I am a Divemaster and I see several problems with this. One, you said you had never been diving this deep before. Most operators will check to make sure you have had deep certification or have made deep dives, and if not especially in the conditions noted would not let you dive. Don’t take this the wrong way but remember the golden rule (ok, one of the golden rules), don’t dive beyond your limitations and experience.
Now for the operator. I would hope as someone else said they would have given a briefing and know the conditions before they threw you in the water. A 2.5 knot current is significant, especially if you have not been diving in those conditions. I have been on the Spiegel Grove, hanging on the down line like a flag in a hurricane wind. If you did not have gloves, you were in real trouble and if you did not know how to handle those conditions....pray and then surface immediately in that order.
Sorry you had that experience, and especially on a new location that is taunted as going to be one of the premire dives sites in the Southeast. I imagine you were terrified about the situation. Last golden rule (ok again one of the rules), watch your air and not your buddies. If you’re not at the line in that type of current ready to head up from 100 feet with at least 1200 PSI (diving an 80 3000 psi bottle), it’s a problem. Again part of what should have been their briefing but also a learning experience for you. Fighting that type of current and expending the energy to just stay on the line means being even more conservative. Under normal conditions I would tell you to be at the line heading up with about 1000.
Be thankful you all made it back and the operator should be keel hauled.