Tony Baker, Quicksilver Group Managing Director commented “Our company employees 550 local staff across 13 vessels and an Island Resort, and we believe the Great Barrier Reef is the best managed reef system in the World.

Our company is focused on delivering and exceeding our visitors expectations of reef sites teaming with colourful marine life and diversity.  We will continue to manage our operations and our reef sites and work diligently through best practises to enable our reef environment to stay strong, healthy and be the icon of the Australian tourism industry.  Working hand in hand with Governments and under our banner of achieving Advanced Ecotourism Accreditation we know that visitors will enjoy the spectacular reef through snorkelling, diving or viewing from a semi-submersible for many years to come.”

Tony Baker, Managing Director of Quicksilver Group said, “We recognise the need to reinvest and keep our products to the standard of a five star, premier reef operator.  It also highlights our commitment and confidence in the tourism industry in our region.  While our fleet undergo annual refits and regular maintenance, this significant investment follows the recent complete refurbishment of our Quicksilver 5 wavepiercer and Poseidon.

Reef King’s contemporary interior design and refurbishment includes new bars, internal staircase, floor coverings, seating, and even the installation of a new chair lift to transfer disabled passengers if required between the main and upper deck.

Meanwhile, Scubapro II is returning from her major refit which has included internal refurbishment of the main cabin and new bathroom facilities, while mechanically, the engines have been reconditioned and the superstructure has also been covered in an innovative product, Planet Wrap. This environmentally friendly option replaces the need to paint the superstructure and also the application of anti-foul to hulls.

“Presentation of our fleet to the highest standard is very important to our operation and customer service focus ensuring our passengers have the newest and best facilities available to enjoy their journey and time at the Great Barrier Reef,” said Mr Baker.

Poseidon’s $200,000 facelift included new carpets, re-upholstered seating, vinyl flooring in wet areas, new outdoor timber seating and painting the deck area as the main components to ensure our passengers have the newest and best facilities available to enjoy their time at the reef.

Poseidon Before and after pictures

https://www.google.com/maps/views/view/streetview/oceans/agincourt-reef-great-barrier-reef/yk63sBCimHkAAAQfCafE3A?gl=us&heading=267&pitch=105&fovy

Click and drag on the image for 360 degree views, or click on the virtual arrow to move along the reef, zooming in and out.

Kristy who spends her days on the reef with Quicksilver looking after our guests, was travelling along the highway with her sons when they spotted the injured turtle and called the Marlin Coast Vet Surgery for advice. After being told to keep the turtle in the shower with wet towels before bringing him into the surgery, Kristy was surprised to receive a phone call from Chris Brown who was in the region filming, offering to come and collect him. So began the star treatment for the aptly named turtle “Donatello” named after a Ninja turtle!

Kristy said, “We all really enjoyed the experience of Bondi Vet coming to our home and are pleased Donatello the turtle is in the best hands for a speedy recovery. For the kids it was a wonderful experience, Chris is truly a beautiful person and his love of all animals is so special.  It’s an experience that my children and I will not forget and we look forward to being able to release Donatello back into the wild to rejoin his friends.”

Silversonic Skipper Shane �Sharky� Down said, �The minke was about 4-6 metres in length. As our passengers held onto the rope to observe the minke it came within 2 metres of them and stayed for about 15 minutes before swimming away. It does not matter how often you have seen them it is an amazing experience. In fact, I think the crew get more excited than the passengers as they know just how special it is.�

Silversonic and Poseidon have 2 of only 3 permits in this region to be issued by Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to allow passengers to swim with the minke whales. From our experience, about 300 people each season have the privilege of swimming with a minke whale so it is very privileged encounter. 90% of minke whale sightings are during June and July.

What type of behaviour are we likely to see?

Humpbacks can display a wide range of behaviour, such as:

• Breaching: The most spectacular display of all, where the animal leaps almost clear of the water, creating the kind of splash that only a 40 tonne animal can produce!
• Spy Hop: Humpbacks will often surface vertically and actually stick their head out of the water so that they can see above the waterline. There is nothing like being eyeballed by a 15m whale!
• The Blow: Often the first indication that a whale is in the area. The vapour cloud produced is caused when the whale empties its lungs, and can be quite pungent if you’re downwind!
• Tail slapping: This is where they slap their tail on the surface. It can be a form of communication, but more often than not it is an aggressive display.
• Bubble Netting: A technique developed to allow whales to entrap their prey (krill) by creating a ring of rising bubbles. The whale then moves through the net and uses its baleen to trap the prey.