We did the full day tour to Bute, & had a truly wonderful time. It was a cool & cloudy day, & we did get a bit chilly on the upper deck for the outward journey (even though thought we had layered up sufficiently & were given a cosy blanket to snuggle under) But that was our choice - we could have gone inside, & as the boat stopped every time any wildlife was spotted so anyone who was inside keeping warm could easily come outside for a better view (as we did on our return journey) The Captain & his 1st Mate were very friendly & knowledgeable, as were the Homalco guides once we reached the mainland viewing areas. We were fortunate to see dolphins, porpoises, sea lions, a humpback & 4 orca from the boat - but, of course, the highlight was the bear viewing. We were able to observe one young male catching & eating salmon for what seem like ages - at one point so close that we could hear him crunching the bones! A real heart stopping experience that we will never forget! We also saw a mother & her 2 cubs, plus another solo male, for shorter periods of time & at greater distances, as well as a herd of Elk, 2 Bald eagles (an adult & a juvenile) a merganser duck, & a pair of Turkey Vultures. Lunch (served at the picnic tables on the Orford River dock) was so plentiful that we didn't have time to eat it all before getting onto our minibus, but we were told we could leave it on the boat for the return journey. The information we received in advance of the trip was to only bring water, no other food & drink allowed. Turned out that the only part of the day this rule really applied to was once we got on the minibuses & at the viewing points. If we'd know this, we would have brought something other than water to drink. But that aside, this trip was definitely one of our Top 5 Highlights in a 3 week trip that was packed full of amazing experiences!