Terrible
I chose Sail Fish Scuba in Key Largo based on its advertised “transparent prices” and positive reviews—only to later learn it was sold in December 2024 to new owners, Tarek Salem and his wife, Michaela. Unfortunately, my experience was disappointing, as my decision was based on outdated reviews that do not reflect the current service.
Tarek is not a good instructor. He was unresponsive, frequently canceled or rescheduled last-minute, and provided minimal instruction. Despite knowing I was visiting for a limited time and driving over two hours each way, I was given only about an hour in a pool-like setting, which is not enough for a beginner. I was not properly weighted, making it impossible to descend while wearing a 7mm wetsuit—something a professional instructor should check. Instead of ensuring my success, I was charged $125 for this rushed session which did not cover all the skills, which felt designed fail to push me into a private lesson costing over $700—far more than the originally quoted price.
Additionally, false allegations have been made about my experience. On February 1st, Tarek suggested two boat dives for practice, but I was given only 10 pounds of weight, which prevented me from descending. Claims that I had a panic attack are false—Tarek told me to snorkel and then left me alone in open water while he and Michaela continued diving. If my safety was truly a concern, I would not have been abandoned. I later got seasick on the boat, preventing me from doing the second dive, but neither Tarek nor Michaela checked on my well-being.
On February 24th, I confirmed I wanted to continue training, and Tarek quoted me $350 for a full pool day and two open-water dives. However, he canceled last-minute and rescheduled for February 27th, only to change the plan again upon my arrival. Instead of the promised two boat dives, I was told a short lagoon session would count as an open-water dive, and completing the full course would now cost over $700. This bait-and-switch pricing, lack of communication, and disregard for proper training and safety were extremely frustrating.
The teaching was vague, the service unprofessional, and the pricing misleading. The shop’s five-star reviews reflect the previous owners and should be removed, as they do not represent the current business. Nowhere on the website does it mention the change in ownership, and my experience makes it clear that customer safety and proper instruction are not priorities for the new management. I would not recommend this shop to anyone.
Odpowiedź od Sail Fish Scuba
Shelpa Gadde,
During our initial encounter, we reviewed necessary skills for your dive, & you confirmed familiarity w/them from previous training. We recommended a confined pool session before attempting OW dives; you declined this when informed of the cost. On Feb 1st, we took the boat to complete the final skill for your referral form, the CESA. During the dive, you experienced a panic episode, failed to follow safety directives, which led to difficulty descending & a return to the surface. You cited cold water, waves, & motion sickness as reasons for discomfort. We spent over 20 mins trying to calm you down. Once aboard, we discussed the need for more time in a confined water setting to build confidence.You were disappointed in your performance- we reassured you that diving is a process that happens at different paces. We made it clear that safety should always be the priority. We wanted you to have a positive experience while waiting for the 2nd dive, therefore we offered you to snorkel, which you gladly accepted. During the snorkeling, both the boat captain & crew closely monitored you, & you later mentioned enjoying it- we have photos of you smiling, happy on the boat. When it came time to settle, we charged you only $85 for the snorkeling, even though it’s $109. You tried not to pay for your nephew’s mask rental, stating the lack of ocean visibility, although that's out of our control. Before leaving, we discussed ways to continue your certification. You mentioned being unavailable d/t your dog, Butkus. We offered to help dog sit at no extra charge, which you appreciated. On Feb 04, you canceled a pool session last minute. On Feb 06, we followed up to check on you. On Feb 07, you confirmed you were unable to reschedule. 2 weeks later, you reached out to us, now citing time constraints d/t needing to go back to New Jersey. We offered a session on Feb 24th; you responded on Feb 25th w/concerns about costs d/t being between jobs. The price remained as originally quoted. You inquired if we could rearrange other appointments on Feb 28 for you. We respectfully explained that we could not accommodate that request. While we always aim to accommodate our customers as best as we can, we would like to clarify that it is not an appropriate expectation for us to drop everything for one customer at the expense of others who have already made bookings, which was your expectation. We agreed to meet on March 4th. On March 4th, you arrived late, affecting the schedule. Once in the lagoon, You indicated that you weigh 115 lbs & were wearing a 7mm wetsuit. Based on standard calculations, this would require approximately 10 lbs of lead weight for buoyancy. Your instructor did a weight check & you were able to float at eye-level, which is the standard procedure to check the proper weight. Once in the lagoon, it became evident that you were becoming anxious & failed to follow the instruction to properly inflate your BCD. Instead, you began using your hands to paddle. When we attempted to descend, you were unable to do so due to hyperventilating, which caused you to float on the surface like a balloon. After 1.5 hours, it became clear that additional training was needed. We offered a private class & a quote for this session; you attempted to negotiate the price. We remained transparent about pricing & expectations. Your primary concern was negotiating prices, rather than fully embracing the training and following safety directives. After the lagoon session, we informed you that we could not issue your OW certification d/t safety concerns. While we understand that being told "no" is difficult, our primary responsibility is ensuring safety. There are clear standards for certification that were too challenging for you to meet at this time, hence our recommendation to get a private class to effectively get you to a prudent, confident, & safe diver level. We wish you the best of luck in your pursuit of certification.
