By: Bima Prasena (Escapade)

It's not just a condo that recognizes the term plus 1. The diver formation in #XPDCALORFLOTIM can also add plus 1, namely me. The researcher formation in reef data collection activities is 2-1-1, plus 1. As plus 1, I am free to move around to take pictures. The dives on this expedition were no ordinary dives. Not tourism, but research - a pretty cool word for me.

So, what does this 2-1-1 formation look like?

The front 2 formations are 1 big fish researcher and 1 small fish researcher. Behind them is the roll master who is in charge of stretching the research transect in the form of an elongated meter. Each roll is 50 meters long and we used 5 rolls.

At the back and often the longest and most thorough is the benthic researcher. He is in charge of recording the categories of coral life forms that are under the transect every 50 cm, according to a method called the Point Intercept Transect (PIT), to determine the extent of benthic community cover.

Normally, I would stay close to the roll master, as it is safest and gives me more freedom to take photos. Once the transect is fully unfurled, Formation 2 will do a 300-meter long swim to observe fish, while the roll master will roll the transect back to the surface.

To be honest, during the first 2 days and 6 dives, I have never participated in a long swim, due to various constraints. Unfavorable air conditions, a mask that started to press on my forehead (it was a mistake from the start to wear a low volume mask) because of my unusual forehead - with a bulge like a boxer.

One of the annoyances is when the substrate rises, meaning there's a lot of "dust" floating around that makes the water blotchy and visibility limited. When that happens, it's better to throw up your hands and give up because we can't take any pictures, unless there is a miracle.

What I noted, always, is to always wear a mask that fits the shape of your head - and forehead. That means you have to go to a dive shop and try one on. This seems like a wiser way to go than buying a diving mask online.