FAMILY FLOW: NIK BAKER / CLUB VASS

FAMILY FLOW: NIK BAKER CLUB VASS

For Nik Baker, Club Vass isn’t just a holiday destination…it’s become a family tradition. Each summer since lockdown, Nik, his partner Jane and their three boys and now even girlfriends, all descend on the shores of Vassiliki. Mornings bring glassy water and perfect learning conditions. Afternoons are all about full-throttle action on the water and evenings wind down at the beach bar, where the pace slows and everyone comes together. Somewhere in that rhythm, the family has discovered something rare…a holiday that gives parents their own space, helps the kids improve their skills and still keeps everyone connected. Nik Baker shares why Club Vass has become the ultimate summer escape for the whole family.

Photos: PROtography

Back to Where It All Began

“We headed out to Club Vass this year as one big family! Eight of us! We’ve actually been going to Vass since lockdown. My reasons are twofold. First, we supply Vass with Duotone gear and I’ve known Tony since I was a kid! I first went to Club Vass when I was 18 or 19, which is quite a few years ago now! And so, I went partly for the business side, to check how it was all going and how the customers are enjoying the boards and sails!

A Safe and Fun Place to Learn

But the main reason was, I wanted to get the kids into the water sports and to improve. They go in the water at home and have done all their life. They love the water in the winter or the summer. They love getting smashed up in the shore break on boogie boards in February. Getting in the water has never been an issue even when they were young. But with windsurfing, I wanted to get them to the next level. Where we live is always bumpy and uphauling was really difficult. So yeah, they just never really took interest in it also maybe because of what I’ve done in the past! They possibly didn’t feel that they could compete because they’re quite competitive, certainly my older one is.

So anyway, we first went to Vass after lockdown and they had a ball. They all went into their groups and we didn’t have to worry about entertaining them again until after the lessons. Then we all go out together for dinner in the evenings. So yeah, the idea was that Jayne, my partner, and our kids could get on the water and learn in a really safe, warm, fun environment.

The Club Vass Vibe

But the more we went, the more we realized it was such a cool place to hang out. The whole Club Vass environment is amazing. The atmosphere is really laid back! I love the chilling out in the early morning when it’s glassy to go paddle boarding up around the points, snorkelling and generally relaxing. I work a bit in the mornings and then we have lunch on the terrace overlooking the water. The organization is so damn good.

Sunset Sessions

Then obviously everyone’s out in the water the majority of the day and at the end of the session, once the guests have all had a great day on the water, we hang out at the bar! We’ve all been out there, doing tricks and jumps and blasting around all afternoon. Come 6:30’ish, everyone’s chilling and getting tired, putting their stuff away, sitting on the beach around the bar, which is right on the water’s edge, having a beer. You can’t beat that!

Then we watch the likes of Max Rowe, Toby Cunliffe and all their main guys there…the instructors, doing their freestyle windsurfing and winging right by the beach, where everyone’s sat enjoying a beer! They are all doing their tricks, 10 feet from the beach as the sun’s going down, still in your shorts and bikini. There’s no rush, it’s chilled. Later, you walk into town and have dinner, which is a lovely little town with quaint restaurants. I’m not a flat-water guy really, but I love hitting Club Vass every season!

We went for two weeks this year. My kids went back last year…the older ones did their Nomad windsurfing course. Brandon, who’s now starting to work for me, went back in May to do his Nomad wing course for two weeks and just sort of started winging then. Now he’s out winging in the waves, jumping and loving it.

Family Time, Girlfriends Included

So yeah, it’s been great for the family. And this year for the first time, all three boys, Bailey who’s 16, Rossi who’s just 19 and Brandon who is also 19, took their girlfriends. We thought, oh my God, that could be a bit of drama. But to be fair, all the kids were chilled. They’re all a little bit different, but they’re all got along and had an awesome holiday. The girlfriends are all really nice and different too, but they also had a blast.

They all did the windsurfing and loved it. They’d go in their little courses…Rossi and Brandon, who are instructors anyway, were helping teach them in some of the lessons and around the lessons as well. We just had an absolute bloody blast and if I’m honest with you, it was about 2 weeks too short.

Why It Works So Well

The holiday does two things. One, it brings a family together because often in our sport it’s one person in the family that does it; generally, the man of the house. This way they get to include their wife and kids into it, but within their own levels and groups and with like-minded people in the same position. If they’re there for more than a week and move up a group, they meet more people. The way they teach is really nice, really chilled and relaxed.

They’ve obviously taught thousands of people. It’s one of the only places in the world I’ve been to where at 6:30pm, when it’s blowing 30 knots, there are 3 to 400 windsurfers on the water. Literally insane. So yeah, it brings the family together, with the water sports, but also because the environment is so chilled.

The other thing that’s nice is that it allows the parents…Jane and I in our case…to have our own time, because it’s so safe, the whole environment. Even in town, when Bailey was 14, he was going out with the boys to the so-called club. It’s the same size as my front room, but they all go, it’s all chilled. He wasn’t drinking at that age, but they’d all look after each other and the instructors are around. We’ve never had a concern about it. So, it allows us to go out for dinner on our own. They’ll go out with their mates they meet in groups or with their brothers. It’s a nice family holiday. They get to learn incredible sports at all levels and the parents do too.

More Than Just a Holiday

That’s why I say to mates of mine…if you’re trying to teach kids, don’t waste your time. Get to Vass, get your kids in the groups and that will teach them. You then get your own time on the water and time with your partner and you come together as a family. It’s sort of a perfect setup. A well-oiled machine, everything works perfectly.

When you go skiing, you’re on a package holiday…it’s like a conveyor belt: you fly, bus, hotel. But it’s really time-restricted and regimented. Whereas at Vass you’ve got that organization, but it’s chilled. It makes it really enticing.

A Community on the Water

There are quite a few people I know from the industry in and out during August as well, so it’s a good time to rub shoulders. Other people from England go out every year. Max Rowe, our team rider for winging and windsurfing, is there…he’s the main wing instructor. Toby Cunliffe, another of our team riders through Boardwise, is a main instructor as well. Other windsurf guys too…team riders, opinion leaders. Lots of people come and go.

I was talking to Marco Lang from Duotone, our developer guy, about him going next year. I said it’s key that he sees the conditions, sees that many windsurfers and tries different products. It’s a great place for all that.

The Extra Magic

Vass is the only place in the world I go proper freeriding because it’s actually quite good fun…it goes from all different wind strengths, choppy water to dead flat water up by the outside mountain. There’s a photographer and film guy there, and every week they do activities.

Tuesday night pizza night, then beach games…you can dress up if you want, or just be in your shorts and bikini, it really doesn’t matter.

Thrilling Finale

Then on Friday, there is a fancy dress theme night. It’s online when you book, so you can take stuff or make something there. The Vass team really put effort in…one year was Fright Night, they did a whole Michael Jackson “Thriller” thing. They put so much effort in. They do a little video every Friday with that includes the different levels…everyone gets a bit in it. It’s really amazing. We love it. Honestly, I can’t say enough about how great this holiday is for the family.”

 

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