Matt McDevitt was spending his holiday at the beach in Carlsbad, California, when he noticed the pup in distress on a road.
A California beach volleyball coach who was spending his day on the shore ended up rescuing a baby sea lion from almost certain death.
Matt McDevitt, of Encinitas, was enjoying his holiday in Carlsbad when he noticed the distressed pup on a perilously busy highway.
McDevitt and his friend had only moments to decide what to do. Thinking fast, they held up traffic and used beach towels to slowly lead the sea lion back to the beach on Monday.
In a video McDevitt posted to Twitter, the pup appears to be very confused for a while but soon finds his way toward the Pacific.
Watch: Disturbing Footage of Beached Sea Lions Sparks Outrage
Lost sea lions seem to be an increasingly common occurrence in California.
Employees at a La Jolla seafood eatery were shocked when a sea lion somehow made its way inside and into a booth.
Bernard Guillas, the chef at The Marine Room, wasn't even ready to start serving when he saw the unexpected guest.
Animal experts say the eight-month-old pup was sick.
Watch: Sick Sea Lion Grabs a Booth For Lunch At Seafood Restaurant
A SeaWorld rescue team was called to care for the malnourished and dehydrated sea lion, which also had an eye swollen shut.
In January, a sea lion with an apparent love of retail managed to climb over 100 stairs to reach a La Jolla beachside gift shop.
Just around closing time, the sea mammal entered The Cave Store, which sits at the top of stairs that allow visitors to descend a cliff to reach the idyllic Sunny Jim Sea Cave.
In store security footage, the sea lion can be seen ambling into view just as a flummoxed customer enters the store.
Watch: This Curious Sea Lion Climbed 145 Steps to Browse a Gift Shop
