A Carmel man got quite a surprise this weekend when he and his fishing companions found a deer swimming in the middle of the Long Island Sound.

The Klondike IX fishing cruise was about five miles into the Long Island Sound when it spotted a doe in the water, struggling to stay afloat.

James Short, of Carmel, says the captain sprang into action and roped the animal in. "She seemed like she was gripping for life, so for a deer to be that tired, she had to be struggling for a long time. And I was just grateful to be on the boat that stopped and helped her because she certainly was going to die out there."

The doe was brought to shore and is said to be OK. It's still unclear how the deer got that far out into the water or how long she was there for.