Quickies
  Quickies Issue # 101, Autumn 2010
  Pod of Endangered Species Sei Whales sighted at Agincourt Reef
  
     Passengers and crew aboard the Port Douglas-based dive  and snorkel vessel Silversonic were excited to see more than five whales,  confirmed to be Sei Whales at Agincourt Reef in late February.
Passengers and crew aboard the Port Douglas-based dive  and snorkel vessel Silversonic were excited to see more than five whales,  confirmed to be Sei Whales at Agincourt Reef in late February.
    The  Sei Whales, which remain on the endangered species list, were seen near  Silversonic’s “Three Sisters” site at Agincourt Reef. While the boat was  stationary, one of the whales emerged in full view spending several minutes  around the boat before swimming away. Further in the distance, another four or  more whales were seen diving and appeared to be feeding.       
                               
      Quicksilver marine  biologist and Environment Compliance Manager, Doug Baird, said the whales were  between 15 –18 metres long and due to the inquisitive nature of the whale that  approached the boat, several photographs were taken. This enabled the whales to  be identified with the assistance of a whale researcher with extensive  experience in whale identification. The key to identifying a Sei Whale is  through the distinguishing feature of a single ridge extending from the  blowholes to the tip of the upper jaw. » Read full story
   
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WHAT'S NEW
 
Happy  New Year and 'Gong Xi Fa Cai'!
The “Year of the Tiger” and Chinese New Year  was warmly welcomed in Cairns with the arrival of several charter flights from  Guangzhou Southern China and Beijing.  This year was also  the third anniversary of the first ever direct charter flight into Cairns with  leading Chinese travel company GZL International Travel Services. » Read full story
 
 
The team from Green Island Resort  in conjunction with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service were ecstatic with  four outstanding awards achieved in the 2009 Keep Australia  Beautiful Clean Beach Challenge. 
Green Island was awarded three  regional categories and one State-wide award, recognising the island’s pristine  beaches and commitment to caring for this World Heritage environment. 
» Read full story
 

Congratulations to the Pro Dive Cairns crew who have been awarded two prestigious awards in the 2010 PADI Asia Pacific Member Awards.
Pro Dive Cairns won the prestigious Outstanding Dive Centre/Resort Business Award for Queensland as well as the Instructor Development Award in conjunction with staff Course Director Alex Van Welderen. 
» Read full story
 
   With private conference room facilities for up to 40 people, Green Island Resort is proving to be an ideal and affordable location for small meetings and incentive groups. 
    If you’re planning a business meeting, teambuilding activity or staff reward, you can do so on a day trip basis, or even spend the night. And when it’s time to play, the Great Barrier Reef is a step away!. » Read full story
With private conference room facilities for up to 40 people, Green Island Resort is proving to be an ideal and affordable location for small meetings and incentive groups. 
    If you’re planning a business meeting, teambuilding activity or staff reward, you can do so on a day trip basis, or even spend the night. And when it’s time to play, the Great Barrier Reef is a step away!. » Read full story
 
   It was a wonderful trip back in time to relive their family  history on Low Isles at the turn of the last century when the grandchildren of  one of the island’s original lighthouse keepers visited the island aboard  Wavedancer recently.       "….Alice who spent her early years from 4 years growing up on a coral cay 
    where the barge arrived fortnightly, music was from a gramophone…” » Read full story
It was a wonderful trip back in time to relive their family  history on Low Isles at the turn of the last century when the grandchildren of  one of the island’s original lighthouse keepers visited the island aboard  Wavedancer recently.       "….Alice who spent her early years from 4 years growing up on a coral cay 
    where the barge arrived fortnightly, music was from a gramophone…” » Read full story
 
 Pro Dive Cairns � Wireless on the reef!

As another great service for Pro Dive Cairns customers, all liveaboard boats will soon feature wireless access. Already available on ScubaPro (where divers are ‘diving downunder and uploading the proof!), this great service will be on all of Pro Dive’s fleet of three liveaboard vessels by April. 
 
   One of the great optional activities available with Quicksilver�s Outer Reef Cruise is a marine biologist guided snorkel tour. Our team of university qualified marine biologists conduct educational and interpretive snorkelling tours daily at the Outer Barrier Reef where guests can learn so much more about the wonders of this fragile ecosystem.
One of the great optional activities available with Quicksilver�s Outer Reef Cruise is a marine biologist guided snorkel tour. Our team of university qualified marine biologists conduct educational and interpretive snorkelling tours daily at the Outer Barrier Reef where guests can learn so much more about the wonders of this fragile ecosystem.
   » Read full story
 
 
Billy the Squid,  Sandy the Mermaid and Scuba Boy, our fun reef characters bringing to life the  reef for our junior adventurers, have a new website! Designed primarily for  young children aged 6 -10 years, the website features fun games to download and  it’s educational too! You can visit the Squid Squad at squidsquad.com.au
 
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EVENTS
 
  The annual Great Adventures Green Island Ocean Swim is  set for a big splash on Sunday 26 September when competitors take on the 1.5km  and 3km course in this unique Great Barrier Reef event.
  Now in its 5th year, this is the only ocean swim to  take place from a Great Barrier Reef island. » Read full story
Earth Day
 
  Candlelit dinners and stargazing will be on the menu at  Green Island Resort on March 27 in support of Earth Day when non-essential  lighting is switched off for one hour. Across the Quicksilver Group, we will be  supporting this WWF global  initiative by turning off all non-essential lighting across our operations,  while at home, many staff will be joining the cause too by ‘switching off’. 
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THE ZOO
  
  Judging by the stunning backdrop to their “office” the Green Island Resort staff have some of the best jobs in the world!
    Pictured here are (left to right): Lisa Krause - Green Island Resort General Manager, Sue O'Donnell - Rooms Division Manager and Troy Watkins - Front Office Manager. » Click for larger Picture
 
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POSTCARDS
Post Card to Silversonic 
 Thanks SILVERSONIC for an incredible day of diving.  We had  a great day made extra special by our dive guide, the fantastic crew, yummy  lunch and all the bells and whistles.
Thanks SILVERSONIC for an incredible day of diving.  We had  a great day made extra special by our dive guide, the fantastic crew, yummy  lunch and all the bells and whistles.
Thanks for looking after us!!
  Olli & Becky 
 
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BIO BITS
BIO BITS  - How baleen whales feed 
   Whales without teeth (baleen whales)  feed by filtering water containing food through curtains of baleen - 300 individual  flattened plates which hang from the roof of the whale’s mouth.  The inner surface of the plates are fringed  with bristles, frayed at the edges like a worn paintbrush which trap prey such  as krill, plankton and small fish.
Whales without teeth (baleen whales)  feed by filtering water containing food through curtains of baleen - 300 individual  flattened plates which hang from the roof of the whale’s mouth.  The inner surface of the plates are fringed  with bristles, frayed at the edges like a worn paintbrush which trap prey such  as krill, plankton and small fish.  
 
 
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QUICKBITS
News Feed
 
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