He won a three-mile race across the Mersey River, received a gold medal for life-saving, and exhibited his talents as part of an 11-person swim team in a tour of English and French seaside resorts.

[3] In 1884 he sailed around Cape Horn from Liverpool on the Robert Kerr, arriving in Burrard Inlet, a coastal fjord in southwestern British Columbia, in September 1885.

It was not until around 1897 that the city, in recognition of his services, put him on its payroll as a lifeguard; at some point, he was also made a special police constable.

In 1910, the City honoured Joe Fortes for his many years of service to the public by presenting him with a gold watch, a cheque, and an illuminated address.

[6] Fortes died on February 4, 1922, at Vancouver General Hospital from a paralytic stroke, about three weeks after being admitted for pneumonia.

"[11] In 2002, he was the subject of a National Film Board of Canada animated short Joe, directed by Jill Haras with a voice cast featuring Blu Mankuma.

[12] In 2013, Canada Post released a postage stamp of Joe Fortes on February 1 celebrating Black History Month.