Come Play With Me

Tim, who is the Captain of “Beluga”, once told me that JoJo would come to his boat wanting Tim’s attention. If Tim was not on deck, JoJo would pull the line to his tender down in the water so the tender would bump “Beluga” alerting Tim to his presence.

Sightings

JoJo has been seen as far away as Grand Turk.

Bizarre

Told to me by a boat Captain. JoJo doesn’t swim in Grace Bay as much because he doesn’t like all the suntan lotion from the tourists in the water.
 

JoJo has a Sense of Humor

Dean Bernal who was one of the first people to befriend JoJo, was a dive instructor at Club Med. He would take his novice divers for lessons out in front of Club Med. He’d have them all in a circle as he gave them instruction. JoJo on occasion would herd a nurse shark into the circle and watch the pandemonium that would ensue. (Dolphins do like to antagonize nurse sharks.)

Scotty, who worked at Club Med for many years, told me JoJo would on occasion accompany the dive boats out to the reef. They would drop anchor and put their divers in. Upon looking back at the boat, they would notice it had moved. The culprit was JoJo!! He had moved the anchor. They now had to JoJo proof the anchor by burying it deep into the sand!

This adds a little more credence to Clifford’s story about JoJo moving his boat.

Don’t Mess With JoJo

Every morning, a water ski instructor had to get to her boat, which was anchored just off shore. She used a surfboard to paddle out. Apparently, JoJo would come along and try to play with her. One morning she got fed up and beaned JoJo with a paddle. Every morning after that, he would lie in wait and dump her off her surfboard. (I particularly like that story!)


    Mike Rosati who owned the water sports concession at Ocean Club was playing with JoJo just off the beach. Mike was getting cold and wanted to go in but JoJo wanted him to keep playing. JoJo wouldn’t let him out f the water. Mike finally slapped the water to make his point that he wanted the game to end. JoJo swam off apparently with hurt feelings. He didn’t come around to play with Mike for many years after.
 

Scotty, who worked at Club Med for many years, told me a story about a guest. She was in the water and trying to pat JoJo despite being told not to touch him. He finally had enough of her and gave her a body check leaving her with a bruise. She apparently then wanted to sue Club Med!!!!! What part of, “don’t touch wild animals” did she not get?


A man from Club Med tried to give JoJo a hug. JoJo slapped him with his tail. The guy was knocked unconscious.

Another lady tried to pat him and he bite her fingers.  

JoJo To The Rescue

Clifford also told me that he was out fishing one day. He had the boat anchored a little way from the shore.  He started to feel seriously under the weather. He got worse and worse until he actually passed out on his boat. (Many years later he learned from a doctor that he had suffered a heart attack) When he came to, he saw that JoJo had been picking the anchor up and placing it closer and closer to shore so that when Clifford came to he was right at the shore and could climb off the boat to go for help.

Kayon who works at the Cabana Bar at Ocean Club tells of another rescue. She was with a bunch of friends who were on their way back by boat from a party on her home island of North Caicos when the boat over turned. Kayon didn’t know how to swim and was panicked that she was starting to sink. She felt something push her up so she could breath and get to shore. She’s sure it was JoJo.

A group of snorkelers were out at Smith Reef when a shark started to come closer and closer making them uncomfortable. JoJo appeared on the scene and killed the shark by ramming him with his rostrum.

Scotty, who worked at Club Med for many years, told me a story about a small dog. This dog was on a boat and a large wave hit the boat and knocked him overboard. The people on board were sure they’d lost him when he surfaced swimming along with JoJo right beside him.

Many people claim they were the first to meet JoJo

Clifford who owns the Pelican Beach Hotel on North Caicos said he was the first to meet JoJo. He told me he was fishing with a friend and accidentally dropped his mask and snorkel in the water. When he dove into retrieve it his friend on the boat yelled to him that there was a shark. Clifford swam as fast as he could back to the boat. When he got there, there was a dolphin( JoJo) right beside him not a shark. 

A fisherman once told me that he met JoJo when he was a very small calf. He proudly said that he put the notch in JoJo’s dorsal so he could recognize him. (bizarre)