The Meta CEO’s massive vessel has relocated to waters north of Seattle, now positioned off the coast of Everett, Washington, making room for local ferry traffic to continue its regular routes.
The 387-foot yacht known as Launchpad departed from its Elliott Bay anchorage on Thursday and made its way northward through Puget Sound. Data from MarineTraffic indicates the vessel dropped anchor in Port Gardner Bay, adjacent to Naval Station Everett, at approximately 5:30 p.m. Thursday evening.
Photographer Tim Davis, based in Kingston, Washington, captured images of the vessel as it passed President Point, which he posted to his Facebook page. The post garnered numerous comments from individuals who witnessed the ship’s passage, whether from shore or while aboard ferries traveling across Puget Sound.
According to Davis, MarineTraffic lists the yacht’s intended destination as “salmon country,” leading some observers to theorize that Alaska might be the vessel’s ultimate goal.
The $300 million superyacht first arrived in Seattle on May 27, navigating through the Ballard Locks before securing a mooring spot on Lake Union for several days. The vessel’s presence in the Pacific Northwest has attracted both curious onlookers and demonstrators, though no official explanation has been provided regarding the purpose of the visit or whether Mark Zuckerberg himself would be aboard.
Accompanying Launchpad on this journey is Wingman, a 262-foot support yacht capable of transporting tender boats, a helicopter, and various recreational equipment. As of Friday morning, this companion vessel remained docked at Smith Cove in Seattle.
The timing of the vessels’ Seattle arrival coincided with Meta’s announcement of workforce reductions affecting nearly 1,400 employees in Washington state. This represented approximately 20% of the company’s regional workforce and was part of a larger company-wide reduction eliminating roughly 8,000 positions.
The juxtaposition of the luxury yacht’s arrival with the job cuts sparked divided reactions on social media. Some Facebook users characterized the yacht as “a grotesque display of wealth owned by a tone deaf billionaire,” while others admired it as a “gorgeous boat” and defended the Meta CEO as someone who “earned it” and provides employment to thousands of people.
The vessel’s journey through local waters provided dramatic visuals, particularly when photographed alongside Washington State Ferries vessels. The size comparison between the private superyacht and the public transportation ferries highlighted the immense scale of Launchpad, which measures 387 feet in length.
Observers tracked the yacht’s movements through various marine traffic monitoring websites, with many taking to social media to share sightings and photographs. The vessel’s passage through the region’s waterways became a topic of widespread local interest and discussion.
The presence of both Launchpad and its support vessel Wingman in Pacific Northwest waters represents a significant maritime event for the region. The combined value of the two vessels exceeds $400 million, making them among the most valuable private watercraft to visit Seattle-area waters in recent memory.
As the yacht now sits anchored off Everett, speculation continues about its next destination. The reference to “salmon country” in maritime tracking data suggests a possible journey to Alaska’s waters, though no official confirmation has been provided.
The vessel’s departure from Seattle’s Elliott Bay marks the end of its visit to the city’s central waterfront, though the support vessel Wingman remains in the area. Whether the two vessels will reunite for a continued journey north or pursue separate courses remains to be seen.