FAMILY FLOW: NIK BAKER / CLUB VASSFAMILY FLOW: NIK BAKER CLUB VASSFor Nik Baker, Club Vass isnt just a holiday destinationits 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 rarea 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: PROtographyBack to Where It All BeganWe headed out to Club Vass this year as one big family! Eight of us! Weve actually been going to Vass since lockdown. My reasons are twofold. First, we supply Vass with Duotone gear and Ive 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 LearnBut 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 Ive done in the past! They possibly didnt feel that they could compete because theyre 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 didnt 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 VibeBut 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 its 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 SessionsThen obviously everyones 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! Weve all been out there, doing tricks and jumps and blasting around all afternoon. Come 6:30ish, everyones chilling and getting tired, putting their stuff away, sitting on the beach around the bar, which is right on the waters edge, having a beer. You cant beat that!Then we watch the likes of Max Rowe, Toby Cunliffe and all their main guys therethe instructors, doing their freestyle windsurfing and winging right by the beach, where everyones sat enjoying a beer! They are all doing their tricks, 10 feet from the beach as the suns going down, still in your shorts and bikini. Theres no rush, its chilled. Later, you walk into town and have dinner, which is a lovely little town with quaint restaurants. Im 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 yearthe older ones did their Nomad windsurfing course. Brandon, whos 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 hes out winging in the waves, jumping and loving it.Family Time, Girlfriends IncludedSo yeah, its been great for the family. And this year for the first time, all three boys, Bailey whos 16, Rossi whos 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. Theyre all a little bit different, but theyre 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. Theyd go in their little coursesRossi 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 Im honest with you, it was about 2 weeks too short.Why It Works So WellThe holiday does two things. One, it brings a family together because often in our sport its 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 theyre 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.Theyve obviously taught thousands of people. Its one of the only places in the world Ive been to where at 6:30pm, when its 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 thats nice is that it allows the parentsJane and I in our caseto have our own time, because its so safe, the whole environment. Even in town, when Bailey was 14, he was going out with the boys to the so-called club. Its the same size as my front room, but they all go, its all chilled. He wasnt drinking at that age, but theyd all look after each other and the instructors are around. Weve never had a concern about it. So, it allows us to go out for dinner on our own. Theyll go out with their mates they meet in groups or with their brothers. Its a nice family holiday. They get to learn incredible sports at all levels and the parents do too.More Than Just a HolidayThats why I say to mates of mineif youre trying to teach kids, dont 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. Its sort of a perfect setup. A well-oiled machine, everything works perfectly.When you go skiing, youre on a package holidayits like a conveyor belt: you fly, bus, hotel. But its really time-restricted and regimented. Whereas at Vass youve got that organization, but its chilled. It makes it really enticing.A Community on the WaterThere are quite a few people I know from the industry in and out during August as well, so its a good time to rub shoulders. Other people from England go out every year. Max Rowe, our team rider for winging and windsurfing, is therehes the main wing instructor. Toby Cunliffe, another of our team riders through Boardwise, is a main instructor as well. Other windsurf guys tooteam 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 its key that he sees the conditions, sees that many windsurfers and tries different products. Its a great place for all that.The Extra MagicVass is the only place in the world I go proper freeriding because its actually quite good funit goes from all different wind strengths, choppy water to dead flat water up by the outside mountain. Theres a photographer and film guy there, and every week they do activities.Tuesday night pizza night, then beach gamesyou can dress up if you want, or just be in your shorts and bikini, it really doesnt matter.Thrilling FinaleThen on Friday, there is a fancy dress theme night. Its online when you book, so you can take stuff or make something there. The Vass team really put effort inone 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 levelseveryone gets a bit in it. Its really amazing. We love it. Honestly, I cant say enough about how great this holiday is for the family.The post FAMILY FLOW: NIK BAKER / CLUB VASS appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.