The culprit is hiding inside "properly boiling" :)
A hard rolling boil batters the dough surface and blisters it. Professional bagel work poaches at 85-95°C - water that's steaming with just a shimmer of movement. Same 30 seconds a side. You'll see the difference in smoothness immediately. Big irregular bubbles can also be gas pockets near the surface, so degas firmly when shaping the rings.
For the dryness - bagel dough is meant to be stiff, and the usual mistake is stiffening it further with bench flour during shaping. Shape with lightly damp hands instead. And bake to colour, not to a timer... they're done at deep golden, about 83°C internal at the centre. Every minute past that is pure moisture loss. A light brush of oil or butter when they come out softens the crust and keeps them fresher overnight.
And hey, the dry batches make outstanding toast. Nothing wasted.
