By: Natalia Trita Agnika
WWF-Indonesia's monitoring and education vessel, KM. Gurano Bintang often becomes a learning destination for students in villages in the Teluk Cendrawasih National Park (TNTC) area. Usually, the students board the KM. Gurano Bintang when the ship is docked or when there is an open boat activity. However, during one of the Ekspedisi Saireri activities on Tuesday (07/06), KM. Gurano Bintang sailed with students. The special moment occurred on the voyage from Serui city to Sarawandori, the first of several villages that became research destinations.

[Read also: Saireri Expedition with KM Gurano Bintang]

For approximately one hour, 12 students of SMA 2 Serui, 13 students of SD Inpres 1 Serui accompanied by teachers, Deputy Regent of Yapen Islands, and several Yapen Islands SKPD officials followed the journey of KM. Gurano Bintang. The opportunity was utilized by the Deputy Regent and the Yapen Islands SKPD officials to discuss with WWF-Indonesia staff about the various potentials found in the Yapen Islands Regency. During the short voyage, the students were also able to get to know more about the sea outside their place of residence.

Despite living near the sea, it turns out that some students experience seasickness. "Wow, how are you guys. Living near the sea, how come you get seasick hehehe," joked one of the accompanying teachers. The students who were in good health participated in marine-themed environmental education. They listened to explanations about whale sharks between swings of ocean waves. "I am happy to see activities like this. Children can directly observe the condition of the sea around them while learning a lot. Officials of relevant agencies in the local government can also be directly involved in data collection. Opportunities like this are rare," said Gusti Tanawani, an employee of Radio Republik Indonesia in Serui who joined the cruise.

Arriving at Sarawandori Village, the group of elementary school students returned to Serui city by land with the Deputy Regent of Yapen Islands Regency. Meanwhile, the group of high school students walked to Mioka Beach in Sarawandori Village, Yapen Islands Regency. They were invited by WWF-Indonesia's ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) team to observe the food chain in the coastal ecosystem directly. The day before, they had received a theory about food chains when KM. Gurano Bintang docked at the Serui pier. The activity was opened with a game that invited them to get to know each other. In the game, they were also asked to mention the types of marine animals they like.

After the atmosphere got warmer, they were divided into two groups. Each group walked along the beach to the sea. The various marine life they found were then recorded in a book to discuss their role in the food chain. The students were very enthusiastic about this method of learning directly in nature. They were able to ask the ESD team for the names of the animals that they only knew the shape of. The students were also able to draw a food chain scheme from their findings. After the environmental education activities, the Saireri Expedition team continued with data collection in Sarawandori Village. Various information about the Saireri Expedition can be followed through social media with the hashtag #XPDCSaireri.