The Araner

Those guys we picked up
There in Kailua
Regaled us with talk
About the ship
They were from,
And they weren’t kidding
About the boat either.
She was “The Araner,”
A stunningly beautiful,
Old-time sailing vessel
Anchored majestically
In the middle of the bay.
She was a white
Two-masted schooner,
The largest version
Of a gaff rigged ketch
Ever built.
She had quite a history,
And we were about to add
Another chapter to the tale.
She was built in 1908
And owned at one time
By the movie director,
John Ford, and had appeared
In such classic movies
As “Paradise Lost”
And “Donovan’s Reef.”
As the story goes,
The IRS had seized
The yacht for back taxes,
Then auctioned her off
Over in Honolulu, Hawaii.
She was then purchased
By a consortium of investors,
Several of whom
Decided to take her out
For a test sail,
Then neglected to return.
In other words,
The boat was stolen’
But we didn’t find that out
Until much later.
We were informed
They planned to sail
Her down to Fiji
To get her retrofitted.
Several years later
I heard that the Araner
Actually made it
Down there,
Where she was
Promptly sold
To a hapless stranger,
Who turned around
And sailed her
Back to Hawaii
For retrofitting.
As soon as he
Got her home,
She was seized
By the harbor authorities
And returned
To the remaining investors.