Maritime leader to cross Costa Rica via kayak, foot and bike
IMarEST Fellow Gordon Foot is raising money for seafarer support charities with this new challenge.
This September, Gordon Foot was planning to kayak 100 kilometres down the Zambezi River to raise money for two charities that work to support seafarers - Sailors' Society and Safer Waves. Like so much in life, even the best laid plans go awry. Unfortunately, the expedition company needed to cancel the event.
“The rug got pulled out from under my feet with the Zambezi,” Foot laments. With donations already pouring in, Foot needed to think quickly. “I was really fortunate that within a week, I got hold of another weird and wacky expedition.”
That new expedition involves Foot kayaking, trekking, and mountain biking the width of Costa Rica in November 2025, which equates to 250 kilometres.
Alongside training for mountain biking and trekking, there were logistical issues. “I had to book more flights, get new insurance, and rearrange all the dates,” Foot says.
For Foot, sudden changes like this are part of the journey – and something those at sea are all too familiar with. “At sea, catastrophe can strike at any moment, and plans change in an instant,” he explains. “Seafarers live with that every day, and they adapt. That’s resilience – finding a way forward when the path twists and turns.”
Supporting seafarers
Being resilient doesn’t necessarily mean needing to do everything on your own, and seafarers need support as much as anyone. Foot, who uses what he describes as the privileged voice he has as a white man to speak out about bullying, harassment, and sexual assault, says that supporting charities is one way he can help shine a light on these issues and the critical role the charities play for seafarers.
Sailors’ Society, founded in 1818, is a global welfare charity dedicated to supporting seafarers and their families 24/7. Its work includes a crisis response network, emergency grants, peer-to-peer support, e-learning tools, and community events.
Safer Waves is a newer organisation, established in 2019, that helps seafarers who have experienced sexual abuse, harassment, or gender discrimination while working at sea. The charity provides an anonymous email support service run by trained volunteers, as well as fact sheets, guidance, and other resources.
Supporting those who support
Foot hopes to raise £20,000, which will be split equally between Sailors’ Society and Safer Waves. Foot self-funds the expedition, meaning 100% of the donations go to charities. “I’m in awe of how far we’ve come towards that goal already,” says Foot (at the time of writing, donations amounted to around 74% of the goal).
“It’s the maritime community making these donations — not always my mates nor corporate contacts. It’s Filipinos on the lowest wage, cruise line workers, people in training and education, and policymakers. It’s everyone who makes up our community.”
Foot has also received support in the form of equipment. For example, UTM Consultants provided a kayak for training, while Elevate Offshore gifted a running backpack with bottles for hydration. Foot plans to auction off these and any other items after the challenge to add to the donations.
“No matter the amount - a cup of coffee, £10, whatever people can afford - every donation helps,” Foot concludes.
You can donate to the Costa Rica Eco River Challenge at JustGiving.
Find more information about Sailors’ Society and Safer Waves.
Image: Arenal volcano in Costa Rica. Credit: Shutterstock.
