An underwater experience like no other: A glimpse into Lander and Femke's journey as citizen scientists

Two siblings, passionate about the ocean, journeyed to Lombok, Indonesia driven by curiosity and a desire to learn about coral reefs, their importance, their role in the ecosystem, but above all, how they could help conserve and restore this crucial ecosystem.

Femke and Lander in the Airport before their journey

Lombok is renowned as one of the underwater jewels, as its crystal-clear waters not only draw admiration and tourist attraction but also harbor life that belongs to the heart of the Coral Triangle, a place where you can undoubtedly tick off some "must-see" animals, including some of the most impressive marine creatures like hammerhead sharks, schools of mobula rays, tunas, manta rays, among others. This is why it was the perfect destination for these two enthusiasts of the depths.

In collaboration with Indonesia Biru Foundation, the first week began with some introductory dives as well as getting acquainted with the most important place for those two weeks, the Coral Lab, an innovative technique in coral restoration where they would plant these animals to later be transplanted to their natural ecosystem, the ocean. On the other hand, during that week, they were certified as Reef Check EcoDivers, a program that allowed them to become citizen scientists capable of identifying the state of a coral ecosystem, recognizing diseases, conducting species counts, but above all, having an understanding  of the health conditions of this ecosystem.

Lander learning how to clean the coral fragments in The Coral Lab

Femke and Lander removing algae from the coral fragments in The Coral Lab

As their second week approached, Lander and Femke enjoyed the other wonders that the island offers and were able to learn a little more about the local culture. They visited some of the island's most important attractions such as the imposing Tiu Kelep Waterfall, went paragliding to enjoy the best views of the island, savored the best local dishes, and made many friends from around the world.

Femke paragliding

During the second week, the tasks changed a bit and now it was time to learn about restoration, from photogrammetry to how to perform coral micro fragmentation, a vital task to nurture the coral nurseries in the Coral Lab, a task that requires a lot of knowledge about the species and a lot of technique to carry it out correctly.

We know that becoming a citizen scientist is not an easy task, but Lander and Femke did it perfectly, thus making an impact on the ecosystems of Lombok, knowledge that they can take to other reefs to help with their conservation and restoration.

If you too want to become a citizen scientist, at Reef Support, we have a wide range of destinations and approaches so that you too can be part of this great revolution. Visit us at travel.reef.support and be the next to live this great adventure!