Destin beachgoers got quite a surprise Sunday afternoon when a black bear waded out of the Gulf of Mexico and onto the shore after a dip in the water.

Many on the beach reached for their cell phones to document the unusual event.

One of those people was Jennifer Majors Smith of Pensacola. Smith posted about the event on her Facebook.

Another video of the event was posted on All Things Emerald Coast’s Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/184402040948524

The bear most likely came from the area of Eglin Air Force Base, where there is a large population of the bears.

There have been other bear sightings in the Sunshine State recently. A bear was seen about 50 feet high in a tree at Lake Eola Park in Orlando. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission estimates that there are about 4,050 black bears within the state.

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.