Quickies Issue # 111, 2011

Cairns, Port Douglas and the Great Barrier Reef – as great as ever!

In this special issue of Quickies, we’d like to showcase that Cairns, Port Douglas and the Great Barrier Reef are as great as ever!

While there have been some reports in the media regarding the impact of last week’s (2nd February) Tropical Cyclone Yasi on the reef, we can assure you that our daily operations have been unaffected and it’s business as usual.

We’d also like to assure you that the vast majority of the Great Barrier Reef remains in outstanding condition. It is afterall the best managed reef system in the world. As one of Australia’s largest private employers of marine biologists, our Reef Biosearch and Environment Compliance teams are actively involved in the day to day management of our extensive reef sites.
 
With Chinese New Year celebrations in full swing, our Great Adventures crew in particular have been busy welcoming many Chinese guests to Cairns - and top of the list of must do’s has of course been a trip to the Great Barrier Reef.

In this issue of Quickies we feature some image galleries showcasing current conditions and customers enjoying a range of fantastic experiences our reef destinations are renowned for.

Thank you for your continued support and I know you will join us in wishing well to those affected by the cyclone further south of our area.

As ever, as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef we look forward to welcoming you and your customers to experience this natural living wonder.

Tony Baker
Managing Director
Quicksilver Group

Within days of Tropical Cyclone Yasi, reef sites have been assessed, all cruises are fully operational, and importantly, the high quality experiences our daily reef cruises offer have remained unchanged. » Read More

Living up to our region�s mantra of �Adventurous by nature�, we couldn�t resist the chance to include some cheeky photos while also showcasing current conditions our visitors are experiencing at our fantastic Great Barrier Reef destinations! » See Gallery

Ed Przybylek has a bucket list – and one of those was to have an underwater diving experience by participating in an introductory dive on the Great Barrier Reef. Ed and his wife travelled on Quicksilver Cruises to the Outer Barrier Reef and his bucket list included everything from skydiving to driving a car. » Read More

We�re excited to be part of the inaugural Challenge Cairns event taking place in June. The inclusion of the Quicksilver Reef Swim � Green Island in the event�s program will take place on 2 June 2011. This unique ocean swim will offer competitors a chance to swim in the sparkling waters off Green Island with the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef below the surface. » Read More

Meet Silverswift Dive Instructors, Marcos Barmettler and Rob Orland

Welcome to our office! Together, dive instructors Rob and Marcos have around 10 years experience diving the Cairns Great Barrier Reef sites with Great Adventures and Silverswift. » Read More

I was a passenger on Silverswift’s reef trip on 29th January and just wanted to say what a fantastic experience it was. The staff were experienced, professional and friendly, the boat was amazing (very nicely kitted out and fast!) and the food/drink did not disappoint. With a lot of tourist operators trying to take advantage of the tourist dollar, I felt this trip really was good value for money. And as a first timer, the scuba diving was incredible and can't wait to do it again soon! So thanks for a great day out, definitely one to remember.

Cheers Tom, Brisbane

Seahorses and pipefish are small elongated fish encased in bony plates. As they are not strong swimmers, seahorses rely on a prehensile tail to hold onto algae and coral. They are the slowest fish in the ocean and at top speed it would take a seahorse 2.5 days to travel 1 kilometre. Pipefish photographed at Agincourt Reef, courtesy Shane "Sharkey" Down.