There were about four men accompanying me, along with the boatman. There was another boat nearby, carrying about eight men and some concrete structures.

As we were getting ready to set sail, my eyes caught sight of one of the men wearing a bright yellow float jacket. I thought to myself, “Ah, there’s my guardian angel, here to ensure my safety.” With newfound courage, I bravely stepped onto the boat.

We ventured about 2 kilometers into the sea, when, upon reaching the designated spot for deploying the crab cages, the men on the other boat suddenly shed their shirts and leaped into the sea with enthusiasm.

I, on the other hand, decided to stay dry and opted for a different kind of adventure—capturing the moment with my trusty DSLR. As I was snapping away, I couldn’t help but strike up a conversation with the man in the yellow jacket. I remarked, “You know, it’s very thoughtful of Oxfam to send someone like you to keep an eye on me, especially considering I can’t swim.”

To my surprise, he replied, “Well, actually, I’m an engineer. I’m here to oversee the launch of the crab cages, and I can’t swim either. This float jacket is purely for my survival.”

I was left momentarily speechless, unsure of how to react. Summoning my courage, I turned to the men on the boat and said, “Listen, in case I accidentally take an unplanned dip in the sea, please make it a priority to rescue my DSLR. The pictures are essential for Oxfam’s report.”

As fate would have it, the crab cage launch went off without a hitch, and we returned safely to the shore. Looking back on that day, I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself. The fear of those well-meaning men, who were in the other boat, saving me was, in reality, scarier than the thought of drowning. It was a hilarious and unexpected twist to an already memorable day with Oxfam.