Freediving and a Lionfish Hunt in Barbados

Freediving, lionfish hunting and capping it all off with a ‘lime’ on the beach; there's no better way to end a busy work week in Barbados! When my friend Hannah invited me to join her on one of her "Freediving Fun Fridays", I had to say yes.Johanna is a childhood friend who recently moved back to Barbados from Australia and started a freediving school, Trident Freedivers. Hannah teaches freediving and also hosts spearfishing tours, and she has a kickass social media following, thanks to her incredible underwater shots. It's so awesome having someone like Hannah here in Barbados. Her tours are a great example of sustainable, environmentally conscious travel experiences in Barbados.

Freediving Fun Fridays

Hannah hosts a "Freediving Fun Fridays" session with friends, who are invited to join in on freediving (usually in various locations around the island), which has more recently been coupled with a lionfish hunt, fresh ceviche and rum laced sundowners.

A sidenote on lionfish:

These pesky buggers are an invasive species in the Caribbean and they wreak havoc on our marine ecosystems. Hunting them is one way to keep their populations in check. Spearing them is the most sustainable way to catch them. Because of this, they are listed as one of the most sustainable fish choices in Barbados on the Slow Food Barbados Sustainable Seafood Guide.

Lionfish Hunting

Freshly speared lionfish on a line in the water in Barbados

A group of us explored a wreck off of Batts Rock and took some fun photos, while the 'hunters' in the group managed to shoot lionfish on our way to and from the wreck. Watching the 'hunt' in action was so interesting, and there is a lot of skill and technique involved! Since the lionfish have no natural predator, they're quite lazy compared to other fish, and usually hang out around wrecks and coral heads. The hunters managed to spear some fat ones and stored them in the tube while they continued to hunt.

Once we returned to shore, Hannah filleted the fish and mixed the meat together with some chopped onions, sweet pepper and fresh lime juice. Filleting lionfish takes practice, patience and skill, as lionfish have a set of venomous spikes along their backs and tummy. Although not fatal, the sting of a lionfish is extremely painful. After soaking in lime juice for a few minutes, everyone scooped up the ceviche with some crackers. The group devoured the ceviche within minutes, and washed it all down with a cold Banks beer. It was delicious! The fact that it was sustainable and healthy was a huge plus. I can't wait for another lionfish hunt; evenings spent like this really make me appreciate living in the Caribbean.