@Dogbowl
The advice given to you about shooting DSMBs at depth, esp at safety stops, backrolls with negative entries, and getting in and out of inflatables is a good one.
Negative entries aren’t bad if you are comfortable with your own gear. There’s no waiting and fussing at the surface - you have to go down to get to the split point or the whole dive may have to be called because you’re in the wrong spot and that might mean being blown out to sea if the dive continues. I actually like backrolls way more than strides. Instead of saying okay everyone go down, ready, at the surface...it’s done on the inflatable and you go all the way down.
Reef hook use isn’t too bad once you can visualize how you’re doing something. You want to neutral as you hook in then slowly let yourself out and let go after you hook. Puff a bit of air to your BC so you are slightly positive. relax. When ready to leave, deflate yourself to neutral, wrangle yourself in slowly. You can deflate a bit more if needed then unhook. You can also kick a little to get to your hook. Be sure to not hook into any living coral.
One thing that is very useful is good buoyancy. In mild to moderate current, if you can control your buoyancy well enough to stay as close to the bottom as you safely can without actually touching, it is better there. Bonus if it is behind some reef or formations. You sometimes can find even in open sand if you do this, you can kick mildly and not use up too much air to hold your position or even in mild current, advance without much effort. (This works well for me using a frog kick.)
As for not being a trial by fire person like you and
@Lorenzoid...you should see my trip spreadsheets.
I understand completely!