BELFAST, Maine — The famed giant inflatable duck made a surprise return earlier this week, shining bright yellow in the Belfast Harbor.
"Joy" the duck made national headlines last year and returned this year with an even greater message — literally. The inflatable duck has been dubbed "Greater Joy" this time around.
But on Thursday afternoon, "Greater Joy" made a grand escape. It broke free from its mooring and drifted away from the Belfast Harbor from heavy winds.
Many took to social media to share videos taken of the runaway duck. One person even witnessed the duck drifting away all the way in Blue Hill, according to a post in the "You Know You Love Belfast If....." Facebook page.
Lisa Cohn shared video footage with NEWS CENTER Maine of the duck making its departure from Belfast Harbor.
An official from the Belfast Harbor Office told NEWS CENTER Maine on Thursday that the giant duck broke free around noon time.
According to the official, "Greater Joy" has not yet been captured.
"We actually went out and grabbed it with the boat, but the lines all broke on it," the harbor official said. "It was just way too windy. We couldn't pull it back in."
To this day, it is still unknown who "Greater Joy" belongs to or where the duck came from. But the city of Belfast welcomes its presence with open arms.
The whereabouts of "Greater Joy" could be anywhere by now, but those who saw the duck when it was sitting in the harbor will remember the smile it put on their face.