Graham Lee Walters

Graham Lee Walters

Graham Lee Walters was born on July 17th 1947 in Leicester.
Graham attended Wycliffe Secondary Modern School till the age of 15 when he went to work for Aster Beagle aircraft manufactures. He hoped to serve an apprenticeship as an aircraft engineer but as fate would have it, the company went in receivership before he could sign up as am apprentice. Graham then decided to become an electrician and went to work for Equip electrical contractors installing cables to supply power from main supplies to houses.

Then he went to work as a carpenter apprentice at Joe Lambs. This time Graham completed the 5 year apprenticeship. In 1967 jobs were scarce and Graham took a job delivering goal for a local Firm. He did this for 6 months when an opportunity came to work in his trade as a carpenter. Graham did this till he started his own company called Living Lofts, a company that is still going strong.

In 1969 Graham trekked from Sweden to Israel and volunteered to work on a kibbutz for 3months. Then took on a job for an American Company laying an oil pipe line from Red Sea to the Mediterranean. By now Graham had a wanderlust and he went to Algeria.

In 1976 Graham Married Margaret and by agreement with her he went to Algeria leaving Margaret in the UK.

He travelled across the Sahara desert in way he describes as he battered old land Rover, but it made the trip after a lot of repairs.

Next Graham fell in love with scrubber diving which took him to exotic places around the world, like Bora Bora, Caribbean, Red Sea, North Africa.

Then the sailing bug was next. Graham learnt to sail with New Parks cruising association where he got his Yacht masters certificate. This was to stand him in good stead when he decided to enter the 1997 Atlantic Rowing Race in a boat named after his Grandfather, who was the most famous member of Grahams family, as described by Graham.

The first trip his partner was Keith Mason Moore. Graham built his rowing boat in his Leicester front garden, much to the annoyance of his wife, finishing the boat and calling it “George Geary”, the well known Leister and England cricketer.
In 2001 Graham rowed the George Geary again, this time with Mike Ryan and then in 2005 Graham decided to do a solo row again in the George Geary. All 3 rows Graham completed the course.

Then by chance in Torquay the Puffin was on display and being as Graham had read the book it seemed quite natural for him to simply climb aboard.

"I have a dream..." Torquay, Devon. Sunday 03 October 2004

After standing in the boat for a few minutes Graham addressed Kenneth F. Crutchlow and said: “I think this boat is still good enough to do an ocean row”. KFC said: “well if any one has the patience to do this row it’s you, you’re the man for this job”.

This brings us to La Gomera where the Puffin is loaded and ready to leave bound for Antigua.