Piha lost a loyal surf club member on 17 September with the death of Allan Herbert Seagar, born on 7 September 1944. Allan was one of the ace swimmers in the Piha surf club in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Along with fellow club members Dave Gerrard, Larry Rountree, Terry Griffiths and Phil Jack, these men made Piha a force to be reckoned with at the nationals. Allan grew up in Mt Eden and began his swimming career at the Mt Eden Baths along with Dave Gerrard. Allan went on to compete successfully at a national level, and overseas, winning a number of Australian titles, especially in the medley. His secondary schooling was at Mt Albert Grammar and he became a bricklayer at which he was noted as the top of the game and a perfectionist. He trained a generation of Nippers and young surfmen at Piha, and had a style which meant they heeded what he said and were in no doubt he would back them all the way. In 1990, he inaugurated the successful Huntington Beach exchange for young lifeguards which still exists today, and for many years he has led the Grey Watch surf patrol at Piha (Allan is right back in the photo). Noted as a highly dependable, reliable person at whatever he did, one of his last acts was to send a message from the hospice to his Grey Watch crew letting them know he was having to step down as patrol leader. Allan was married to Val, and they lived in a house built by Allan in Garden Road. (Credit: Text and Photo – Sandra Coney)
