CURIOSITIESRupert on the list of legends

Rupert is gone. And a lot of people are not happy about it. Rupert, the black swan who was a floating fixture in Newport Harbor for the past 15 years, was accidentally run over Sept. 13 by a Harbor Patrol boat racing to investigate a report of a dead body in the harbor, which turned out to be all too true.

The victim was later identified as a Huntington Beach woman who had been killed elsewhere and dumped in the harbor. It was a horrific crime that certainly outweighed Rupert's passing, but the black swan's death sent a shock wave through the harbor community because Rupert had an army of fans. He also had some detractors, but we'll get to that later.

There was a memorial at sea for Rupert yesterday — a traditional Hawaiian ceremony with a procession to the mouth of the bay led by the Imua Outrigger Canoe Club, a club for people who have outrigger canoes. For those without canoes, Gay Wassall-Kelly, who was Rupert's unofficial but dedicated caretaker, suggested that donations be made to the Huntington Beach Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center.

I'd like to tell you all about my personal encounters and experiences with Rupert, but I don't have any. I don't get out much. When I do, it usually doesn't involve swans.

But I did think the fact that Rupert was a black swan was very interesting, and I set out to learn what that was all about. A black swan — sounds exotic, no? Something very rare, like a black pearl or a black sheep, or a black sheep wearing black pearls, which is even more rare.

As it turns out, Rupert wasn't rare. He was Australian.

There is no shortage of black swans Down Under and lots of them have made their way to New Zealand. None of that explains how Rupert ended up in Newport Harbor some 15 years ago, but he did, and he quickly attracted a large following of Rupert groupies. Locals always stopped to say hi, and tourists were fascinated by the sight of a black swan gliding around the harbor.

But Rupert didn't just glide. Sometimes he charged.

Whatever their color, swans' people-skills are not good. They are generally cranky, and if you get too close, they won't hesitate to let you know that you have worn out your welcome.

In Rupert's case, the color red made him bonkers. When Rupert charged a boat or a swimmer, wings flapping and honker honking, it was a good bet they were either painted or wearing red.