This year there are 3 mysterious ‘Joy’ ducks in Belfast  

The giant rubber ducks that have appeared mysteriously, one at a time, in Belfast Harbor for the past two summers have returned this year as a group, and there are three of them.

The three inflatable plastic sculptures are super-sized versions of the classic yellow rubber ducky, each with a variation of an uplifting message on its breast.

The first mystery duck, bearing the simple message “Joy,” appeared in 2021, charmed the city, then disappeared about a week later without a trace.

A larger version with the message “Greater Joy” appeared in 2022 and caused some additional excitement when it became unmoored and floated to Islesboro.

“Greatest Joy” appears to be the newest and largest of the group. The three are making their first appearance together this year.

The visiting bathtub birdies have been wildly popular with residents and visitors. Despite the attention they’ve received their creator has kept a Banksy-like anonymity, delivering the ducks in the dead of night and removing them just as stealthily.

“I guess that’s the interesting part,” Scott Smith, operations manager for the Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce, said on Monday. “We’ve been scratching our heads this whole time waiting for someone to come forward and say, ‘It’s me. You’re welcome.’”

The chamber put the “Greater Joy” duck on the cover of its regional guide this year. The edition has been popular, and Smith attributed it to the unique image.

“You walk into info centers and you see guides with boats, buoys and pine trees. We wanted to stand out,” he said.

A person answering the phone at the Belfast harbor master’s office said they don’t know who owns the ducks and haven’t been bothered by them because they are not blocking the navigation channel.

The “Joy” ducks have become somewhat of a local symbol. The local community radio station, WBFY, printed stickers with the image of the giant rubber duck. And the duck even made it into a model railroad scene based on the city of Belfast.

Ethan Andrews is the night editor. He was formerly the managing editor at The Free Press and worked as a reporter for The Republican Journal and Pen Bay Pilot. More by Ethan Andrews