Squamish's Mike Wight was walking along the Squamish River when he saw what he thought was a struggling dog being swept away.
Then he looked closer—it was a black bear.
Wight recounted the moment in an interview with The Squamish Chief.
“Realized he was not struggling, then got my phone out. I only captured him in the main channel towards the far side, but saw him easily climb out.”
The dog heard barking in the video is Wight’s five-year-old chocolate lab, Henry.
But the pooch was completely oblivious to the bear, Wight said, “He was barking at me because I stopped throwing the stick for him to take the video.”
The video was shot at about 10 a.m. on July 11.
Wight then shared it to the Howe Sound and Sea to Sky wildlife sightings Facebook page.
According to the North Shore Black Bear Society, this bear wasn't doing anything unusual.
"You could see a bear at the beach or even in the ocean," the society says on its website. "Bears enjoy cooling off and swim to travel, find food, soothe wounds and play. Black bears are great swimmers and can swim considerable distances."
