L'Eau Commotion Westabout

This morning before dawn L'Eau Commotion sailed out of Bass Strait into the Southern Ocean as she passed a line between Cape Otway and fittingly named Cape Farewell on King Island. For much of the time in Bass Strait the seas were dead flat, though after nightfall some slight swell was evident. By this morning however the swells were large even and smooth but with the associated problem in that the horizontal movement is equal to the vertical. In the very slight following breeze this tended to momentarily becalm the yacht just as the swell approached with the subsequent slatting of the sails. This problem was ameliorated by a course more to starboard than originally planned but fortunately also one subsequently predicted by the weather program. All in all a very pleasant and productive days sail. The current predicament I now face is in the matter of the sea anchor. Earlier forecasts of 35 knots + had me definitely deploying and sitting it out for a day or so. Now at 25 to 30 knots the resolve is weakening - " I can handle that - Press On " vs " What's another day with all systems safe and sound " . The latter sounds the better. A propos of ships that pass in the night they all seem to give a margin of one mile. I think it is more good seamanship on their part than good luck, but of course once my proximity alarm goes off I keep a good eye on 'em to keep 'em honest!