The Tour Specialists Blog

GREEN ISLAND WITH BIG CAT

What a relaxing day, we chose to go over on the 11:00am departure on the Reef Rocket so that way in true Sunday morning style I still got my sleep in. We had to be down at the Fleet Terminal at 10:30am for check in and soon after boarding we were off. The day was quiet windy however still enjoyable. Once arriving to the Island we went straight to the Big Cat for our buffet lunch and off to explore the Island. First we went for a bit of a walk around the outside of the Island and had a look at the beaches and then we discovered  Marineland Melanasia the nautical and croc museum on Green Island, it was so interesting and the Crocs are huge.
After our croc adventure we then got an Ice Cream and then off to our semi – sub tour. There was such an abundance of beautiful fish and marine life it was truly fantastic. Whilst on the tour we they feed the fish and went through and pointed out and gave us a bit of information on each type of fish which was really interesting.
After our tour we headed back to Marineland Melanesia to watch the Turtle and Croc feeding and to hold the baby croc. It was absolutely fantastic, the Turtles were exquisite, I wanted to steal one and take it home as a pet. The Croc feeding was unreal; they get a four metre Croc jumping up out the water to the point that the water splashes you over the fence.
We then decided to retreat to the pool and relax before departing the Island. 

Erin - The Tour Specialists

 

Undersea Explorer are another excellent operator offering 6 days on the Great Barrier Reef Ribbon Reefs swimming with the magnificent Dwarf Minke Whales!
Most of the activity occurs when guests are out snorkelling and holding onto drift lines attached to the vessel, this ensures the encounters are on the whale’s terms.  Encounters with the whales usually last over an hour (often many hours) with multiple whales!
Onboard these expeditions Undersea Explorer intend to make 2-3 dives per day over the 6 days however these may be reduced to 2 dives due to the interaction with the whales.  (certified divers only).
The Minke Whale Undersea Explorer project is a collaboration between there own scientists, James Cook University and the Museum of Tropical North Queensland.  There will be two leading whale scientists onboard the expeditions providing presentations.
Guests onboard get to all help in identifying individual whales, they are also involved in behavioral observations and take away the fact that they are playing a part in helping to the conservations of these amazing creatures!
Undersea Explorer still has a few (not many!!) spots left so don’t miss out call the tour specialists or email us today phone (07) 4059 2654 or email info@thetourspecialists.com

 

 

Miss Ferro from Italy went on a trip to the Reef with Ocean Freedom today.
She was not an experienced snorkeller but she had a wonderful time.
She highly recommends Ocean Freedom. Miss Ferro was traveling on her own and Ocean Freedom only takes a maximum of 60 people however most days they travel with a lot less, she made lots of friends on board. She got to see lots of fish and coral, even nemo, a Napoleon fish, so much that she even tried an introductory dive! She was a bit scared at the beginning but the crew was fantastic and patient with her. Miss Ferro would like to become a certified diver now. Thanks to the Ocean Freedom Team !

A day to remember.

Florence
Tour Desk Consultant

 Mr & Mrs Douglas wanted to go fishing. The weather conditions were absolutely fantastic so I organized a full day reef fishing on the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns. They had a wonderful time and were so happy that they came back with a massive coral trout for me.

Coral trout are beautifully marked, robust, predatory reef fish of tropical waters. Many consider the coral trout with its firm, very white and delicately-flavoured flesh with fine flakes and low oil content to be one of the finest table fish in Australian waters. It is highly-prized and highly-priced on the eastern seaboard and in south-east Asia.

And I know how I will have it : Grilled on the BBQ with lemon. Delicious!

Florence
TTS Consultant

 

Ever wondered what it is like to live out on the Great Barrier Reef.  Well the wonderful crew who live out at Agincourt Reef provided this rare insight for us.

At about 3.00 pm every afternoon they stand together and wave goodbye to all the tourist who have had a fantastic day on the Quicksilver pontoon as there vessel departs for Port Douglas.  This of course will be there last contact with the outside world until it all happens again tomorrow.  This is the life of the “Kalina Boys” who are 22 nautical miles offshore.  This team of guys live out on the reef ensuring all equipment on board is in excellent working order. 

