16-year-old teenager in 1960s sails over 33,000 nautical miles with no help except for his cute cat companions: "The cats frolicked in the cozy cabin, heedless of the world of water around them."

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
May 8, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

We like to think that we were a pretty savvy teen, feline fam. It may have been over 20 years ago, but we were quite productive during our high school years. We studied hard to get into a good college, were the captain of our sports team, and pawticipated in many extra-curricular activities. But none of that, and we really mean none, could compare to what Robin Lee Graham did when he was a teenager. At the young age of 16 years old, he decided to set sail across the world, traveling over 33,000 nautical miles with no help except for the companionship of his cute sailor cats he brought with him.

He faced many hardships along the way, including losing his mast shortly after departing, and even having to change boats midway due to extensive damage to his ship. He said, however, that the cats helped him deal with loneliness and feel comforted. So this proves it once and for all that cats are the best companions to have, right? Scroll down to read more about him and his journey below!

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  • 01
    Johnsand
    via u/Then-News-7959
  • 02
    In the summer of 1965, Robin Lee Graham set sail on a journey around the world at the young age of 16. To battle the loneliness, he brought along Avanga, one of several cats that kept him company on the voyage.
    via u/Then-News-7959Then-News-7959
  • 03
    Slack
    via u/Then-News-7959
  • 04
    He later recounted "the cats frolicked in the cozy cabin, heedless of the world of water around them."
    via u/Then-News-7959
  • 05
    Cheezburger Image 10501905664
    via u/Then-News-7959

  • If you think about it, cats are the purrfect boat companions. They like small spaces, staying dry, and are relatively low-maintenance. Whereas solo-sailing is very high maintenance, you wouldn't have the time to fuss over an anxious doggo.

  • 06
    Cheezburger Image 10501905920
    via u/Then-News-7959
  • 07
    AztecGodofFire • 5h ago Big deal. I made a grilled cheese all by myself at that age.
    via u/AztecGodofFire
  • 08
    TBC1966 .4h ago Edited 4h ago We spent 10 years at sea until she passed in 2023 aged 18. She loved that boat.
    via u/TBC1966
  • 09
    TBC1966 4h ago SG9180 LACUM
    via u/TBC1966
  • 10
    unjennaral. 6h ago I lived on a boat for a month with a cat. She was queen of the castle and everyone on board (4 people) knew it. They're excellent ocean companions.
    via u/unjennaral
  • 11
    This_Tangerine_943 .7h ago I read this book a dozen times.
    via u/This_Tangerine_943
  • 12
    chronicbudlust 4h ago . I stumbled upon this man's story as a kid staying with my grandparents. They had a huge wall of National Geographics, spanning about 40-50 years. I spent whole summers reading those, mostly out of order.
    via u/chronicbudlust
  • 13
    One day I found Robin's story, it was in middle of his journey, I think after he had sailed from Australia to Cape Cod in Africa. He had lost his mast right after he left and had to make that whole journey on a rigged mast with no hope of rescue due to the prevailing winds. It was so captivating!
    via u/chronicbudlust
  • 14
    I immediately found all of the other issues and read them over the course of the next few days. That memory has stayed with me ever since. I owe a lot of esoteric knowledge to those old magazines, as well as a life time curiosity about this world we live in.
    via u/chronicbudlust

  • This really is a crazy story. We can't imagine doing something like that when we were 16. We can't even imagine doing it now! We like solo traveling, but not on a boat, all alone (even with the cats), in the middle of the ocean.

  • 15
    • Fuzzy_Permission_619 6h ago. Of course it's an orange cat
    via u/Fuzzy_Permission_619
  • 16
    hibbledyhey .7h ago The tail and ears on that Orange in the first pic tells the story. They're having a blast
    via u/hibbledyhey
  • 17
    agent_409 · 6h ago i don't want to go to college anymore, i want to do THIS
    via u/agent_409
  • 18
    Helpful Yoghurt • 2h ago . When he was 13, Robin's dad sold his home and construction business to take the family on a 13- month sailing trip through the South Pacific aboard their 36-foot ketch, Golden Hind.
    via u/HelpfulYoghurt
  • 19
    In case anyone worders how he could afford it and how he gained experience
    via u/HelpfulYoghurt
  • 20
    Horror_Pay7895 • 6h ago What happens when you run out of kitty litter?
    via u/Horror_Pay7895
  • 21
    chance909 · 5h ago . I've sailed across the Atlantic, not solo. I can't imagine the extra difficulty of doing it solo. So much time and fatigue. I imagine the cats were amazing companions and critical.
    via u/chance909
  • 22
    SteffanTV · 4h ago unbothered. moisturized. happy. in my lane.focused. flourishing. Same cat
    via u/SteffanTV

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Tags

aww hilarious adorable history teenagers water sailing cute sailor cute cats lol funny cats cabin companions Cats funny animals 1960s
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