Robin Lee Graham

Robin Lee Graham (1949 - ) set out to sail around the world alone as a teenager in the summer of 1965. "National Geographic Magazine" carried the story, and he co-wrote a book detailing his journey titled, "Dove".

Graham was just sixteen when he set out alone from Southern California and headed west in his 24-foot sloop. He picked up two kittens called Kili and Fili (after two dwarves in the Hobbit) for company. He married along the way, and after almost five years, sailed back into his home port in Los Angeles. After he and his wife, Patti Ratterree, briefly attended Stanford University, they moved to Montana and settled down.

Graham's book about his voyage, "Dove", was published in 1972. His voyage was depicted in the film, "The Dove". A followup book, "Home Is The Sailor," was published in 1983.

The Route

Pacific Leg

After a "shakedown cruise" from San Pedro, California to Hawaii, Dove left Ala Wai Yacht Harbor in Honolulu on Sept. 14th, 1965. Graham's first landfall was 14 days later at Fanning Island, a British controlled atoll. His next planned stop was Pago Pago on the Island of Tutuila in American Samoa. A fierce squall demasted Dove and left her unable to reach Pago Pago. Under jury-rig, Dove set course for Apia on Upolu, Western Samoa. Five months later the repaired Dove sailed to Pago Pago to wait out the hurricane season.

On May 1st, 1966, Robin Graham sailed Dove to the Vava'u Group in Tonga. On June 21st, Dove sailed to Fiji. First to Fulanga in the Lau Group, then Kabara and then on to Suva in the Viti Levu Group. Dove next made its way through the Yasawa Group, including the Naviti, Waialailai, Waia, Nalawauki, Tavewa, and Yasawa islands.

On October 22, Dove set sail for the New Hebrides, arriving at the capital, Port Vila, four days later. On November 20th, Dove pulled into Honiara on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. While in the Solomons, Robin visited Florida Island, Savo Island and Tulagi Island. After one of Dove's slowest passages, landfall was made at Port Moresby, New Guinea on March 24th, 1967.

Dove left New Guinea on April 18th and arrived in Darwin, Australia on May 4th.

Indian Ocean Leg

On July 6th, 1967, Graham sailed Dove out of Darwin and made 1,900 miles in 18 days to reach Direction Island in the Cocos Islands. Eighteen hours out of the Cocos Islands, Dove was demasted for the second time during a brief storm. Graham sailed under jury rig for 2,300 miles to reach Port Louis Harbor, Mauritius. After repairs, Dove made for Reunion Island and then sailed 1,450 miles to Durban, South Africa.

Graham spent nine months in South Africa, calling on ports along the southern edge of the continent including East London, South Africa, Port Elizabeth, Plettenbergbaai, Knysna, Stilbaai, Struisbaai, Gordon's Bay and finally, Cape Town. He married his girlfriend and went on a honeymoon at Kruger National Park.

Atlantic Ocean Leg

On July 13th, 1968, Dove left Cape Town and sailed toward the northern coast of South Africa. On August 5th, Dove made landfall in Clarence Bay Ascension Island. A week later, Graham sailed Dove out of Clarence Bay and towards Surinam. On August 31, Dove sailed up the Surinam River to the city of Paramaribo.

On October 12, 1968, Dove sailed out of the mouth of the Suriname River and headed to Barbados. After a month in Barbados, Graham's new boat, Return of Dove, was sailed down from Fort Lauderdale to [St. Thomas, Virgin Islands] . Graham sailed Dove from Barbados to St. Thomas and sold her before continuing his trip in the new, bigger, Return of Dove on November 20, 1969. Eight days later, Graham reached the San Blas Islands and spent the next two months exploring the islands.

After spending Christmas and New Year's Day in Cristobal in the Canal Zone, Return of Dove sailed through the Panama Canal and reached Balboa on January 17th, 1970.

The Boats - "Big Dove" and "Little Dove"

Robin started his journey on the original "Little Dove" a 24 foot Lapworth sloop. On reaching the Caribbean, Dove was replaced by "Big Dove" a 33 foot Allied Luders sloop. [ [http://www.jarogers.com/dove2.htm Dove] web site.] [ [http://www.alohacouple.com/Dovestory.htm The Return of Dove] web site.]

Dove sank in Hurricane Marilyn in 1995.

The Return of Dove was found in Hawaii by Mark and Beverly Langley in 2000. They restored her in 2001. [ [http://groups.msn.com/ReturnofDove/thefirstfourmonths.msnw Return of Dove] article.] She was sold again in 2004 and is believed to be still in Hawaii. [ [http://www.alohacouple.com/Fullspecs10014.htm Dove sold] article.]

The Return of Dove ("Big Dove") has been sold and is being transported to the mainland. Plans are for the boat to be displayed to the public, along with the opening of a new musical in Atlanta, Georgia in October 2007 about Robin Graham's adventure.Fact|date=February 2007

Bibliography

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* Paperback reprint: cite book|author=Robin Lee Graham|id=ISBN 0-06-092047-5|title=Dove|publisher=Harper Paperbacks|year=1991
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Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.bluemoment.com/dove.html The Schoolboy Circumnavigation]
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* The Robin Lee Graham Society: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/robinleegrahamsociety/