Once the tourists leave all that is left is the sound of waves in this remote location.  Then the guys head to work with dive gear the head out to the semi submersibles to give the underwater window a scrub.  After a thorough clean of the pontoon its time for a well earned drink and time to enjoy such a serene environment. 

The crew never knows what they will encounter on the reef when day turns into night! 

At 10.00 pm the generator shuts down and its time to take in the spectacular light display of the stars at sea.

Thanks to the Quicksilver Crew for this rare insight!

Our day started at 6.50 am as we were picked up by the very friendly bus driver whom also provided excellent commentary on the local area. The road up to Port Douglas is one of the most famous drives for its beautiful scenery in Australia.

When we arrived at Port Douglas we were dropped off at the Marina Mirage.  The friendly Poseidon crew greeted us and took us down to the boat.  Time to take off those shoes as Poseidon is a shoe free boat.  On boarding the professional photographer snaps a shot of you which you can then purchase later on.

The crew made us feel really welcome and we were offered a muffin, tea, coffee they even had hot chocolate!   It was now time to be introduced to the crew, find out the itinerary and rules for the day. It takes about 90 minutes to get out the Outer Barrier Reef.  On the trip out we were split in to three groups, snorkelling, certified diving and introductory diving.  Once we were in our groups one of the crew gave us the rundown on all the information that we needed to know and by this we had arrived at our first stop!

Glen and I did the introductory dive.  I was a little nervous as I had never dived before and was unsure if I would freak out or not be able to equalize. On speaking to the dive instructor she made me feel a bit better.  I got to go first which was a good thing as by the time the rest of my group where in the water I had the hang of it all and was nice and relaxed!

Once you are in the water it’s amazing the marine life is so beautiful and it’s like you have entered another world.  The professional photographer is there to take that once in a life time photo so you’ll never for get your dive experience out on the Outer Barrier Reef. The intro dive took around half an hour and then it was time to move on to the next site. Once we got back on the boat is was time for morning tea which was some yummy cakes and fruit platter.

In no time at all we were at our next reef site and time to get back in the water, and yes we both went back in for a another go of  Introductory diving!  The second dive was so much better because you have some idea on what to do and you are more relaxed. At this reef it was so much different to the first reef lots more fish and I got to see NEMO!  Yes that’s right NEMO!

Well its now time for lunch which whilst we had been diving our helpful and friendly crew had been preparing for us.  I really enjoyed my lunch it was a cold delicious tropical buffet lunch with prawns, cold meat & a selection of different salads. I was so happy that it was a nice cold lunch as this is just what I felt like after all that swimming around.

After lunch we went for a little bit of a snorkel before we went diving. At the last stop the reef was the best we had seen so far it was one big coral bommie. It was fantastic I loved it so much and there was so much to see. The professional photographer also took some excellent photos of us at this site.

Then it was back on the boat and time to head for home, with afternoon tea and a lot of time to have a look or buy the photos that were taken throughout the day. Once we have arrived back time to collect your shoes and head back to your transfer bus to take you home.

This was one of the BEST DAYS of our life.Thank you Poseidon

    

By Whitney Hillen and Glen King 

27/01/2008

On Saturday I went with my two Sisters, my nephew and parents out on Reef Magic for a truly unforgettable day out.  I was a little concerned about the weather as they had not traveled out for a week prior to Saturday, but to my delight, we were all scheduled to go. On arrival we were met by Brilie on check in at the Reef Fleet Terminal and welcomed on board (good to finally put a face to a name).  My sister and I decided that we were going to do a dive together as she had never dived before. We boarded the nice, spacious and comfortable new vessel for a trip out to

