June 9 (UPI) -- A man riding a Jet Ski on a Florida river captured video of an unusual obstacle he discovered in the middle of the water -- a black bear out for a swim.

Raoul Hosein told News4Jax he was riding a Jet Ski on the St. Johns River on the north side of Jacksonville when he encountered the black bear swimming in the middle of the water.


Hosein recorded a short cellphone video of the bear paddling across the river. He said the bruin eventually reached the other side and ran off into the distance.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said black bears are strong swimmers and are known to travel long distances in the water.

A Pennsylvania man fishing in his boat in Raystown Lake in Bedford County late last month discovered a baby bear struggling to keep its nose above the water. He theorized the bear had attempted to swim across with its mother, but found its skills insufficient.

The fisherman, Brad Meck, shared photos of the bear after he plucked it from the water and took it to the other side of the water, where it hopefully reunited with its mother.