A Florida towboat business owner got a shock when he saw a black bear hanging out on a catamaran in the harbor of Naples, Florida earlier this week.

On Wednesday, Todd Dillman, owner of the Tow Boat U.S. Naples and Marco Island towing business, was bringing a barge back towards the Naples Sailing & Yacht Club when he saw a black bear far from its usual habitat. Naples is on the Gulf of Mexico.

Mr. Dillman posted a video of the encounter on Facebook.

Why wasn’t this captain hired?? He was unbearable                        BoatUS

Posted by Tow BoatU.S. Naples and Marco Island on Wednesday, October 4, 2023

“I thought I had seen it all in my line of work. Snakes, gators, saltwater crocs, sharks … never in a million years did I think I would see a bear,” Mr. Dillman told the Naples Daily News.

Manny Blanco, general manager at the yacht club, was skeptical at first.

“I said, ‘No. No. There can’t be a bear on the docks. Walked out the docks and sure enough, there was a bear on a boat. I’ve seen alligators in the marina. I’ve seen dolphins, manatees, but I’ve never seen a bear,” Mr. Blanco told WBBH-TV.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission is now tracking the bear’s movements. It is still unclear how the bear reached the boat, or what exactly drew it to its aquatic craft of choice.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.