If you are taking a camera out to the Arch, the departure time matters more than which boat you are on. I went out three mornings last week. Sunrise here is about half six at the moment. For roughly twenty minutes after that the water on the Cortez side goes flat and the light comes across the rock instead of down onto it, so you get the grain in the stone and some warmth in the water. By eight the sun is above it and you are looking at a grey shape against a white sky. Nothing brings that back afterwards. Most departures are ten or later. Early means a private boat and asking the captain for a six o'clock start. I split a small one with two people from my guesthouse and it came to 2,300 pesos each for three hours. I did that once. I would not pay it three times. The free part. Sit on the left going out. You keep the sun behind you the whole way there.
