OF all the swimmers taking part in tomorrow's Quicksilver Reef Swim at Green Island, Cairns' Ted Bunt will probably be the least worried about the distance.

Bunt is no stranger to racking up big numbers in the water and last year swam a muscle-cramping 35km in the Tobruk Pool to raise money for Camp Quality.

By comparison, tomorrow’s 3km ocean swim will seem like a lazy morning’s workout.

Bunt is keeping himself busy during the Cairns Airport Adventure Festival and has entered a team in Sunday’s Challenge Cairns.

The 50-year-old will complete the 3.8km swim leg of the ironman before handing over to teammates for the 180km cycle and 42.2km run.

With only a couple of days separating the events, Bunt is treating the Green Island swim as a warm-up.

"On Sunday I’m looking at a time of under 50 minutes," he said.

"I’ve done the Green Island swim quite a few times and if I get a time under 40 minutes for that swim then I think that’ll be a good lead-up.

"I think I’ll be up there (near the front). I’m not doing too bad for an old bloke."

With coral and other marine life underneath him instead of the usual black line, Bunt said Green Island was a beautiful location for a swim.

"You always see fish, turtles and other stuff," he said.

"I remember once swimming over a little reef shark. If anything it really makes you appreciate the reef itself."

While there are obvious similarities to swimming in the pool, Bunt said ocean swimming had its own demands.

"You have to know where you are and be aware of the movements of the water," he said.

"The time of day we’re doing it, I don’t think we’ll have to worry much about the incoming or outgoing tides. But the thing with swimming in the ocean is that it does take you out of your comfort zone."

There is also a 1.5km option for competitors.

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