Yachts and megayachts aren't altogether uncommon among the wealthy and elite, but catching a glimpse of one of these massive vessels can still prove disconcerting. An onlooker from Victoria, British Columbia, recently sighted two yachts just off Cattle Point — one megayacht and one supporting yacht — and posted some photos in the r/VictoriaBC subreddit.
Comments suggest that both yachts are owned by American billionaire businessman Lorenzo Fertitta, who indulges in the luxury amenities and hosting capacities of the Lonian, the 285-foot megayacht, and uses the 216-foot Hodor as an extravagant storage vessel.
"They're owned by the same person … The whole concept is disgusting to me and I hate that they're on our shores," one commenter wrote.
According to Entrepreneur magazine, each of these vessels costs millions of dollars annually to maintain — close to $15 million, in the case of the Lonian, in terms of fuel and other operating expenses. Naturally, powering two vessels of that scope is no walk in the park. As a result, from an environmental standpoint, the carbon pollution generated by burning fuel for each of these ships takes a significant toll on our planet. Warmer weather, supercharged natural disasters, and resource scarcities are all on the table as greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide trap heat within our atmosphere.
It's not just the pollution released in operating these vessels; even building them demands huge amounts of steel, the production of which yields its own planet-heating emissions.
Unfortunately, the wealth inequalities in our society that enable billionaires like Fertitta to buy far more than they need simultaneously leave countless communities in dire poverty around the world. What's more, the individuals who own yachts and megayachts often fall into a pattern of spending freely and recklessly, and are likely the same folks who regularly resort to private jets and other environmentally detrimental modes of transportation.
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Responses to the original Reddit post were, understandably, unsettled by Fertitta's lavish display of wealth.
"Yikes — owned by the same guy, and one is just a floating tool shed for the other," one user remarked.
"Let's stop idolizing the ruling class," said another.
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