I heard yesterday on the news that, tragically, an Atlanta area teen had died in a skiing accident in Colorado (the 2nd young Atlanta this year IIRC).  Astoundingly, this is the _10th_ fatality in Colorado this year on the slopes.

Can you imagine if FL lost 10 vacationers to sharks?  the beaches would be empty.  If windsurfing lost 10 sailors, we'd be mandated to wear water wings.

For most of us, perceived risk is more important than actual risk and when we are in a situation where we perceive that we are in little or no control, we perceive more risk.  We think we can keep from skiing into trees, so we don't think of skiing as risky (although when it seemed that I spent more time _in_ the woods skiing is when I figured windsurfing offered more jollies with less pain).  We have no control of when Mr. Whitey decides to have lunch and even though it's rare, it scares us witless.

I think many of us do, in fact, windsurf because the yuks vs pain ratio is very high- water hurts less than pine bark.  Anyway, sail safe in the cold weather (the water was still pretty cold yesterday) and my sympathies to the family of the skiing fatality.

wf