NWGratefulDiver:Dive guides have their value ... they know the site, and know how to find the cool stuff that, often, a casual visitor will overlook.
On every dive there are things you see and things you miss. You cannot see it all. When the rest of the group follows the guide, they often say something like, "You should have gone with us, the DM showed us a Seahorse." My reply, "Very nice, did you see the Caribbean Reef Shark?" On every dive, I'll see things you miss and you'll see things I miss, even when we are diving together. I'm not as keen to see the things the DM wants to point out as he is to point them out. A French Angel is beautiful, but I don't need a guide to point them out, I've seen thousands. I'd much rather relax and enjoy the dive with my buddy at our pace, go where we want to go, follow up on what catches our attention than to follow a baby sitter who want to show me Sanddivers, Seahorses and Angelfish while missing the cool Hamlets and Brittlestars.