Nicholas Coghlan and his wife, Jenny, sailed around the world on their first boat, Tarka the Otter between 1985 and 1989. On his return he joined the Canadian Foreign Service and has written books about two of his postings: The Saddest Country: On Assignment in Colombia and Far in the Waste Sudan: On Assignment in Africa. Following their adventure, Coghlan accepted a two-year posting as Deputy High Commissioner in Pakistan. Now, he and his wife are living aboard Bosun Bird somewhere in the Pacific Ocean.