Russell Buchanan (88) was the oldest former member at the St Clair Surf Life Saving Club's centenary celebrations at the weekend.
He joined the club in 1936 and was a member of the junior team which finished runner-up in the six-man event at the national championships in Auckland in 1939.
"I lived in a house in Victoria Rd and the St Clair Beach was my playground," he said.
He was a first-day pupil at King's High School and was persuaded to join the surf club by his teacher.
Buchanan maintained his interest in surfing when he returned from the war and became president of the Oreti Surf Club in Invercargill.
He was one of the 160 present and former members who attended the reunion. The guest speaker at Saturday night's dinner at the Savoy was former All Black Chris Laidlaw, who was a member of the club in the 1960s.
An important feature of the weekend was the unveiling of the Duke Gillies memorial plaque to honour a former life member and an innovative stalwart of the club.
Reg Barton (84), who joined the club in 1943, remembers Gillies.
"He was full of ideas and 90% of them worked," Barton said.
"He was a hard worker and I always remember his enthusiasm.
"He invented the wood and canvas four-seater canoe that is still used today."
Barton joined the club to keep fit.
"Blokes of my age swam all the year round," he said. "I enjoyed sliding down the launching chute into the sea."
Former members came from other parts of New Zealand, and from overseas places like the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.
Former Otago Boys' High school teacher Doug Ruhen (75) came from Fiji, where he now works as a management consultant.
He taught at Otago Boys' from 1956 to 1964 and joined the surf club in 1949.
"I lived on the coast and had an affinity with the sea," he said.
"I enjoyed the environment and the team activities in the club. We young guys bonded and made friends that have lasted a lifetime."
Women were members of the club from the beginning and Pat Ellison (86) joined in 1944.
"I was swimming at St Clair and towed in a man who had got into difficulties in the surf," she said.
Club members told her she had to join the surf club after the heroic rescue. She met her husband, Gil, at the club when he returned from war service.
Natalie Smith (86) joined in 1945 and was a member of St Clair teams that won New Zealand titles in 1946 and 1947.
"I was a member of the Kiwi Swimming Club and Teddy Isaacs said I had to join the surf club, as well," she explained.
"The friendships I have made in the club last forever."
Dr Dave Gerrard joined the club in 1964 and won national titles in teams in 1966 and 1967. His wife, Barbara, joined soon after and their three children - Brett, Daniel and Tim - were all members. Grandchildren Sam, Oscar, Harry and Jim join the younger generation in the club.
