By Charlotte Tonkin
The country's second oldest surf lifesaving club is celebrating its centenary.
Wellington's Lyall Bay Surf Club was founded in the dead of winter in 1910 and 100 years on its members still aren't intimated by the cold.
Fighting a bitter southerly and frigid water, the Lyall Bay Surf Lifesavers are living up to their reputation of being staunch.
“It's probably one of the windiest beaches in the country, but it just makes our members stronger and hardy because they go out and train in all sorts of conditions,” says club chairwoman Marilyn Moffatt.
While the club now boasts 300 members, its roots were more humble.
After three swimmers had to be rescued in 1910, the local paper demanded an official life saving club be formed.
“Someone from the public went out on horseback to try and rescue the swimmers but the horse swam away and that rescuer had to be rescued as well,” Ms Moffatt says.
In the past century the technology, as well as the uniforms, at Lyall Bay have radically changed; so too the participation of women who were only allowed to join the club in 1976.
Now, the latest generation of lyall Bay lifesavers are taking the sport half way across the world.
A team of 13 will join around 60 Australian surf lifesavers to teach the Turkish about the sport.
It is part of the lead up to the centenary of the Gallipoli landings in 2015 when 100 surf boats will race 100km down the Dardanelles.
“I think it's quite special; all of our club members love surf lifesaving and to be able to give that to the Turkish with that special relationship between New Zealanders and Australians – it'll be quite special,” club captain Arie Moore says.
The trip won't just be about battling waves; the team will also pay tribute to two of the club's early members who fought and died on the beaches of Gallipoli.
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