Author: Terry Endropoetro (travel blogger http://negerisendiri.com/2016/web/)

Rubber boat rides I've only seen in movies turned out to be my own experience when I joined the dive team at WWF-Indonesia's #XPDCKOON in Northeast Seram. The 3-meter-long rubber boat was filled with dive tubes, fins, and all the research equipment. The nine people who participated sat on the lip of the boat, with their legs poking out between the diving equipment.

It turns out that knowledge can be obtained anywhere, and at any time. When Taufik Abdillah and Veronica Louhenapessy (WWF-Indonesia), La Ode Sahari (Wakatobi National Park), Hedra Akhrari (Terangi Foundation), Corporal Muklis Said Cokro (Ambon Navy), and Sulaiman Siomlimbona (East Seram Maritime & Fisheries Agency) one by one began to leave the boat, leaving only me, Daniel Dirga (WWF-Indonesia) in charge of determining the dive coordinates, and Mr. Ode who continued to hold the steering wheel and manage the boat's speed. Dirga showed us how to measure surface currents using a half-filled water bottle. The end of the bottle is tied with 2 meters of mattress thread, then thrown into the sea. The counting starts when the bottle is thrown overboard by the current and when the string tightens the counting is stopped.

From there it can be seen how fast the surface current is, there are three categories, namely weak or calm (0-15), medium (15-30), and strong (30-50). From three throws, the number obtained is about 10 seconds. So if you calculate quickly, centimeters per second, then 2 meters of rope in 10 seconds. This means that the surface current is categorized as moderate. Although this method is rarely used, because it is considered inaccurate, especially after the existence of more modern current meters. However, this simple method is practical enough for anyone to do before snorkeling in a place.

Dirga and I decided to jump into the sea, snorkeling along the shore until we got close to the shore. Unfortunately, what we find at the bottom is a patchwork of coral fragments, seemingly destroyed by a storm or violent waves. I decided to climb back onto the boat. And getting onto the rubber boat was no easy feat. There are no stairs to get onto the boat, which has slippery, rounded edges. Although there is actually a rubber step at the back of the boat, but because the boat's engine continues to be turned on, it is feared that it will become dangerous.

"Keep swinging the fins vigorously, while lifting your body up. Then turn your waist." Dirga gave instructions on how to get on the boat. Meanwhile, my arms were not long enough to hug the lip of the boat, plus my arms and clothes were wet. The first attempt failed, not even lifting off the surface of the water, my body sagged back into the water. The second attempt was made, swinging the fin as hard as I could, I jerked my body upwards. It worked! But my body was stuck, dangling with both feet still in the water. Dirga pulled my arm while giving the signal, "One two three!", Mr. Ode also helped to lift my body.

With one pull, my body was about to slide straight into the boat. The 'landing' was smooth. My head and shoulders touched the floor followed by my body which rolled over later. It wasn't a pretty sight ha... ha... ha... ha... but if it wasn't, it wasn't an experience.