An 8,000 Kilometer Surf Trip Along Africa’s West Coast Is Only Halfway Done

For most, a single trip to France, Spain, Portugal and the West African countries of Morocco, The Gambia and Senegal would be plenty of adventure. Biking and surfing along the coastline of just one of those countries would count as a memoir-worthy excursion. But biking all of them and more? That’s Ben Herrgott and Laura Wilson territory.

This is a couple well-versed in off-grid exploration. A few years ago, they traveled and surfed (and got engaged) in Antarctica. More recently, the couple returned home to Australia after completing the first segment of an unorthodox odyssey, a 8,000 kilometer-bike ride (some 4,970 miles) from France to Senegal. In two weeks, they’ll return to Africa and push for the end of the content: up to 10,000 kilometers (more than 6,200 miles) through Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and hopefully into South Africa.

Why, you may ask, would they undertake such an effort? In the search for waves, the open road and an unforgettable road trip (see their film above), the couple learned some hard truths about the area, specifically the impact of overfishing on regional economies. They heard from locals about the slew of European and Asian industrial super trawlers plowing through the ocean and taking untold quantities of fish through “opaque deals and corrupt licensing systems.” The trickle-down effect is that local communities and fishers who have known these waters for generations are seeing their livelihoods decimated.

Take Senegal, for example. Partway down the Saharan coast, the couple met two Senegalese men carrying a plastic water bottle and a shopping bag with their life’s possessions between them. They seemed desperate and told Ben and Laura they were making their way to Europe to find work.

It was harsh evidence of a much larger problem. After consulting more sources (including the ones here, here and here), the couple decided to give their journey a humanitarian cause. According to a statement from Ben and Laura, here’s how dire things are in Senegal: “Fishing is a crucial part of Senegal’s economy, providing employment for a large portion of the population and food security for the nation. However, this artisanal type of fishing no longer sustains them – a consequence of industrial fishing and overfishing by foreign trawlers in the area. More than 90% of Senegal’s industrial fishing fleet is comprised of bottom trawlers and most originate from Europe and Asia. They drag massive weighted nets across the seafloor, catching everything in their path and destroying the marine ecosystems at the same time. Seeking only a handful of fish species, they discard over 38% of the catch as bycatch, often dead into the ocean.

“In the face of this crisis, many Senegalese are desperate to find work and risk their lives on deadly migration routes to Europe. Many choose the 2,000 km route that takes them to the Canary Islands, the Spanish archipelago off the coast of Morocco. The crossing attempts take 12 to 15 days in open seas in their wooden fishing boats, with many running out of water, food and sometimes fuel. In 2023, over 3,000 Senegalese lost their lives while attempting their journey and in 2024, over 9,000 died in their search of a better life. Those who make it end up being criminalised by the nations that robbed them of their livelihood in the first place: as so-called illegal immigrants.”

Ben and Laura were so moved by the stories they heard in Africa that they put their careers on pause to continue their trip down the Mother Continent as a fundraiser for local fishing communities. They’re aiming to raise $20,000 that will go to the Environmental Justice Foundation, a global nonprofit that addresses environmental abuses and associated human rights violations. Specifically, the dollars will be used in coastal surveillance programs for locals to use cameras and drones to document and report illegal trawlers.

If Ben and Laura’s work resonates with you, check out their fundraising page here.

Related: SURFER Guide to Dakar, Senegal

This story was originally published by Surfer on Jan 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the Surf Culture section. Add Surfer as a Preferred Source by clicking here.