A massive superyacht that arrived at a Los Angeles marina with its identity concealed has been revealed as belonging to “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling.
The 290-foot yacht, named Samsara, docked at Marina del Rey over the weekend and quickly attracted attention from locals and harbor watchers. Its name had reportedly been covered, fueling speculation about who owned the enormous vessel.
Despite the attempt to keep the yacht less identifiable, people familiar with the vessel and online boat watchers were able to connect it to Rowling. Maritime tracking data also placed Samsara at the marina.
The superyacht is estimated to be worth around $150 million. Built by Dutch shipbuilder Oceanco and delivered in 2015, the vessel was originally named Infinity. It later changed ownership before Rowling reportedly acquired it in 2023 and renamed it Samsara, a Sanskrit word associated with the cycle of life, death and rebirth.
The yacht is designed for luxury travel, with accommodation for guests and crew and amenities that include a circular swimming pool, cinema and beach club. Reports say it can accommodate roughly a dozen guests and more than two dozen crew members.
The decision to conceal the yacht’s name appears to have been linked to privacy concerns. Superyacht broker Chris Cecil-Wright told Fox News that while owners sometimes take measures to make their vessels less identifiable, covering a yacht’s name is unusual.
Rowling has not publicly commented on the yacht’s arrival in Los Angeles, and she has not been publicly seen there.
The mysterious arrival has now turned into a much bigger story after the identity of the yacht’s high-profile owner became known.