Christopher Costigan (12 May 1810 – 26 August 1835) was an Irish priest noted for his geographical exploration of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea.
With no formal training in either sailing, navigation or geographical exploration, he arrived in Beirut in August 1835 where he bought a small boat and hired a Maltese sailor to be his crew.
His timing was ill-advised, as the Jordan River was often unnavigable in the August dry season, and he and his mate needed to portage their boat on several occasions.
When his mate would go no further, Costigan abandoned his effort to sail the length of the Jordan after eight days, and instead traveled overland the remainder of the distance to the Dead Sea, arriving weakened by insufficient water supplies on the way.
Before his illness incapacitated him, he spent several days sailing back and forth about the sea, taking depth soundings.