Moore reef.  On arrival at the pontoon we eagerly awaited the thumbs up to hop off the boat and onto the Pontoon (still my favorite by far, and I can say that now as I have been to them all) the weather was picture perfect, 20-30 metres visibility, water temp about 26 degrees Celsius, sun shining, and a nice breeze flowing through…. Wow, were we Lucky! My sister and I had about an hour to kill before our Intro Dive, so we donned our extremely stylish and “Sexy Stinger Suits” (My whole Family) and jumped in.  My Nephew who is 10 had never snorkeled before, but before long he was snorkeling off and away, we gave him a pool noodle so as he would have some floatation, and off he went exploring.  My sister and I then had to prepare for our Scuba Dive, I have done a number of Scuba Dives before, but my Sister had never had the opportunity. We did all our safety checks before the decent into the “Big Deep Blue”.  Unfortunately my sister had complications with her ears and was getting a little uncomfortable, so Nos, (the Dive Instructor) said she would do a shallow dive just for us, I thought this was very thoughtful and accommodating of her. She took the other girls who were in our group for their dive then came back for us, before we went back down. Unfortunately although we tried my sister was still having problems with her ears. So she re-surfaced and I want for a brief dive with Nos, I was very fortunate to see 3 Maori  Wras’ in one area, I don’t believe that is normal, but it was a beautiful site, I love those Big guys. Out I hopped and it was time for a feast of Prawns, Nori rolls, Cold meats, Vegetable Lasagna and Salads. Yummo!! 

After Lunch I was so stuffed I decided to go for a Semi Submersible tour, And am I ever so happy I did, we were so lucky we got to see every thing, I saw 2 green turtles eating some of those nasty jelly fish, that was really cool to see, I now have a new appreciation for those little (Big) fellas, also my nephew spotted a White tip reef shark who swam right beside the Boat. My Nephew and I defiantly recommend the Semi Sub tour, it’s so informative.  Dylan was so proud by what he learnt he proceeded to tell every one on the boat “Why green sea Turtles are called green sea turtles” “What sea cucumbers eat” and all of the information he had learnt.  We all hopped back in the water to cool off after our Semi Sub ride, and before we knew it, it was time to board the boat for our return journey to Cairns. The ride home was so smooth it was unbelievable, never have I noticed a trip out there so smooth. So all in all, my family and I had a truly memorable day out on the

Great Barrier Reef and it is one I’m sure we will all cherish for a very long time.
 I would highly recommend this tour to people of all walks of life, weather you be a Non Swimmer, Scuba Diver, Children, Adults and then the Older Adults (like my Dad, can’t call him elderly, he wouldn’t like that) A very BIG thanks goes out to all the Crew onboard Reef Magic II & Dan. Also to the weather for making it the prettiest day I have had out on the Reef in a very long time. 

Lauren EnglerTTS Hilton 

On Saturday my partner and I had the most wonderful day on Sailaway IV, sailing over to Low Isles.  On the drive up to Port Douglas we were very excited as we had followed the regular updates on this boats maiden journey from Bordeaux France to

Cairns.  Sailaway IV was just beautiful she is a Lagoon 500 catamaran and is state of the art when it comes to sailing vessels.

On arrival at the marina we were greeted by our friendly crew Alex, Jane and Leah.  We knew we were going to be in for a magic day as the boat was gleaming, all shiny and new.  The small group of around 33 (which is the maximum amount of people this boat takes out) were all ready to go.  So after a cuppa some cookies and an introduction to what our day’s itinerary would be it was time to set sail!

The weather was perfect with only a 10 to 15 knot wind this made our journey of just over 1 hour, both relaxing and smooth and with a couple of tunes playing in the background this was the perfect start to our day.  On arrival at Low isles we were give a snorkel briefing and all our equipment, then it was off over on the glass bottom boat over to the island.  Low Isles is a very small picturesque beautiful island (actually me favourite island).  On arrival we claimed a bure which are doted along the beach for sun protection, then prepared to discover the waters of Low Isles.

It had been a bit windy the days prior to Saturday so visibility was not as clear as it had been on previous days however this still did not stop us from seeing around four green turtles, two giant clams and of course the very inquisitive bat fish and all the coral.  As Sailaway IV is the first boat to arrive at Low Isles there is always and excellent chance of seeing turtles as they have not been disturbed.

