Nicholas Coghlan

The first Canadian diplomat to be posted to war-torn Sudan, Nicholas Coghlan was a natural choice to lead Canada’s representation in the new Republic of South Sudan soon after the country was founded in 2011. In late 2013 Coghlan and his wife Jenny were in the capital, Juba, when it erupted in gunfire and civil war pitted one half of the army against the other, Vice-President Machar against President Kiir, and the Nuer tribe against the Dinka. This action-focused narrative, grounded by accounts of meetings with key leaders and travels throughout the dangerous, impoverished hinterland of South Sudan, explains what happened in December 2013 and why. In harrowing terms, Collapse of a Country describes the ebb and flow of the war and the humanitarian tragedy that followed, the Coghlans’ scramble to evacuate South-Sudanese Canadians from Juba, and the well-meant but often ill-conceived attempts of the international community to mitigate the misery and bring peace back to a land that has rarely known it. Coghlan’s stark narrative serves as a lesson to politicians, diplomats, aid workers, and practitioners on the breakdown of governance and relationships between ethnic groups, and the often decisive role of international development representatives. Fast-paced and poignant, Collapse of a Country gives an insider’s glimpse into the chaos, violence, and ethnic conflicts that emerged out of a civil war that has been largely ignored by the West.

Cast off the lines and discover 50 of the most fabulous off-the-beaten-track sailing destinations on our planet. If you own a sailing boat, chances are that you’ve wondered what it would be like to throw in your job, cast off and sail over the horizon. Here are 50 out-of-the way destinations to encourage you to sell up and go (or enjoy a temporary escape) with practical tips including formalities, the prevailing weather and GPS positions. The selection of locations is based on over 70,000 miles of sailing. Some (St Helena, Cocos Keeling) are classic yet remote destinations that have been favoured by circumnavigators ever since the days of Joshua Slocum. Others (in Japan, Patagonia or the Pacific Northwest) have been chosen as perfect examples of the attractions of those regions. Common denominators are protection from the weather, scenic beauty and historic and/or human interest. And the fact that, while solitude is not guaranteed, you won’t be troubled by the arrival of a cruising flotilla or by a novice dragging anchor onto you. Each anchorage is introduced with a lively account describing the place, its history and people (if any) as well as the author and his crew’s adventures. Each account is followed by a beautifully hand-drawn sketch of the anchorage and an information box.

Diplomat and long-distance cruiser Nicholas Coghlan had been curious about Japan ever since his father, a veteran of infantry fighting in Italy and Greece, confessed to him a dread of being sent to the Japanese front when the war in Europe ended in the Spring of 1945. Sailing to the Heart of Japan is a voyage of personal discovery as the author's preconceptions are challenged. It's also a unique account of one of the world's least-known but most attractive cruising destinations. Starting from New Zealand, Nicholas and his partner Jenny navigate Bosun Bird, their Vancouver 27, north through Pacific Island nations where memories of war linger. They make their landfall in Kyushu, in southwestern Japan. Over a period of fifteen months, they venture to the remote and depopulated archipelago of Goto Retto in the East China Sea, through Kanmon Kaikyo narrows and into the island-studded Inland Sea. Everywhere - from Kagoshima to Tokyo Bay - Bosun Bird and her crew are met with astonishing kindness and thoughtful conversation. Travel by "yotto" allows them glimpses of an enigmatic land that are rarely offered to more conventional visitors. The book comprises 242 pages, including 54 illustrations, 9 maps, and detailed descriptions of over 60 anchorages/mooring locations, complete with GPS coordinates. Sailing to the heart of Japan is as descriptive as it is informative about this little-known sailing destination.

The first Canadian diplomat to be posted to war-torn Sudan, Nicholas Coghlan was a natural choice to lead Canada's representation in the new Republic of South Sudan soon after the country was founded in 2011. In late 2013, Coghlan and his wife Jenny were in the capital, Juba, when it erupted in gunfire and civil war pitted one half of the army against the other, Vice-President Machar against President Kiir, and the Nuer tribe against the Dinka. This action-focused narrative, grounded by accounts of meetings with key leaders and travels throughout the dangerous, impoverished hinterland of South Sudan, explains what happened in December 2013 and why. In harrowing terms, Collapse of a Country describes the ebb and flow of the war and the humanitarian tragedy that followed, the Coghlans' scramble to evacuate South-Sudanese Canadians from Juba, and the well-meant but often ill-conceived attempts of the international community to mitigate the misery and bring peace back to a land that has rarely known it. Coghlan's stark narrative serves as a lesson to politicians, diplomats, aid workers, and practitioners on the breakdown of governance and relationships between ethnic groups, and the often decisive role of international development representatives. Fast-paced and poignant, Collapse of a Country gives an insider's glimpse into the chaos, violence, and ethnic conflicts that emerged out of a civil war that has been largely ignored by the West.

After tough assignments as a Canadian diplomat abroad, Nicholas Coghlan and his wife Jenny unwind by sailing Bosun Bird, a 27foot sailboat, from Cape Town, South Africa, across the South Atlantic and into the stormy winter waters around Tierra del Fuego, South America. Coghlan recounts earlier adventures in Patagonia when, taking time off from his job as a schoolteacher in Buenos Aires in the late 1970s, he and Jenny explored the region of southern Argentina and Chile over three successive summers. This time, as they negotiate the labyrinth of channels and inlets around snow-covered Fireland, he reflects on voyages of past explorers: Magellan, Cook, Darwin, and others. Sailing enthusiasts and readers of true adventures will want to add Coghlan's world-wise narrative to their libraries.

The first Canadian diplomat to be posted in Khartoum offers an insider

An exploration of the sorrow that mars one of the world's most beautiful but desperate countries.