The SMEDG-AIG Sydney Harbour Cruises - A little more history....

The predecessors to the SMEDG-AIG cruises were the AMOCO Minerals Christmas cruises. These first commenced in Xmas 1978. At this time there was no such thing as light beer and the cruise ran from 9:30am till 5:30pm - it was an instant success! When AMOCO Minerals met its demise in 1985 the cruise was continued for a couple of years by Cyprus Minerals. The running of the cruise was then placed under the combined sponsorship of SMEDG and AIG.

After the Xmas cruise of 1997 there was a considerable amount of beer left over and so the decision was made to have a "Xmas in Winter" cruise to help remove the excess, and to cheer everyone up in a time of rapidly declining exploration activity.

Prior to the mid year cruise of 2002 there was a minor crisis when it was realised that neither SMEDG nor AIG had public liability insurance and the SMEDG committee decided to go ahead anyway without AIG or insurance (risking all their worldly goods in the process). As it turned out both SMEDG and AIG were able to arrange insurance but the cruise went ahead as the SMEDG Mid Year Cruise without AIG. It was lonely without them, but by Xmas that year they were back and we forgave them for this small marital indiscretion!

Including the predecessor (AMOCO and CYPRUS) cruises there have been 33 Xmas cruises and 14 midyear cruises (as at late 2011). These have included days of sweltering heat, violent summer thunder storms and gale force winds. One year the boat broke down and the cruise was held with the boat sitting on a slipway (nobody seemed to notice). The cruises have provided a remarkably cheap form of entertainment and a wonderful opportunity to meet with our associates in a relaxed atmosphere. Who knows how many seeds of potential joint ventures were first planted on these cruises.

Every single one of these have been brilliantly organised by one man - David Timms.

On behalf of all the members of SMEDG and AIG (and a few hangers on), the SMEDG committee would like to extend our sincerest thanks to Dave for his continuing efforts to provide us with what must be one of the best value social events in the world.

Thank you Dave.
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The committee would also like to thank all those helpers who assisted with the cruises and our sponsors:

XMAS 2003 generously sponsored by:
Australian Laboratory Services        Placer Dome Asia Pacific       ENCOM