We've had very good luck at Stuart Cove's. Average BT's about 40 to 50 minutes and no supervision beyond a site briefing and rollcall.
I believe that it's mostly in their perceptions of you. If they feel, and have seen, that you're not the average vacation diver (meaning your last dive was your cert 6 years ago) then you'll get all the slack in the world.
>Get to the registration counter early, before the lines build. Early. See rent a car, below.
>Get on the boat early, with the bare minimum- your gear, a towel and a small drybag. Coming aboard late, or with a mountain of stuff screams "newbie".
>Set up your gear. Know your lead in advance. Test both of your cylinders, and leave the weight pockets under the bench. Leaving the pockets in for the boat ride, again, screams....OMG...newbie...
>Then, while waiting for the rest of the boatload, shut up.
>Start suiting up early, so you can listen to the briefing politely; if they don't mention the time to be back on the boat, ask.
>If it's the first dive, they will have a depth/BT limit. Be nice and respect it. It will pay off later.
>As soon as the ladders hit the water, you should be, too.
>Be back at the (correct) boat at the appointed hour or BT.
>Did I mention shut up?
>If the crew was nice, tip them well. Word gets around. We budget in US $15 per person per boat trip.
By the second day, it's pretty apparent that we're "cut loose" by the staff, while they focus on the flailing vacation divers.
As for morning or afternoon dives, it kind of depends on the tides (good vis on a rising tide) the weather (rain in AM or PM), etc. When there, we dive both.
Rent a car. Compared to the total cost of the trip, it's a pittance, and it allows you your own transport from the hotel. I know they have shuttle busses, but they turn into wait-rush-rush-rush. Wait for the shuttle, rush to pack into it, rush to do the registration at the dive operation, rush into your appointed boat, rush to get off the boat and make a shuttle back to the hotel. Rent a car, and avoid all that. See get on the boat early above.
You can ask for an "experienced" boat when you check in. They seem to like having the flailers all on one boat, and the better divers on another.
One of their captains is bound and determined to hold your hand, even if you are incredibally experienced. I can't remember his name. If you get him, just ask for a different boat next time, it's no big deal to the ladies behind the registration counter.
Polite (and competent) goes a loooonnnggg way.
We only dive gas on the last day before flying the following day. It's a pain for them, although they have it, and expensive, so we only use it at the end, to reduce our loading.
They have DIN cylinders, just ask. This seems to be no trouble at all.
Stuart himself is very nice and approachable. If you need something, just ask; there will be a sonic boom that accompanies what you need. Actually almost all the staff, we found, was very, very helpful.
We dive there both morning and afternoon trips for a couple days straight. Pick up a Subway sandwich on the way out of town in the morning and you're set. The crews see this kind of diving tempo, and you will get more freedom.
Hope this helps!
All the best, James
