Lionfish Hunting and Diving with JADS Scuba Shop

As a Lionfish University Reporter and Lionfish hunter,  I travel the world trying to help remove Lionfish and to help improve the underwater environment. In the middle of January 2021 I was able to dive on the JADS scuba shops boat.

I have been friends with the famous instructor and Lionfish jewelry maker Sue Heiter for years and finally got to dive with her. She is a real good scuba instructor and  found us all a bunch of Lionfish on Tire Reef. I was introduced to another instructor, Rudolph, who was playing boat Captain for the day. He was super smart and after speaking with him I found out that he has a ton of knowledge about Aruba’s waters.

The dive was really special to me because I got to dive with Mikie Boland, who took a scuba certification with me in 2001 at age 11.  Twenty years later we got to dive and hunt for Lionfish together.  During the week Mikie is a Divemaster for Red Sail Sports where I completed at least 25 PADI dive certifications over the years (Red Sail does not allow Lionfish hunting on their boat). The dive got even better because Mikie’s Dad, Chef Matt Boland, dove with us too. He was our spotter and loves diving with his son. The elder Boland is the head Chef at the Sunset Grill located in the Hilton Hotel.

SUNSET GRILLE RESTAURANT

Enjoy an unforgettable dining experience and breathtaking scenery at Sunset Grille, an energetic, modern steakhouse. Diners enjoy a variety of steaks, chops, and a selection of succulent seafood – all among awe-inspiring views.

Open for dinner every day from 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm. Reservations are not required but highly recommended.

Sunset Grille Menu (PDF)

All the divers had two enjoyable dives and we killed many Lionfish. I was also lucky to meet two great newly certified divers from Germany, Sabine & Bryan Vieira. What made the trip with JADS even more fun for me was that their instructor Eric Bottema , is a long time friend from Unique Sports of Aruba.

After we got back to the dock I wanted to have a photo op with the Lionfish and they were scalped right away by Sue Heiter. The fins and tails were gone! Sue does not mess around!

Mrs. Germany and her husband, Matt, Mikie all posed for Lionfish photos and we made sure to include the Lionfish University flag in the photos. What a great Sunday this turned out to be. We all said our good byes and made our way back to our hotels to enjoy the lovely afternoon in Aruba.

I highly recommend JADS for my Lionfish Hunting friends. The boat is a large and clean and holds more divers then other boats on the island.

At JADS Dive Center you can expect personalized service from the crew who is friendly and includes professionally trained PADI instructors and dive masters. They will make sure you have the most enjoyable time. Offering a wide variety of dive sites (15+), JADS has the widest selection of dive sites on the island, including shore and boat dives. This allows us to cater the dives to our guests.

JADS offers many commodities such as a custom-made 36 ft. dive boat, full scuba equipment rental in excellent condition (BCD’s with integrated weights), digital underwater camera rentals, and Rum Reef Bar & Grill right next door, an air-conditioned classroom and free transportation in our vans for our divers staying in the hotel area. The dive shop offers a large selection of diving and snorkel equipment such as t-shirts, rash guards and much more.

From Introduction Dives, Open Water Courses to Dive Master Certification, JADS Dive Center and Dive Shop caters to all levels of underwater enthusiasts. Aruba’s south coast means we’ve got the best of diving on the island, everything from extensive coral reefs, artificial reefs, wrecks and don’t forget about the abundance of fish! Depths range from 18-120ft/5-37m., with each dive site offering its own unique qualities! Our charters hit all the greatest dive spots from Air Aruba’s old YS-11 airplane and the Jane Sea wreck and down to the tip of the island at Cabez Reef. We are proud to be a certified dealer of Scuba Pro and offer a variety of equipment.

View Lionfish Hunting Dive Shop Interviews