He survived that because the Sea was relatively calm and his aircraft a very slow flying type which into wind would have settled with hardly any forward motion.
The amount of times I have crossed to Northern Ireland in twins and jets and seen singles crossing over heavy seas with whitecaps and worse is horrifying even heard one with a badly misfiring engine trying to make it to Liverpool. luckily he made it.
it all depends on what level of risk you are prepared to take
Pace