In this column, I look forward to sharing inspiring stories of environmental projects, mental wellbeing initiatives and how we can make SUP accessible to more people. If you have a story, please email me at thejoyofsuppodcast@gmail.com and follow me on Instagram @jomoseley.

Jo Moseley

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Waterhaul – looking after the ocean and our eyes

Photo: Waterhaul

A couple of years ago, I received a message on Instagram from a company called Waterhaul, which was crowdfunding for their Kickstarter campaign Retask the Mask. They created litter pickers from disposable masks and participated in a competition run by Cornwall Council for extra funds. I was intrigued by their work, pledged a donation for a litter picker and started following their journey. 

Founded in 2018 by marine scientist Harry Dennis, Waterhaul creates eyewear (sunglasses and prescription glasses) and outdoor equipment (litter pickers and knives) from 100% recycled fishing nets. Having travelled the world talking to local communities about the problem of plastic pollution, Harry kept noticing the bright green net that had been abandoned or lost from the fishing industry. You may remember me sharing the statistics of the so-called ‘ghost net’ and how it traps and kills marine life long after it has been lost in my recent column about Ghost Fin. 

He realised that the properties that made the lost fishing gear such a problem, its strength, durability and abundance, also made it an excellent material to create products that would be useful and last. In November 2018, after months of trial and error, Waterhaul created its first eyewear prototype and has since gone from strength to strength. I was lucky enough to meet the team at the National Outdoor Expo earlier this year, and I love the pair of glasses they kindly gifted me to try. We all know how important protecting our eyes when on the water is. 

Waterhaul also has an educational outreach programme teaching schools, businesses and community groups about the recycling process. They even bring a specialist hand-operated shredder and plastic extruder to the workshops to show the waste process to new products and allow participants to create something themselves! 

So if you are looking for new litter-picking equipment for your SUP trips or polarised glasses to care for your eyes, you can find out more about Waterhaul at www.waterhaul.co.