Residents of the Hawaiian island of Molokai prevented the crew of the 107-meter Ulysses Explorer from docking on its shores.
At the sight of the approaching boat, about a dozen ordinary Molokai residents and several police officers staged a protest on the island's waterfront, demanding that the vessel leave the harbor. In the process, one of the residents communicated with the superyacht's crew over a walkie-talkie.
The activists said they have nothing against the entrepreneur himself, they just want to protect the island from an unwanted influx of tourists that may follow the arrival of such a large ship.
«I think the threat lies in the presence of this big ship and the ability to come and go as it pleases. And it's just the fear that such a precedent might lead to more ships», said one of the islanders, Loretta Ritte .
The locals achieved their goal: The boat, described as the most expensive yacht sold in 2017, immediately turned around and headed for the island of Maui.
The 351-foot expedition vessel was built in 2016 by Norwegian shipyard Kleven for New Zealand's wealthiest businessman Graeme Hart. Having commissioned an even larger yacht from the same shipbuilder, Hart put Ulysses up for sale for $195 million. Ulysses' new buyer is unknown.
The superyacht can accommodate over 70 people, has a large swimming pool, a roomy garage full of water toys and 2 lifts. There is a helipad, a hangar and a fueling station for the rotorcraft. The highlight of the Ulysses is a 21-metre catamaran tender capable of speeds up to 50 knots.