After a snorkel it was then time to check out the island by the island heritage walk which is marked with interesting facts on boards leading you to the lighthouse which was built in 1878.  After the walk we headed back to relax under our bure before heading back to the boat for lunch.  Lunch was an excellent cold buffet with prawns, tandoori chicken, cold meats and an assortment of delicious salads and fruit.  Whilst your having lunch don’t forget to save those prawn heads and shells as after lunch its fish feeding and time to check out the frenzy as the fish try and out swim each other to get a feed.  This is a great time to jump back in the water and get right in the middle of there frenzy as they dart towards you.

Well its now time to head back to port

Douglas and enjoy your return sail on this luxury catamaran.  With a glass of champagne in hand what better way to sit back and enjoy cruising through the water.  To cap the moment off we even had dolphins join us for a short moment.

This was truly a magnificent day that we both will not forget!

 

Tammy

The Tour Specialists

Just to let you know I had a wonderful time yesterday on Seastar.At 07.45am my friend and I arrived on the boat located at E Finger. First I was surprised by the (small) size of the boat (meaning small numbers!) and the cleanliness. We decided to take it easy and not dive just snorkel so after a cuppa and a muffin we went upper deck to get a nice spot for the day.

Only 16 passengers on that day… Yipee! The whole boat for ourselves!… After 1.5 hour we arrived to Michaelmas Cay…. Yipee again ! The whole island to ourselves !

So I took the little dinghy (Me being a lazy girl) to get dropped off on the beach but it really is very easy to swim/snorkel from the boat to the beach. I really felt I was very privileged to be here in Paradise with a small group and NO other boat around for approx. 2 hours.

I decided to join the snorkel tour. These 2 lovely and friendly girls are very dedicated and patient with their passengers. Saw a little shark, sting ray, big clams and of course Nemo.

After 2.5 hours it was time to move to the 2nd site HAstings Reef. Lunch was served on the way there, a variety of salads, ham and beef, fruits, hot chicken and vegetarian lasagna and prawns, yummy ! Not to mention that tea and coffee are served all day so this is a good point, especially in winter when you need to warm yourself up !

Hastings Reef : Never been there before….My God it’s so pretty ! The variety of corals and marine life is amazing ! A group of 6 or 7 big Parrot fishes were feeding on the coral just beside the boat. And it only takes 30 seconds to reach the reef from the boat, good for the non confident swimmers. But Anna and the crew are always here to give a hand to the guests anyway. I liked this personalised service and I think it is as important as the reef you visit.

On the 2nd site my friend and I decided not to join the snorkel tour just to “cruise” by ourselves and afterwards we went on the glass bottom boat tour.

Another important thing : The snorkel tours and the glass bottom boats are included in the fare as well as the lycrasuits. No extra charge…

After 2.5 hours at Hastings Reef it was time to make our way back to Cairns, not before enjoying another nice cup of tea/coffee with cakes.

I must admit : The day was so relaxing that I fell asleep on the way back…..

Thank you Burnie and all the crew for a beautiful and relaxing day

Florence - Tour Specialists Consultant

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to go out on Reef Magic to Marine world, having never been much of a Pontoon person myself I was pleasantly surprised at the whole proceedings for the day.  On arrival at the Reef Fleet Terminal the staff was both efficient and pleasant and we had a bit of a giggle with the girl about getting our name right as she was from overseas.We then proceeded to Reef Magic II which is a brand new luxury catamaran, that new I could even smell “that new smell” downstairs in the saloon.  This boat is a beauty she is so spacious with plenty of outside space for those liking to catch the wind blowing through there hair and obtain a sun kissed face!  There is also inside air-conditioned areas both upstairs and downstairs with a presentation on the reef on the way out. Once on board it’s time to lock in those optional activities which really should be pre-booked as there was not a lot of space left for people deciding if they wished to participate.  Most people seemed to have pre-organized this (smart cookies!).  The optional activities on offer are Guided snorkel tours and two tours on offer one for the advanced and one for the novice.  Introductory and certified diving and Introductory Scenic Heli flights for 5 minutes or the Vertical Heli Adventure where you are taken up to 3,000 ft which gives you a great view of the islands cays and drop offs.   

