[Sailor Steve]

Agreed, and I agree about the wave period (wavelength). It is possible in the Atlantic to have very high waves, but with such long periods that small boats ride them better than large ships. On the other hand, as soon as you enter the Channel the waves become much shorter and choppier, so much so that sailors can tell when they've made that transistion even when not in sight of either shore.

I would like to see the differences in different oceans properly represented - North Sea shallows, much calmer Mediterranean and Caribbean and like that.