie most of the time as they are shallow so you have plenty of time and if worst comes to it you can go up, take a heading to the boat and go back down and swim. Some have easy natural navigation as well.

Bottom line: I do not think that you need a guide for Key Largo dive sites.

Warning: If this is a recreational diving trip do not penetrate any wrecks unless you have adequate training. Only do swim troughs when you can see light on the other side of the wreck.

 

[lmorin]

I concur with the opinion that a guide is not necessary. Of course, use one if you wish. As has been said, the Key Largo dives are mostly 25-30 ft max. They can be confusing to someone not used to orienting around big coral heads. That said, diving on your own at most of the sites is a wonderful and safe way to develop navigational skills. Unless there is a strong current, the worst that can happen is that you engage in a bit of "sunshine navigation" after coming to the surface.

 

[sportxlh]

If you are planning on doing mostly reef dives, you aren't going to be deeper than 25' on most of them, very simple to do a boat check once in a while if you get turned around. Some of the reefs are very easy to navigate, some are almost impossible unless you pick a heading and swim it. If your doing deeper stuff the guide would be helpful...If you doing the shallower stuff, imho you don't need one.

I agree with Danman...... I have never used a guide in Key Largo, but also know how to use a compass.