On arrival at the pontoon its now time to get prepared for those water activities.  As it was stinger time it’s best to purchase one of the lovely red stinger suits (great for those happy holiday pics) and jump in.  So red stinger suit snorkel and fins on out I go to be greeted by the very famous “Wally” which is a huge very friendly Maori Wrasse!  Well I must say Wally was one of the highlights of our day…..and who said fish have no brains!!!  Wally is just amazing, the onboard photographer bought him over to us to say hello and yes I even go to touch him which I never thought would be possible on the reef…..We were so amazed by Wally the star attractions that we stopped and watched him for a good 15 minutes before even checking out the coral.   

Moore reef was very pretty and picturesque with many different species of coral to view plus a few clam shells and plenty of marine life.  After a snorkel it was then time for lunch and there is a huge array of different food on offer, with selections of sushi rolls, prawns, salads, cold meats, chicken drumsticks and then even two hot dishes which were a chicken curry & rice and vegetarian lasagna there was also a selection of cold fruits.  Of course if you would like a drink there is a range of both non alcoholic & alcoholic beverages on board the boat for your purchase. After lunch I was lucky enough to get to go out on the Introductory Scenic Helicopter Flight, which is a 5 minute flight over Moore Reef.  I was very excited about this as I had never been in a Helicopter.   Before I knew it I took the tender over to the helicopter pontoon, was strapped in and off we went.  The view was amazing as we flew off over Moore Reef the day was really clear and with the conditions at only 10/15 knots we got to see two reef sharks, a manta ray and quite a few turtles all swimming along.  This was a real highlight to my day and at only $69.00 this is a great opportunity to experience a taste of what a helicopter is like and an awesome view of Moore reef from the Sky!! Back down to earth again but still on the adrenalin high of being in a helicopter for the first time it’s now time for the Semi Submersible Tour.  This is a great opportunity for those people who are not actually going into the water to view the reef.  Whilst in the semi-sub there is a guided commentary so you actually learn a bit about what you are actually seeing. After the semi-sub it was time to check out those deck chairs and enjoy a bit of sunshine!  As before we new it our 5 hours out on the reef was almost us.  Time for the trip back and this time we opted to travel inside and check out the photos of everyone on the big screens!  By this time we were feeling rather tired after our big day’s adventure. We had a fantastic day out and Marine World is well worth checking out this trip would be fantastic for children as there is a special little area for young children to splash about in and for the older ones & big kids (adults) there is “Wally” who is just a must to visit whilst you are out on the reef!!  Tammy -Tour Specialists Consultant

Good morning,

We have just arrived back from our holiday in Perth Cairns and Singapore, and want to thank you guys for all the preparations.  Everything worked like clockwork. We especially want to thank you for assisting Mmaphuti with her sudden change of plans. 

The cruise on the Great Barrier Reef was awesome.  The crew on the Santa Maria (the skipper is South African, by the way, and with South Africa just having won the world cup rugby, there were lots to celebrate), was the best anyone could have asked for.  They went out of their way to make everyone comfortable, and thanks to the one on one attention, my 65 yr old friend can now snorkel.

The diving instructor is especially well trained and convinced most on board to do a diving experience.

The meals were out of this world.  However, the hot shower was not working and that was a bit of a put off.

Our accommodation at the Reef Gateway was superb and well situated on the main road for easy access into town.

thank you once more.

rashida

I went out on a trip with the new and improved SEASTAR last Wed. with a friend of mine. We were welcomed aboard with hot coffee and fresh muffins before we set off at 8:15 for Michaelmas Cay. The boat is very comfortable and will only take a maximum of 40 guests on board. There is an indoor lounge area as well as a covered outdoor seating area upstairs.

