RE: Re: afraid of risk
james nolan (leander@worldnet.att.net)
Sat, 21 Aug 1999 19:58:44 -0700
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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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You make good points about being stuck in storms on a boat...assuming one didn't get off the water in time ;-)
Be honest, gear fails in cimbing, too. Of course, when I was climbing, it was free-climbing with just about no gear. If I take it up again, it would be *not* free-climbing, since I now am older and mortal ;-}
But perhaps the real issue is that growing up near water makes me more comfortable around it, even after being scared a few times.
It's interesting how different people perceive risks in the same activity, or even how each person perceives those risks at different times in their lives. I used to assume nohing bad would happen or if it did, I could get out of it ok. Now I take a more safety-minded approach, which means more learning about thigs related to the sport.
For instance, skiing and winter camping...also learn about avalanche prediction and avoidance, winter survival, hypothermia and frostbite. Sailing and kayaking...also learn about weather, tides, currents, navigation, hypothermia. And so forth. Because of this ancillary knowledge, I am probably safer, and definitely enjoy each activity more than in my ignorant invulnerable period. ;-}
I have a lot to learn yet, but hope to one day cicumnavigate in a small sailboat; realistically, this will likely be when I retire. Golf isn't for every oldster, you know. Boy, will I have to eat my words if I get there and decide to take up golf... (g)
Regards,
Leander
leander@worldnet.att.net