Waihī Beach Lifeguard Services Inc is celebrating 90 years of operation next month with a weekend jam-packed with activities to showcase the club’s lifesaving history on the sand and surf.

On November 7-9 the service will mark the milestone with a raft of community events at their Beach Rd headquarters, said event co-organiser Natalie Lloyd.

“We had lifeguards form the 1920s – looking after the beach. They had a reel but nothing else but the club wasn’t officially formed yet,” said Lloyd.

John Moon & others with original reel - Earliest photo Lifeguards on Waihī Beach circa 1920s – before the Waihi and Waihī Beach Lifesaving Club was formed in 1935. Photo / Supplied

“They eventually had a meeting in town to form a society – and so the Waihi and Waihī Beach Lifesaving Club was formed in 1935.”

Club events

The weekend of events – which anyone who has links to the club can register for – begin Friday, November 7, with a mix-and-mingle night at the Beach Rd club headquarters. There will be drinks, canapes, a raffle and a red and yellow flag for all guests to sign. “This will be a casual catch-up-with-your-mates type event for everybody who signs up for the weekend to enjoy.”

On Saturday, November 8, there’s more mixing and mingling in the morning, then a surf boat rowing tribute. “We’ve held the North Island surf boat rowing here for the last 20-odd years, so that community came to use to see if they could provide a tribute to the weekend,” said Lloyd.

Waihī Beach Lifeguard Services Inc’s old clubhouse. Photo / Supplied

Crews from around the region will take part, said Lloyd, plus demonstration of the sport will be shown at the front of the club.

After lunch a memorial stone will be unveiled in the garden adjacent to the club. “A huge stoned carved in the shape of a wave will be carved by Hinuera Stone, which is a celebration of everybody whose been part of saving lives and protecting people at Waihī Beach, including lifeguards but also all our other volunteers who contribute. It will also honour those lives we we’ve lost.” Local iwi would also be part of the celebration and reflection, said Lloyd.

That evening is a celebration dinner, with a panel of members from across the decades who will speak and do a Q+A, with a meal, and night of entertainment.

Community events

On Sunday, November 9, there will a day jam-packed of events for the whole community to watch.

“In the morning we’re having a paddle out – so we’re getting every piece of surf equipment that we own in the club out of our cupboards and storerooms and everywhere – and we will have people paddling it out into the ocean,” said Lloyd.

“So there will be rescue boards, the knee boards they use in competitions, the surf skis, IRBs (Inflatable Rescue Boats) will be paddled out manually, plus an RWS (rescue watercraft) on the water.

“People can bring their own surfboards, surf skis – even a kayak if they want – to take part. “We’ll paddle out and form a huge round circle in the ocean. This will be a tribute and a celebration. We hope it’s that water is not going to be too rough, but we’ll see.”

Waihī Beach Lifeguard Services Inc board chair Donna Pfefferle and director of membership Natalie Lloyd with one of the old rescue reels from the early days. Photo / Merle Cave

Following this rescue demonstrations from across the decades will be showcased, said Lloyd.

“We will have demonstration from the old reel rescues; a few of our members are training up to perform a swim-out with the belt on to a mock patient.

“From there we’ll a demonstrate a range of different rescue techniques from throughout the decades – from tube rescues, board rescues, IRB recues and RWC rescues.”

Lloyd said the club would love to show an old ski recue – with the ski boards with the curved front – but they can’t find one.

“So if anyone has an old ski – that used to be used for ski recues – please get in touch! This is because we still have a few people who would be capable of demonstrating this type of rescue but we just don’t have the ski for it.”

Register!

Afterwards, Lloyd said depending on interest the club will hold some inter-generational challenges on the sand. “This might be alumni versus current members. This will be games such as tug-of-war – which is a tradition for the club – and cricket and possibly volleyball.”

After brunch, the service is offering tours down to its new hub that’s being built at Bowentown.

Find out more about the 90th Anniversary weekend - programme, updates and ticket registration at: https://conta.cc/4nXYxsC