In only 1 hour 15 min we arrived at the Cay before any of the other boats. The weather that day was absolutely perfect and so was Michaelmas. We saw stingrays, a shark, a turtle,Maori wrasse, a few GIANT puffer fish and of course plenty of Nemos and his cousins. The beach was ours for well over an hour before the other boats arrived. We went on the guided snorkel tour with Anna and she was very well informed and approachable.The dive site at Michaelmas is the “3 Sisters” which I have done previously and is a quality site.

After a very beautiful and relaxing 2 and a half hours we were back on board for our buffet lunch including prawns and Lasagna-YUM!!! While we made our way to the second, location Hastings Reef for another 2 and a half hours. There were only 2 of us certified divers on board, so the crew were more than happy to allow my friend to come along with us for her first ever Intro dive. She was quite nervous and was having a bit of trouble staying down but the instructor Takia was very patient and comforting. Eventually we all headed off to explore this amazing section of the reef. The dive was no deeper than 10m and visibility was perfect. This is a perfect location for intro diving because of the relatively shallow water and variety of different hard and soft corals. After 30 min my friend went back to the surface and we continued on for another 25 mins.(shallow water=longer dive time!)

By the time we got to the surface my friend was kitted out with another tank and was off with Anna for another intro dive! ( she had no trouble staying under the water this time!)

The entire crew were just so fun and friendly and genuinely wanted everyone to enjoy their experience on the great barrier reef.

This is a small family run company (mum,dad and son) and I think they have a fantastic product that is unique in these ways:

1. Fast travel times

2. First to arrive at Michaelmas and over an hour alone there.

3. Small numbers allows greater flexibility

4. Hastings reef is great for intro divers and the location is really quality snorkeling as well

5. 2 and a half hours at each location! no rushing

6. Glass bottom boat tours at Hastings Reef.

7. Licensed boat!!

 

 

So a big thank you to Peter and Bernadette for a very memorable day! 

 

Sonya McSweeney - The Tour Specialists Consultant

Good morning all,
Just a quick note to update you on the beautiful conditions that we are experiencing out at the

Frankland Islands.

In terms of visibility, yesterday was in the top 10 days that one of our skippers has experienced out there. We didn’t even need to use the Semi-sub you could make out all the coral and fish life from the surface. The water is warming up and so is the fish activity. Vast schools of grazing herbivores, including parrotfish and rabbit fish, patrol the sea floor in search of leafy algae. The larger reef species such as sweetlips, moray eels and coral trout are hanging out at the larger bombies ambushing prey. Our Eye On The Reef program has also reported regular sightings in excess of 6 marine turtles on some snorkel tours with Green, Hawksbill and Loggerhead turtles accounting for most of the sightings.

The Island itself is a buzz of activity with our nesting migratory birds returning to the island with the warmer weather. The cooing of the Imperial Pied Pigeons can be heard and the birds themselves sighted during our guided island walk. Black-naped Terns are returning also to the rocky ledges and sand spits while the resident majestic white breasted sea eagle soars overhead. Have a sensational day The team at Frankland Islands Cruise and Dive

My partner and I took a lovely Sunday out on the Great Barrier Reef; we chose to go out on Quicksilver’s Wavepiercer leaving from the beautiful town of Port Douglas.

Our Day started out in Cairns where we were picked up by Winston in one of Quicksilver’s luxurious coaches. It was a very comfortable and informative trip, delivering us to Marina Mirage, where we checked in for the boat and then boarded for our journey out to Agincourt reef.

On boarding the Boat we found we had plenty of space to choose from, so we decided to grab our morning tea from the bar and found ourselves a comfortable seat for the journey out.

The journey out was a relaxed and smooth ride with informative talks by the Marine Biologist. We had decided to each do an introductory dive, so off we went to be briefed in all the inns and out’s of safety and dive procedures.

Once we arrived at the very large and spacious pontoon it was time to put down our bags and get ready for our Dive. We went down to the dive platform where we were kitted up and taken down into the waist high water. Hiromi (our dive master) then took us through all of the safety procedures individually until we were each comfortable.

