Whatever Happened to Robin Lee Graham ?

[sheddski]

hi from mass. USA i was intriqued by his trip so much that i bought both his books (paper backs) they were actually the same title DOVE but one had pictures well the story goes my younger sister bought a house back in 1991 from a estate sale and the lady who passed on the house to her sister after her death was a national geographic reader and collector so i was remembering about the book i read back in 1980,s about robin,s trip and thought that my sister might just have the actual magazines well low and behold she had them stacked up from late 62 till 1979 ? and there it was both of them when i opened them up i could not believe seeing him in color fishing under sail, at the helm going over charts packing stores and on and on but then there was a picture of another boat i read on and found out national geographic bought him a bigger boat to make the rest of the journey home and he was towing (what he called little dove ) to the new owner he was clever to rig a string to the camera shutter to take his pictures while alone and at the helm so in those articals he was alone taking pictures while the pictures patty took were shipped back to his parents when ever he would take patty along after short jaunts he would allways go back and drop her off then do it again a real standup guy .

[aj_the_first]

I'm only 28 and Robin Lee Graham inspired me!
My dad still has the old dusty National Geographics that had those articles (Robin inspired my dad as well, but not quite to the point of actual world sailing) I read those articles and his book when I was 14 or so, dad broke them out of his storage to show me. I figured there was no way I would be able to break that age record with only two years and no finiacial support, but I dreamed of circumnavigating some day.
April 2011, I'll be 30, and let the circumnavigation begin!
I might even have to name my boat Dove. Or Robin.
Is that bad luck? Or pretentious?

[Squeaks]

Robin Lee Graham was and remains such a wonderful inspiration for so many of us. I have his book, Dove, and don't know about copyright laws but I'd love it if someone could scan those National Geographic articles (I remember 3) or know of public access.
Fair winds Robin and Patty!

[aj_the_first]

Originally Posted by Squeaks

Robin Lee Graham was and remains such a wonderful inspiration for so many of us. I have his book, Dove, and don't know about copyright laws but I'd love it if someone could scan those National Geographic articles (I remember 3) or know of public access.
Fair winds Robin and Patty!

I'm having my dad scan and send them to me. I would love to read and look at them again too. I was so impressed with his solo photography... and of course solo circumnavigation.
I'll let you know when I get them. Knowing my dad, probably in the next 24 hours.

[swabbmob]

I too was incredibly inspired by Robin as a boy. I absorbed everything I could read about him. His adventures led me to join the Coast Guard (to be near the ocean) and of course that decision 35 years ago changed the course of my life. I live on a boat now and hope to fulfill some deferred dreams that Robin incubated.

I wonder if he realizes how many people are responding even to this thread. J Graham - make sure you say "hey" to Robin for me. Tell him I had a crush on Patti.

[Randal Johnson]

So I just ordered his book "Dove" from Amazon used for $1.35 plus $3.99 shipping. I look forward to reading it.
Randal

[aj_the_first]

Originally Posted by aj_the_first

I'm having my dad scan and send them to me. I would love to read and look at them again too. I was so impressed with his solo photography... and of course solo circumnavigation.
I'll let you know when I get them. Knowing my dad, probably in the next 24 hours.

Okay, so it was a BIT more than 24 hours. My dad sent the original National Geographics to me here in Iraq instead. I only have a black and white scanner, and it took a long time, but I have the first article scanned.... it is 46 pages long. They are all about that long, so it will be a bit before I have time to scan the others.
So, any ideas on how I can get a 54 MB file out to you guys to share? There isn't really any way to compress it beyond this, but I guess I could extract each page into it's own file.

[dove111]

hey yah jgraham i was wondering the same question if their is any way to contact him, me and my cousin are waiting till we turn 18 in 3 years and our reason for doing this was solely inspired by your cousin because we seem to have been spiraling downward in life lately and his journey has given us a dream and hope and i would really like too at the least thank him. I just think it is an amazing idea and it will be a trip for us to find ourselves as people in this world and as christian men, and all of these thoughts travelling in my head lately are all thanks to robin who has given me a reason too even live.

