Paddle at dawn honours lost dad
A grieving community paid tribute to a much-loved coffee vendor and avid canoeist on Saturday morning after he went missing at sea.
Father-of-one Denne Bourke went missing in waters off Thursday Island on May 3. His outrigger canoe was found 100m from shore, however, an extensive aerial, vessel and ground search was called off on May 15.
Paddlers from the Torres Strait, down to the east coast of Queensland and the Cook Islands paid tribute to the popular coffee vendor in a dawn paddle from the Torres Strait Outriggers Club on Thursday Island to Sadie’s Beach to pay tribute.
The paddle which was led by Denne’s partner Georgia Langdon and his three sisters Diana, Shelley and Kathleen followed a memorial service at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Friday.
The Torres Strait Outriggers Club said the paddle began with three horns on the Bu (trumpet shell) and a prayer.
“The Torres Strait Outriggers Club was honoured to be able to paddle with Georgia and his sisters on the water which he loved so much …Since Denne’s arrival on Thursday Island, the Torres Strait Outriggers Club grew to become the beloved club it is today, recruiting people every morning while they waited for coffee. Our juniors looked up to him as a mentor and as superman.
“Denne dedicated much of his own time to the development of these juniors, providing them with a positive experience and passion to pursue… On behalf of the Torres Strait Outriggers, we cannot thank Queensland Police, the community of the Torres Strait, and the wider outrigging community enough for their continuous support.”