J.K. Rowling has been revealed as the owner of a massive mystery superyacht that has been turning heads in a Los Angeles harbor.
Sources confirmed that Rowling, 61, owns the 290-foot yacht Samsara, which arrived in Marina del Rey on Sunday with its name covered, according to a California Post report published Thursday, September 3. Despite the effort to conceal the vessel’s identity, the outlet reported that one local described its ownership as “the worst-kept secret on the Marina.”
The Harry Potter author has not been publicly spotted since the yacht arrived, and the outlet reported that she had not posted about a trip to Los Angeles on social media.
The yacht, however, attracted attention from local boaters on social media. After an Instagram account posted footage of the vessel, in the comments section one social media user wrote, “Confirmed by local boat captains to be JK Rowling’s Samsara. Name is covered after docking as it often attracts protesters.”
twogirls.oneboat/Instagram
Another commenter called it “absolutely JK Rowling’s boat” and claimed it had visited the area previously.
“[It was] here last May too and as soon as it arrived the crew quickly covered up the name and then it disappeared off AIS, I suspect bc of her outspoken activism,” Viano wrote in the comment section.
Marine Traffic data cited by the California Post showed the vessel docked in the marina. The boat was built by Oceanco in 2015 and was originally named Infinity. According to the report, its first owner was Harbor Freight Tools CEO Eric Smidt, who sold it to Australian billionaire Brett Blundy in 2022. Rowling acquired it in 2023 and renamed it Samsara.
Rowling’s seven Harry Potter novels have sold an estimated 600 million copies worldwide, per Scholastic, inspired a blockbuster movie franchise and helped make her one of the world’s wealthiest authors, with Forbes estimating her fortune at $1.2 billion. However, she has also become a controversial figure because of her outspoken views on transgender issues. She addressed it on her official website in 2020.
That controversy has even followed Rowling to Samsara. In 2025, the yacht attracted attention when it stopped to refuel in Port Angeles, Washington, prompting critical comments on social media about both Rowling and the environmental impact of large superyachts, according to the California Post.
It remains unclear how long Samsara will remain in Marina del Rey or whether Rowling plans to make a public appearance while the yacht is docked in Los Angeles.
This story J.K. Rowling’s Massive $150M Superyacht Spotted in L.A. With Its Name Covered: ‘Often Attracts Protesters’ first appeared on National Enquirer. Follow National Enquirer on Yahoo so you don’t miss what’s coming next.