Hawaiian-style tribute to Gowen

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When the surf's up, Michael Gowen never missed a chance to hit the beach. This morning, his souped-up orange V-dub Kombi made its way to Tay Street beach in usual form – this time in salute to the man who dedicated his life to the surf.

Surfers line-up at tay Street beach to farwell Senior Constable Michael Gowen. Photos by: Cameron Avery.

In traditional Hawaiian style – friends, family and those who recognised him from the orange Kombi, paddled out beyond the break to celebrate the life of Senior Constable Gowen.

Michael passed away on September 15 at age 62. This morning, Michael's mates paddled out at Tay Street beach to scatter the beloved surfing policeman's ashes in the surf, sending him back to his spiritual home.

A friend of 21 years, both in policing and surfing, Senior Constable Loyd Buckley, says Michael was a pretty dedicated surfer and it seemed only natural to say goodbye on the water.

'Mike's surfed all his life as everybody knows and when I was speaking to him, I said what sort of ceremony would you like? He was really quite taken by the fact that we were thinking of giving him a Hawaiian farewell.

'It involves the guys and ladies paddling out beyond the break, we form into a circle, Mike's ashes are going to be scattered and that's followed by a scattering of flowers that everybody carries out with them. This is followed by a minutes silence, and then the tribute of thrashing the water.”

Moments before the paddle out, messages of love and farewell were engraved on to Michael's surfboard, which will be mounted and displayed at Tauranga Police Station in honour of the man who is described as 'a bloody good guy” both in the surf and along the blue front line.

Goodbye to the man his family, friends and neighbours all knew and loved – an iconic part of Mount Maunganui – Senior Constable Michael Gowen.

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