Rory Nugent (writer)
Encyclopedia
Rory Nugent is an American explorer and writer. He was based out of New Bedford, Massachusetts
from 1988 to 2004.
in 1975, he went to sea aboard freighters and canvas-fliers. He sailed solo across the Atlantic Ocean
four times. His fifth crossing ended prematurely when the catamaran he was sailing capsized; he was rescued five days later. In the mid-1980s, Nugent mounted solo expeditions in search of the Pink-headed Duck
on the Brahmaputra River
and Mokele-mbembe
in the Congo
. He may have seen both, but his sightings remain unconfirmed. He wrote a non-fiction book about each expedition. Nugent changed gears in 1992 to become a foreign correspondent, first for Men's Journal
and then as a staff member of Spin
. He left journalism in 2002 and to work on his third book.
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
from 1988 to 2004.
Biography
Nugent was born in New York. After he graduated from Williams CollegeWilliams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
in 1975, he went to sea aboard freighters and canvas-fliers. He sailed solo across the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
four times. His fifth crossing ended prematurely when the catamaran he was sailing capsized; he was rescued five days later. In the mid-1980s, Nugent mounted solo expeditions in search of the Pink-headed Duck
Pink-headed Duck
The Pink-headed Duck is a large diving duck that was once found in parts of the Gangetic plains of India, Bangladesh and in the riverine swamps of Myanmar but feared extinct since the 1950s. Numerous searches have failed to provide any proof of continued existence...
on the Brahmaputra River
Brahmaputra River
The Brahmaputra , also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra, is a trans-boundary river and one of the major rivers of Asia. It is the only Indian river that is attributed the masculine gender and thus referred to as a in Indo-Aryan languages and languages with Indo-Aryan influence...
and Mokele-mbembe
Mokèlé-mbèmbé
Mokèlé-mbèmbé, meaning "one who stops the flow of rivers" in the Lingala language, is the name given to a large water-dwelling cryptid found in legends and folklore of the Congo River basin. It is sometimes described as a living creature and sometimes as a spirit. It could be considered loosely...
in the Congo
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
. He may have seen both, but his sightings remain unconfirmed. He wrote a non-fiction book about each expedition. Nugent changed gears in 1992 to become a foreign correspondent, first for Men's Journal
Men's Journal
Men's Journal is an American men's lifestyle magazine focused on outdoor recreation and comprising editorials on the outdoors, environmental issues, health and fitness, style and fashion, and "gear". It is owned by Jann Wenner of Wenner Media....
and then as a staff member of Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
. He left journalism in 2002 and to work on his third book.
Published works
- The Search for the Pink-Headed Duck (Houghton Mifflin, 1991)
- Drums along the Congo (Houghton Mifflin, 1993)
- Down at the Docks (Pantheon Books, 2009)