My sister Christine Howson, who has died of ovarian cancer aged 61, was a highly respected marine biologist and diver who undertook survey work in the UK and around the world.
Christine was well known in the sports diving world; she was one of the first female divers to attain the First Class grade. She trained divers and other instructors, and organised national events and conferences. Committed to developing swimming for young people, she worked tirelessly at her local swimming club in Tranent, East Lothian, where she was a committee member and coach.
Born in Belfast, Christine was the third child of six of Patsy (nee Davey), a legal secretary, and Arthur Howson, a tax inspector. The family moved often with her father’s civil service job, to Nottingham, Malaysia, Brighton and Jamaica. Christine attended St Francis’ college in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, where she became head girl. After A-levels, she spent a gap year in Kingston, Jamaica, where she discovered scuba diving, which became her life’s passion.
At Durham University she changed from French and Italian to zoology on the basis that she had reached A-level standard in various sciences during her summer vacation. A PhD at Glasgow was thwarted by the long recovery from a fall on the lab stairs, which meant she had to repeat some work. A sublittoral survey – one examining the organisms found close to the seashore – of Northern Ireland for the Ulster Museum followed, then she compiled and edited, in 1987, the first catalogue of British marine flora and fauna.
From 1988 to 1991 she organised and ran the Scottish sea loch survey programme for the joint nature conservation committee for University Marine Biological Station Millport. More recently she was involved in bids for commercial survey work around the UK and compiled Scotland’s list of priority marine features.
In 1986 Chris married Iain Dixon, a fellow marine biologist and sports diving enthusiast. They had two sons, Christopher and Timothy.
Love of the sea developed into open water swimming and triathlons. Two weeks before her death Chris completed the Great Scottish Swim across Loch Lomond. Despite all this activity, ill health stalked her. She was diagnosed with cancer 10 years ago, developed Guillain-Barré syndrome and had septicaemia and coeliac disease.
In 2013 Christine swam across Scotland with two friends, through a string of freshwater lochs and rivers, including the Shin, from Luxford to Bonar Bridge, raising several thousand pounds for Maggie’s Centre in Edinburgh and Water Aid. Although she was suffering from cancer at the time, this was great fun, and many others became involved, as canoeists, drivers, caterers and in other back-up roles.
Tim died last year. Christine is survived by Iain and Christopher, by two brothers, Paul and Tim, and by her sisters, Mary, Judith and me.
