During Covid a WhatsApp group set up on the Isle of Wight that was designed to add a layer of safety at a time when there were less vessels on the sea and at a time when one of the only forms of exercise we were allowed to do was go on the water. The idea was you would have a buddy out on the water another pair of eyes and you could sail safely. That group was called 'G-Land' and was the brain child of Chris Attherton and Jack Grundy. In this week's blog I talk to Chris and Tom Buggy and it has got me thinking, how many of these WhatsApp groups exist across the UK and do you know if there is one in your area? If you would like to be part of a group in your area let's get people to comment on this blog and get you hooked up, if there is no group in your area you could start one? G-Land has evolved to be a way of linking like-minded watersports enthusiasts across an island so they can all benefit from each others experience and never sail alone! The magic of social media; You'll never sail alone! Here at The Official Test Centre we have lots of opportunities for you to sail with others, you could join one of our Winter clinics or Team 30, Portland Harbour is a mecca for all watersports enthusiasts and we love the location of our centre, come and join us!
By Emma Nicholson.
Chris Atherton, one of the founding members of G-Land said: "Myself and Jack Grundy set the group up. Based around the location of Gurnard on the Isle of Wight, Gunard is a very tidal venue, on the inside it is flat and on a South Westerly it is strong. During Covid the local sailing club shut and a few of us including Tom Buggy still wanted to sail, during Covid people could get out on the water, a lot of people reverted back to windsurfing. The idea for the group came about because you shouldn't wing or windsurf on your own. So, the group was set up so you can go out with a buddy.
"Gunard is best in a South/West or a Westerly, there is a five or six hour window, with foiling there was a lot more people on the water. Jack Grundy thought of the name and introduced a sticker.
"The safety aspect is essential of G-Land, safely go out and be aware of each other. During Covid when the group was set up, there wasn't the normal amount of boats on the water that would usually look out for windsurfers and give an extra layer of safety. Accidents can happen. I have had my bladder explode while out at sea.
"G-Land group wasn't just set up for winging, it also includes wing foiling, windsurfers and kiting."
"I know there is a Winging group in Oxford that does have a Commodore. G-Land grew very quickly. We now have 92 members. There are a number of administrators. Really what people do is let other people know what the conditions are like, there is a little bit of banter, but not much. We buy and sell kit, it makes sense to sell through the group and by word of mouth.
"For people getting into winging the group is a great place to get advice on when it is good to go winging, for those that are learning it is a great place to ask about conditions a valuable source of advice.
"The group offers a sense of community, there are other groups established on the Isle of Wight, including Tom Buggy set up a group called 'Loyal to the Foil'. G-Land is not just limited to Gunard. G-Land is full of ex-windsurfers or kiters, lots are surfers who have now got into winging. Riding the waves with a wing they are really good at it.
"The group is great at helping inform the waterports community on the conditions, they need to be right on the day and where the best spot is to go for the right conditiobns. Members of the group will post a photo of the conditions.
"With my RYA hat on I would really like wingers to become part of the local sailing club structure and then it can be part of the development across the regions."
Tom Buggy became a member of G-Land a few years ago, he said: "A lot of people use that spot at Gunard and it has always been called G-Land. It's called that after the famous surf spot in Idonesia. It is a play on that, 92 memebers, people have been using that spot for a long time windsurfing, a gentleman called Chris Atherton an old school windsurfer and he started winging and there was a few incidents of people going out and not knowing the spot or getting lost or having problems so he tho0ught he would start a Whatsap group, so people can know who is going down there and who is going on the water, it has really strong tides and currents and he said we can do that and it will be a saftey thing so people can meet up and go on the water and i just got bigger and bigger mainly because of winging really because more and more people were starting to wing.
"In Cowes where we live there is a lot of sailing families and almost everyone knows everyone and it just expanded and got bigger and bigger. The group has got a lot of members, on a summers day there is a lot of wingers on the water, still windsurfing and kiting it is quite a challenging spot, no real beach at high tide, especially for downwind foiling and winging in the middle with the current, the inside is quite flat. Everyone looks out for each other. If you give a shout out and say I am going to another spot people will come and join you. More people giving a shout out to the people that don't live close to the beach and they can see someone has already had a look and the conditions look good. I think there should be groups like this all over the UK because it does build a bit of a community. For a saftey side and moving second hand kit around. From the group you get a social side, safety side and moving kit. People also put up photos and videos of their sessions, I mainly get out of the group getting someone else to come sailing with me, I dont mind riding along, my wife is on there and she may say I am going out windsurfing and hopefully someone would go with er. The main function is people spotting the conditions, safety, kit reccomendations and getting people out on the water in Gunard or G-Land as we call it!"
Are you part of a local group leave details in the comments below, lets get the watersports community connected. Remember if you are after watersports kit or tuition we are your one stop shop. Tuition from The OTC and kit from SurfDoctor.
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