US weatherman joins Shields Ferry after stint on the Tyne and Wear Metro

The US weatherman who made headlines in February for giving up his job and the Cayman Islands for a job on the Tyne and Wear Metro has now landed a new role at the Shields Ferry.

Joe Avary, 47, now of East Boldon, has joined the Ferry crew as a Second Mate and will start learning how to drive the iconic vessels across the river.

His previous job saw him presenting weather forecasts and compiling news reports for the Cayman Islands’ only local TV station.

Joe said: “It’s a huge honour to get this opportunity to work at the Shields Ferry. I am really looking forward to getting started.

“The ferry is a local icon. I jumped at the chance to be able to work there. We had plenty of boat trips over the in Cayman Islands, where the weather is a little bit warmer than here, and so is the water, but to get the chance to actually learn how to drive a ferry is a wonderful new experience for me.

“I’ll miss all of my colleagues and customers on the Metro stations. If you take a trip on the Shields Ferry and you see me on duty don’t hesitate to come and say hello.”

His American accent proved very popular with Metro customers and so Nexus said it was looking forward to bringing his excellent customer service skills to the service.

Joe’s wife Claire is from Jarrow and in 2021 the couple returned back to her native South Tyneside- a massive change after six years of sun.

Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Joe has had a 23-year media career, one that took him across the USA as a cameraman and a journalist, culminating in his dream job working in the Caribbean.

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