So I think my fear of getting clocked in the head with my board (again

) has been getting the best of me, and costing me a shot at some REALLY good waves.
There was one wave in particular yesterday that captures what I've done a handful of times in the last handful of decent swells: I went to take off at the peak on a particularly steep wave, and at the last fraction of a second, well after the critical do or die point, I made the split second decision that I couldnt make the drop - so I kicked my board out and away from me and dove for the bottom, to avoid getting myself clobbered.
Even as I was in the air, it was already running though my mind: had I bailed unnecessarily? Did my fear of injury keep me from completing a difficult, but ultimately makeable drop that would have had a potentially HUGE reward? And had I really saved myself from the chance of injury, or actually even increased it? I couldnt help but paddle around the rest of that session and for hours later, having it eat at me.
Sure enough, Onefin, who saw the whole thing, brings it up (with no prompting from me!) and confirms exactly what I thought. It was makeable. And it was just the slightest hesitation that cost me the wave. And it would have been spectacular. OK, I added that last part, but you get my point.
Bigger than that, it occurred to me that the worst that could happen if I tried and missed was, well - going over the falls. And the best that could happen if I was already committed and kicked my board out in an effort to save myself was....going over the falls. So on one hand I *might* go over the falls, on the other, I'm guaranteed to.
Another lesson learned: He who hesitates is tossed. So screw it - I'm going.
(Postscript: Tried it a couple of times today - once successfully - resulting in a pretty fun ride, once a spectacular failure - worthy of at least honorable mention for the Kook-of-the-Day award.)