Visitors to a beach in Destin, Florida, on the Gulf of Mexico, were surprised to see a… black bear swimming in the sea.

The bear is seen enjoying a dip in the refreshing blue waters of the Gulf, before heading out onto the beach filled with bathers.

Those on the beach at the time could not tell what the animal was as it headed inland as many would have probably expected a dolphin or shark rather than a bear.

Then the young black bear did not hesitate to pass between the umbrellas and towels of the bathers.

Chris Kirby, a boat captain, told Al.com that it’s not unusual for bears to swim in the Gulf — something he said he’s seen many times.

“There are a lot of bears at Eglin Air Force Base. They swim in the bay. Sometimes they go swimming happy,” he said.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission estimates there are more than 4,000 black bears in Florida.