Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

Calanit כלנית was former US presidential yacht Mayflower, for Presidents Theodore Roosevelt to Herbert Hoover
Registered name: Mala
Built: 1898, in Scotland

In 1947, Mayflower, out-of-service, was acquired by a front company on behalf of the Jewish Agency for Palestine.
She was renamed SS Mala, she flew the Panamanian flag.
Calanit כלנית SS Mala is recognized as an Aliyah Bet ship, although it arrived after Israeli independence.

In February, 1948, after she was repaired and refitted in a Brooklyn shipyard, Mala sailed from New York.
Before she even cleared New York harbor, she broke down.
Mala was repaired and sent on her way, to Marseille, where she remained for a few days to be refitted for passengers; bunks were like the shelves the prisoners had slept on in Dachau, with five tiers of shelf-like bunks built into the hold, and jammed one next to the other.

Eddie Abadi served as Bosun aboard Mala Calanit כלנית.

In July, 1948, Mala sail from Marseille, carrying 1,200 passengers.
Mala was renamed Calanit when she set sail.

On July 11, 1948, Mala Calanit כלנית arrived at Haifa, finishing her 7 day crossing of the Mediterranean.

On July 21, 1948, after remaining in Haifa for 10 days, Calanit כלנית sailed back to France to pick up more passengers.

In late July, 1948, Calanit כלנית arrived in Marseille, where a delegation of the second group of olim, who had been on Exodus 1947, arrived to inspect the ship and see the conditions.
When they saw the Calanit כלנית, the delegation refused to let any of the passengers sail, but were finally convinced to board.

In August, 1948, Calanit כלנית arrived at Haifa.
She returned to Europe, and was sold for scrap.