By: Rahmadani (Halu Oleo University)

I would like to tell you about our unique team - ecology team B led by Evi who is also a small fish recorder (WWF-Indonesia). Our small team consisted of Otong (Halu Oleo University) as the roll master, Jibriel (Reef Check Indonesia) as the big fish recorder, Mudin (BPSPL Maros) as the rugosity recorder, and myself and Yusran (Yayasan Bahari), as the benthic recorder.

Bentik buddy work together, both in data collection and data entry. The benthic group was tasked with taking coral growth form data in the form of lifeform data using the Point Intercept Transect (PIT) method. That is, we recorded the growth form of live corals at each point of 0.5 band, up to 3 times transect.

Yes, we - me and Ucank, were in charge of benthic research together. We took turns diving and helping each other in this expedition task. Ucang, in addition to Otong, were two people I had known before.

In fact, Ucang used to be my student, as well as my thesis guidance student when he was compiling his thesis research. In addition, Ucang was a junior in the same diving club, the Langkoe Diving Club of Halu Oleo University. We proved - lecturers and students alike, can work together and collaborate on conservation, such as on this expedition.

In #XPDCSULTRA, I met Ucang again not as a supervisor and student, but as a colleague. Ucang's diligent and responsible nature is still the same as when he was my student. This was evident while I was working in the same team.

During the expedition, Ucang was not only my dive buddy on the last site dive. But also as a buddy who supported each other in the preparation and completion of tasks in the expedition.

In data collection, I usually do data collection at the first dive point in the morning, while Ucang at the 2nd and 3rd dive points.

Similarly, data entry from the sabak is written underwater, to be transferred into excel format. This is a daily routine that must be done for the benefit of archiving benthic data during activities. This routine is also an obligation of the entire research team on the expedition.

The mandatory schedule for data entry is usually done every afternoon and continued after dinner. Then, the routine ends with daily data collection to Riri (WWF-Indonesia), followed by a briefing to prepare for the activities that will be carried out the next day.

Usually, in benthic data entry, there is a team in charge of reading data and another in charge of inputting data into the data format that has been prepared. Often, the one who got the luck to read the data was Brother Ucang.

Sometimes, we have inputted data late into the night, until it turns out that his voice is carried in the sleep of other team members. Clearly, in research like this, cooperation must be prioritized. Since we can't do it alone, make sure to always collaborate with your buddy."