Then it was time for the descend. Before we had even left the platform we were surrounded by some of the beautiful tropical fish that call Agincourt Reef their home.

As we slowly descended into the big blue all around us you could see the marine playground that we had been so eagerly awaiting, Fish dart between myself and Ryan, very inquisitive and I guess a novelty for them also, maybe they come to the pontoon each day to check out the humans, just as we go there to check them out. With Hiromi’s watchful eye we leave the rope we were using to guide us, and fin our way through the water and down to the ocean floor. Here we get to have a little play with the Clown fish, living in the anenomy, then we cruise over to the Giant clam, where I am convinced to put my hand inside, it snapped shut, not completely, and not harming me at all, but it defiantly gave me a bit of a fright. Then we just spent the next 10 minutes or so cruising around the bommies and taking in the peacefulness that is Scuba Diving.

Back up to the surface it was time to go and get some Lunch, I guess you don’t realize how hungry being in the water makes you. There was a large selection of fresh fruits, salads, cold meats and a couple of hot choices. After we had eaten like Kings it was time to lie on the upper deck and soak up the sunshine.

After we had digested our lunch it was time to get back in the water for a quick afternoon snorkel, it still amazes me how much you can see just snorkeling along at your own pace.

There were also many opportunities to do the complimentary semi-submersible boat tours although we were happy having a relaxing day soaking up the sunshine and enjoying the peacefulness that is being out on the Great Barrier Reef.

Before we knew it the Horn onboard the ship had sounded and it was time to re-board the Boat for our return journey. Just as we all got out of the water and boarded the boat, about 5 Minke Whales came to play for our viewing enjoyment.

On the way home we sat up on the front deck, with the wind in our hair we discussed our Magical day once again on the Great Barrier Reef.

Thank you to all the Staff onboard for your very warm and hospitable welcome.

We will see you again.

Lauren Engler

The Tour Specialists

Hi All

I went out on Ocean Freedom on wed and had a fantastic day. The boat was great lots of comfortable areas especially the sun deck for those who like to bake themselves. On arrival you get Danishes, fruit and tea and coffee, which you can help yourself to throughout the day if you wish. We arrived at Upolu Cay about 10 am and were ferried across to the cay, here we all got in and had a snorkel (great for those who are a little rusty at the art of snorkeling). You get plenty of time to snorkel and I was fortunate enough to see 4 turtles. Guest have the opportunity to participate in a glass bottom boat tour also at this location.

From here we cruised to the 2^nd location where we had lunch consisting of prawns, smoked salmon, cold meats, salads and yummy breads and they don’t pack the food away so you can keep grazing. “Wonder Wall”, I had heard many great things about this location and it did not disappoint. Here you have plenty of time to relax on the sun deck, snorkel, and dive or opt for the guided snorkel tour which they do at a different location. As we leave here a massive tropical fruit platter is served then half way home a cheese platter then just when you thought you couldn’t fit another thing in out comes the cake.

All in all it was a great day and with the small numbers you can’t help but mingle with other snorklers. The crew were great friendly and attentive and made it their duty to converse with everyone on board.

Regards,

Louise

On 24th July, at approximately 9.20am, passengers travelling on Silversonic were extremely lucky to encounter Miglaoo - the rare white humpback whale!!!

Migaloo was sighted by Silversonic at Undine Reef travelling with 2 other humpback whales. Miglaoo, a young male, is the only known albino humpback whale in Australian waters, and is usually spotted travelling north this time of year.

This is the 3rd year in a row a vessel from the Quicksilver group has seen this rare wonder!

Lets hope more passengers have the chance to see Migaloo again in the next few weeks!

Wow - what an experience!!!

Last Friday 22nd June, guests on board POSEIDON had an experience of a life time when they were visited by two adult Dwarf Minke Whales. The amazing encounter happened around 2pm on the last site of the day at Agincourt Reef. The whales were first spotted on the surface by the Skipper David Miller, while all snorkellers and divers were in the water. After the initial rush of excitement the crew assisted to assemble the guests to have a turn on the float line.

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