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Western Cape, South Africa (17 March 2025) \u2014 <\/i>Sometimes, exciting things wash up on the shore that make our beach walks all the more exciting\u2014fascinating sea shells or a message in a bottle if we\u2019re lucky. Other times, we\u2019re met with far less than thrilling washaways. Many of us might shake our heads and look the other way when this happens. But some of the better ones among us will take the time to clean up and remove what shouldn\u2019t be there in the first place. People like Michael de Nobrega<\/a>, his son and kind strangers who recently saved a local beach from a massive fishing net hazard.<\/p>\n A passionate marine life photographer from Hartenbos, Michael knows that you can\u2019t just appreciate the beauty of our oceanic wonders. You have to protect them, too.<\/p>\n As such, when he came across a massive fishing net near Bayview Beach along a night walk, he knew something needed to be done.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was far too big for me to remove on my own, and leaving it behind really weighed on me \u2013 these nets are absolute death traps for marine life,\u201d Michael shared.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n So, he and his son Miguel ventured back to the spot, ready to get the fishing net out of the ocean\u2019s hair.<\/p>\n After a search, they spotted the hazard near the jetty at Baydunes.<\/p>\n This net would require some elbow grease to retire. But luckily for Michael and Miguel, they weren\u2019t the only good-hearted folk on the beach.<\/p>\n \u201cWith the help of a kind lady fishing nearby and an elderly gentleman, we managed to pull the net out of the ocean,\u201d said Michael.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Once removed, the next task was actually moving the heavy net. With a little creative thinking in tow, Michael and Miguel cut the net into manageable pieces before dragging it 300 metres and up 25 metres of steep stairs.<\/p>\n