[austinpbode]

I still have the original National Geographic articles that my grandfather gave me when he was underway and after he returned. Fascinating! I would also like to have a contact method for him... very inspirational. I am hoping to find a cruising boat to go down island, but - alas - I have been a powerboater since the age of 8 when I got my first skiff! Now, at 52, I am ready to make the transition. Thanks! BILL

[KairosKona]

Robin and Patti Graham on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Here's a pic of Robin and Patty. It's probably a few years old now. Enjoy!

His story is why I love sailing too! I wore out the page of those National Geographic articles!

David

[austinpbode]

Thanks for the photo! I've been wondering what ever happened to Dove and The Return of Dove . . . bill

[KairosKona]

Robin owns a construction company and has been building custom homes in the Kalispell area for decades. He got "saved" at some point while living up there and does a lot of humanitarian related stuff as well. I think he might have become affiliated with a group called YWAM- Youth With a Mission, a christian youth mission. I think I remember reading somewhere that he DOES get out sailing once in awhile, doing yacht deliveries very occasionally.

His last book " Home is the Sailor, Home from the Sea" gives some insight to his "life" after Dove. It was written many decades ago.

David

[Pago Girl]

This is all so interesting. I met Robin (we called him "Lee") in 1966 in American Samoa while he was waiting out hurricane season. I was a teenager at the time, and my family had moved there when my physician father took a job at the Hospital of American Samoa. There was quite a lively group of kids -- American and Samoan -- who hung out together on the island, and Lee became part of the scene. I remember that he came to my 17th birthday party. He also used to come over to use our washer and dryer once in a while. Another recollection: a hurricane hit the island during his stay, and when we got word that it was imminent, my father went down to the marina to invite Lee to spend the night at our apartment, but Lee insisted on staying with Dove and his cats. I re-read his book recently, while working on a memoir about my time in Samoa, and was fascinated with his account of riding out the storm on the boat.

Lately I've wondered why Robin/Lee is never mentioned in stories about Zac Sunderland. Did he not complete the whole circumnavigation? Or was he older than 18 by the time he finished? I don't recall from the book.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by Pago Girl

Lately I've wondered why Robin/Lee is never mentioned in stories about Zac Sunderland. Did he not complete the whole circumnavigation? Or was he older than 18 by the time he finished? I don't recall from the book.

Welcome to the Forum, Pago Girl - we're glad you've joined us. And thanks for providing your unique information on Robin Lee Graham.

Robin / Lee is mentioned in most accounts I've read about Zac's circumnavigation, but it isn't Graham's record that Zac is breaking - it's Jesse Martin's, an 18 year-old Australian at the time he set the record in 1999. And Zac's claim to youngest circumnavigator is probably only going to last about three weeks. A British 17 year-old, and a few months younger than Zac, should finish about that time.

Robin Lee Graham began his circumnavigation when he was 16, but he was 21 when he completed it, and married. Though he completed the circumnavigation, his vessel Dove did not. The 24' Lapworth sloop was pretty thoroughly trashed by the time he reached the Caribbean, and his father bought a 33' Allied Luders sloop in Florida which he sailed down to St. Thomas in the USVI.

Robin met his father there, moved aboard the new vessel (Big Dove), and continued on to and through the Panama Canal and back home to Los Angeles.

TaoJones

[roverhi]

Big Dove has been in the Islands for quite awhile. It was for sale about 10 years ago but not in good cosmetic condition. Price was pretty good but didn't have the money or the 'need' to own another boat at the time. It was purchased by a liveaboard young couple and rehab'd. Seem to remember they ended up selling it as well. Haven't seen or heard of the boat for the past few years. Wonder if it's still here. The Allied Luders 33 is one of the prettiest boats ever.

Aloha
Peter O.
Pearson 35