Jason Breen has spent much of his life in the water. As a lifelong surfer from Sydney, Australia, he’s had his fair share of unforgettable encounters — from dolphins riding the waves beside him to a humpback whale breaching so close it took his breath away.
But nothing compared to the day he rescued the “puppy dog of the ocean.”
It started after a storm rolled across the coast, leaving behind churning surf and stranded sea life. Breen heard word of a massive fish trapped in a tidal pool — cut off from the open sea when the tide went out.
Without hesitation, he grabbed his gear and headed for the rocks.
When he peered into the shallow pool, he saw him: a blue groper, one of Australia’s most beloved marine species. Their oversized lips, brilliant colors, and curious personalities make them favorites among divers.
This one, however, was in trouble.
Swept in by the storm’s fierce waves, the groper had been stuck in the tidal pool for nearly a week — with no food and dwindling energy. If he didn’t get back to the ocean soon, he wouldn’t survive.
“He had to be saved, or he was gonna die,” Breen said in a video for The Dodo.
So Breen did what any true ocean lover would do — he jumped in.
The groper, despite his size and strength, didn’t panic. Breen spoke to him softly as he waded closer, his voice calm and steady over the rush of waves.
“I’m talking to him, saying, ‘It’s all right,’” Breen said.
Then something extraordinary happened. The giant fish swam straight into Breen’s waiting net — as if he somehow understood the human’s intention.
“They’re very, very friendly fish,” Breen said. “They are like a puppy dog of the ocean.”
With the groper safely secured, Breen raced across the slippery rocks, carrying the heavy net toward the open sea. When he reached the edge, he released the fish back into the surf — and watched as it glided away, free once more.
“It was an unbelievable experience,” Breen said. “I just felt very privileged and very in touch with the ocean.”
He figured that would be the end of their story. But the ocean had other plans.
The next morning, when Breen paddled out for a surf, a familiar shape appeared beneath his board — the same blue groper, circling close as if to say hello.
“I would like to think he swam up to say thank you,” Breen said with a smile.
For Breen, the moment was more than a rescue — it was a reminder of the quiet bond that exists between humans and the sea, and the trust that can form when kindness meets courage.
You can follow Jason Breen’s ocean adventures across Australia on his Instagram.
