Releasing The Sensation Of Riding Getek In Modern Times

Getek boat in Kali Cagak (Rizmy Adytia Praman / VOI)

JAKARTA - In this modern era, technology continues and continues to develop. Some of them are used to help life, sometimes even as a means of transportation.

Electric scooters and bicycles are one of the transportation technologies that we can enjoy. Prior to the regulation, we could enjoy the two means of transportation on the streets of the Capital City.

However, in the middle of a metropolitan city like Jakarta, there are still transportation tools that are far away if they are said to have sophisticated technology. Is an eretan boat, or better known as getek.

In the past, getek was an alternative means of attacking rivers or streams. It's just that, as time goes by, its existence is getting harder to find.

VOI tries to trace the streets of the capital city to confirm the existence of this means of transportation. It was not an easy matter to find it, it had to be passed for hours, a path that was only one meter wide had to be traversed to find it.

Until finally, the existence of the eretan or getek boat was found in Cagak River in North Jakarta.

Getek boat in Kali Cagak (Rizmy Adytia Praman / VOI)

Happy, of course that is how it feels. Like seeing a classic toy that can't be found. We also tried to ride this transportation.

To use this means of transportation, we had to pay Rp1,000. It's cheap for us. However, a different fee of IDR 2,000 has to be paid by the other passengers, who bring motorbikes.

After paying, we got on the sledding boat. However, our initial expectations about the boat missed out. Previously we imagined wooden or bamboo blocks that were formed into boats. In fact, the eretan boat is made using fiber or it can be said that it is somewhat modern.

Before the boat cut through the Cagak river, which is estimated to be 7-8 meters wide, we saw several strands of rope directly overhead. The rope is used to run the boat. The way it works, an officer, or let us call it the skipper, pulled the rope that stretched across both witnesses of the time.

On top of the getek, we felt a swaying sensation. This is because the balance of the boat is tossed around. Meanwhile, during this journey, an unpleasant odor wafted up our noses. It smells like trash.

"Is it safe, sir?" we asked. The skipper answered, "it's safe."

In about a minute or two, the boat arrived at a different riverbank from the one we were on. We are at the very back, waiting for the queue of motorbikes that take turns getting out of the boat. From our vision, the boat did not stop on the edge of the river. There is a wooden bridge that becomes a pier for the getek.

After walking the boat to eretan or getek, we tried to chat with the captain. However, he refused. He directed us to chat with a man named Amin, who was relaxing at a grocery store not far from the pier.

We walked over to him. Expect lots of stories to get from him. Amin's big smile greeted us and then the conversation took place.

In the first few minutes, our conversation only discussed the matter of joy and sorrow as the captain of the heat. Amin has been working as a skipper for a dozen years. What he remembered the most, when he fell into the river while on duty.

"Yes, they have also been in. But if the passengers, Alhamdulilah, have never been in," said Amin.

A number of motorbikes crossing using getek at Kali Cagak (Rizmy Adytia Praman / VOI)

The next discussion is more towards the income earned until whether it has ever been rejected by the local government. Listening to our questions, Amin laughed. He said, there was never anyone who forbade his getek to act. In fact, he said, this getek helps residents who want to cross the river from the Muara Karang area to Pantai Indah Kapuk or vice versa.

"In fact, thanks, they were helped. They can get to their destination quickly," said Amin, quoting a statement from the local administrative officer who was helped by the presence of getek.

Hearing that statement, we did not immediately believe it. After the conversation with Amin was over. We tried to trace the main road from Muara Karang to Pantai Indah Kapuk.

By using a motorbike, we drove to our destination. It turned out that Amin's words were proven. If using getek, it only takes about 5 minutes. However, we traveled about 5 kilometers and took approximately 20 minutes just to get to Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK) from the Muara Karang area.