January 3, 2007

Reef Check California Loses Perfect Volunteer

Christopher Haugen
September 26, 1959 ~ November 11, 2006

Reef Check California volunteer Christopher Haugen was lost in a sailing mishap on Nov. 11, 2006. A former commercial diver with extensive experience on and in the water, Chris was exactly the type of person the Reef Check California Program was designed for. Chris’s extensive knowledge of the marine environment and passion for conservation led him, along with partner Dida Kutz, to complete the first Reef Check California volunteer survey on the central coast at Lucas Pt. in Monterey Bay. Geared up with their custom data slates and small Boston Whaler, Chris and Dida were an inspiration to Reef Check volunteers across the state and around the world. Finding a way to give back to the ocean he cared so much about by joining Reef Check, Chris was rarely seen without his Reef Check hat and trademark smile. Chris’s love of adventure, tremendous sense of humor, and extensive knowledge will be deeply missed by his Reef Check family.

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Chris proudly displaying his Reef Check gear during training at Santa Cruz Island, April 2006.

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Chris taking a break from the rigors of diving during an abalone survey at San Miguel Island, August 2006.