Adventurers often seek thrills and adrenaline rushes, but one Australian windsurfer, Jason Breen, got more than he bargained for on a sunny day off the coast of Sydney.
While riding the waves and relishing the beauty of the ocean, he encountered a close and unexpected encounter with a massive whale.
The Unexpected Collision
It was a typical Wednesday morning, and the conditions were perfect for windsurfing off one of Sydney's northern beaches.
Jason Breen, a 55-year-old thrill-seeker, was in his element, gliding smoothly on the water, when the unimaginable happened. Out of nowhere, he collided head-on with a breaching whale. His heart must have raced as he came face to face with the massive sea creature.
Breen's Terrifying Moment
A video captured on Breen's GoPro camera reveals the intensity of the collision. In the hours following the incident, Breen recounted the terrifying moment when he thought his life was in peril.
He shared, "It did drag me down sort of 20-to-30 feet. The only thing that saved me was my leash. The webbing was completely ripped out. And if it didn't, I probably wouldn't be here. It was only the snap of that leg rope that actually saved me."
Source: jasonthejaw
The whale's strong pull dragged him deep underwater for around 20 seconds, and Breen could only hold onto hope as he descended into the depths of the ocean.
He later said, "I thought it was all over."
Feeling small and weak when faced with the immense power of nature is a very humbling experience.
A Fortunate Witness
While Breen was battling for his life beneath the waves, an unexpected bystander, Paul Nettlebeck, was observing the entire incident from a distance. Stricken with fear for Breen's safety, Nettlebeck immediately called local authorities for assistance.
It was really lucky that someone filmed this heart-stopping moment. Then, Northern Beaches Living posted the video to their Facebook account. In the caption, they say:
Local Paul Nettlebeck was taking some footage this morning off Mona Vale of a wing surfer in the distance who was having a great run, when he suddenly had a major run-in - with a whale!
The man was Newport local Jason Breen, who is miraculously fine - as is the whale. Jason's mate Tom, who was out with him reports: "I was out riding with him. He was all good. Just a broken wing leash and maybe needs a new set of undies."
You'll see this make all the major news sites this evening.
Thanks to Paul for the footage.
The Aftermath
Source: jasonthejaw
Fortunately, the story has a happy ending. Neither Breen nor the whale suffered any injuries during their collision. "We still can't believe both of them came out unscathed!" Northern Beaches Living shared.
After surviving this awe-inspiring encounter, Breen could look back and laugh about it all.
Jason Breen's encounter with a breaching whale while windsurfing off the coast of Sydney is truly incredible, isn’t it?
Now, we’d love to hear from you, our readers. What do you think of this story? Have you ever experienced similar things in life? Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comment section below.