By: Anung Wijaya (Dinas Kelautan dan Perikanan (DKP) Provinsi Sulawesi Tenggara)

Meter roll. This object is indeed quite familiar in our daily lives. In this XPDCSULTRA, this one object has merged with my life during coral reef observation activities. In the dive, we stretched the meter roll along the 5x50 m transect.

Every morning, I have to prepare this tool to support the team to observe coral reefs and fish species. The meter roll which has been prepared in advance is ensured that the position of the nylon rope hanging at the beginning of the meter is correct, so as not to interfere with the installation process under the sea.

There are some interesting things that are encountered when the dive process will be carried out, until the installation of the meter as an observation transect. Being at the surface of the sea with diving equipment ready on the body, it is not complete if the meter roll has not been buttoned and integrated with the diving equipment, and is in the right position on the diving equipment used.

Installation of the meter roll must match the position of the sausage weights (0 dive point markers on the meter) that have been placed on the bottom of the water or coral substrate in advance by the fish researcher.

Water conditions such as currents, visibility, or water turbidity greatly affect the process of installing the roll meter. In addition to a good coral reef, a stable current with clear waters is a distinct expectation for roll master divers,my role in the ecology team.

A roll master diver must be ready with all conditions if the location has become a reef observation station that will be carried out. This is a form of responsibility given to me by not neglecting the safety aspects of work.

In turbid waters, the installation of the meter roll is slightly hampered because the water substrate is not clearly visible. Sometimes the face almost hits the substrate or the frog legs of the fish researcher in front come into direct contact with our mask. Turbidity can also interfere with our view of certain types of corals or harmful marine life that are dangerous to touch.

For current waters, the installation of the meter roll is a challenge for me. I had to be able to set up the meter with the right position and depth consistency, according to the contours and distribution patterns of the coral reefs to be observed. Strong currents sometimes resulted in the meter not being in the right position. This required me to re-set it.

Occasionally, we had to pause to rest before continuing the installation, which certainly required a lot of energy and affected the speed at which the air in my tube ran out. Likewise, when the meter is rolled back, it needs a good balance so that the meter does not get messed up when it goes into its roll-.

Later, after this activity is over, I will not only remember the togetherness with the expedition participants, but also with the meter roll which so occupied me under the sea.