Sea sick

[simsy56]

We don't get sea sick, just uncomfortable if it's rough.

I remember coming back from Santander on LDL line, and the bunks were east/west. The ship rolled side to side all the way to Poole.

Sleeping in my underpants, they were around my ankles when it rolled one way, and I had a wedgie when it rolled the other way. Very uncomfortable.

Craig

 

[Nothern Soul]

Positive just be positive put it out of your mind, if you talk about it you will fall foul of talking yourself into it. Some good post above regarding various things to do. If you do follow any of the above once you have taken medication of put your wristbands on put it all to the back of your mind and enjoy the trip.

 

[jockaneezer]

I'm not a particularly good sailer, but I find I can stand rough weather better than a swell ?

 

[Shrimp]

Father took us to SA years ago on the Edinburgh Castle, not many passengers turned up for a lot of meals specially going across the bay, brother & I only missed one meal, father was a good sailor.

 

[Tonks]

I'm not a particularly good sailer, but I find I can stand rough weather better than a swell ?

It can depend a lot on the 'shape' of the sea as well as how rough it is. A ship making reasonable headway, and heading into the weather is easier to cope with than one 'corkscrewing' along. I suffer badly from motion sickness of all kinds, but I lived on a ship for two years so I learned the best ways for me to cope with sea sickness! Unfortunately in my case no medication or pressure bands work. I've been sick in vehicles of all sorts since I was a very young child, and I'm now in my 50s, so unlikely to 'grow out of it'!

I ALWAYS book a cabin on long-haul ferries if at all possible. That way I can lie down if I need to, have access to a loo where I can't smell other people's vomit, and don't have to worry about my luggage etc. Getting fresh air helps enormously, and I've spent MANY hours on deck in choppy weather. As has been said above, make sure you have layers of very warm clothes as you WILL get cold standing out on deck for ages. I eat small amounts of plain food and drink water or non-alcoholic or fizzy drinks in 'little and often' amounts. ie. sips.

That said, being out on a ship, especially at night, away from the lights of land, is a magical experience and brings back many fond memories.

Good luck.

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[L' Hobo]

It’s not psychological, that’s like telling women who get severe morning sickness that it’s psychological and I can remember standing next to an ancient Consultant as a student who reckoned it was and reckoned the best treatment was making sure you used a big needle for their drip and having a few goes to make sure they wouldn’t come back complaining! Try telling that to the likes of the Duchess of Cambridge.

Anyway yes, it’s real and I’m lucky and don’t get it but if it’s a long crossing and forecast to be rough I will take a Kwells just in case which contains cinnarizine whick is the same as Stugeron. It does make you a bit drowsy but if you take it 2 hours before the crossing leaves it lasts for 6-8 hours. I’d pay for a cabin if it’s a day crossing as then you at least have your own loo. I can’t think of anything worse than feeling queasy and then needing a wee and hearing people puking. I think I’d join in anyway.

I’m a big baby about being sick so to be honest if I wasn’t much of a traveller it would to Eurotunnel for me.

I thought early morning sickness was caused by Hormonal changes but, as your much better medical qualified than I. I stand corrected!

All I can say, though experience, was that the two time I came near to being seasick was,

(1) when I had to stand my 4hr Watch, in the Stern Steering Flat, under the Poop Deck, during severe gale in case the Hydraulic Steering failed and we had to be changed over to manual.
Bored stiff, with nothing to do except try to regain ones feet when the deck suddenly disappeared and dropped about 3 metres and reared up again while listening to the prop, thrashing about, out of the water and the horizon dis & reappearing through the open door!

Up & Down, Up & Down, Up & Down, Up & Down.........

(2) Was on a Cross Channel Ferry and I could smell most of the other passengers/crew being sick and the toilets could not cope and 100's of full sick bags laying about the lounge........the stench was horrendous!

Nearly put me off me Breakfast.

 

[L' Hobo]

Father took us to SA years ago on the Edinburgh Castle, not many passengers turned up for a lot of meals specially going across the bay, brother & I only missed one meal, father was a good sailor.

I remember the Edinburgh Castle, (but not the first one of course because, I think, it was sunk in the war?) Lovely fast ships as was most of the 'Castle Boats' as everyone called them?

 

[Spriddler]

I'm not a particularly good sailer, but I find I can stand rough weather better than a swell ?

That's my experience with crews on yachts where one is buffeted rather than feeling a monotonous regular swaying around and rolling side to side.
I think it's also partly due to being more active and 'excited' in heavy weather; having physical stuff to do like holding on when moving around, bracing, trimming sails etc. rather than slumped miserably in a corner, chilly and anxious and thinking the worst. Even the simplest tasks take a lot longer and require concentration on the job in hand rather on one's perceived predicament.

 

[Riverbankannie]

Take Stugeron whilst on the dock before you board. I once took it before leaving home and slept all the way to the port! Even though I am a happy sailer in any sort of tiny boat bobbing up and down, I can feel sick whilst a big one is still docked. I think it dates back to a rough North Sea crossing to Gothenburg. Now I always take some before boarding and once accustomed, I find I don’t need any more. I survived a 10 winter trip on the Hurtigruten which did get a bit rough.

 

[L' Hobo]

That said, being out on a ship, especially at night, away from the lights of land, is a magical experience and brings back many fond memories.

In the South Atlantic, standing on the Stern watching the Phospherene? dazzling in the water from the twin screws and stretching out behind + hearing the Flying fish, land or thump against the side of the ship while looking up at a sky smothered with stars...........and having a last pipeful before starting my 4-8 watch

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[phase3begins]

Remember there are two stages of seasickness.
First stage:you are terrified that you will die
Second stage:you are terrified that you won’t die

 

[Tony V]

Stugeron Tablets for

as above. make sure you follow the instructions starting a day early. also it's often advised that you stay clear of chocolate fried food and alchohol for 24 hrs beforehand.
Fresh air and a steady horizon works well.
water and travel sweets [barley sugar recommended - the ones in a tin] keep you sugar levels up.

Should you be sick make sure you are on the downwind side! Many people feel a little better after a bout of s/sickness. If so get water into you, so you avoid the 'dry heaves' which is the really debillitating aspect.

Ask me how I know all this

 

[TOT]

Combined with having to travel by ferry in the MoHo every other week, and being a poor seafarer, i have never found tablets, bands or any physical treatment of any use. Bear in mind that most ferries cope well with sea conditions through use of stabilisers.

The one aspect that I do find helpful when things gets rough, is to find a view of the horizon and fix upon it - only problem being at night time - going green and sweaty is time to get the bag out.......... preferably somewhere quiet!

 

[Lumpy]

Try drinking plenty of ice cold water to keep your temperature down and keep a bottle (or tablets) of Gaviscon at hand to settle that nervous stomach.

 

[John Barrett]

I'm very lucky as I've been sailing since I was 15 and never suffered from sea sickness. However, I well remember leaving Alderney on my old SHE 36 heading for my berth in Cherbourg with two experienced crew on board, both of whom were completely incapacitated within 30 minutes, and I had to bring the boat in to the marina on my own! We bought a 42' Dutch steel river cruiser shortly after...

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[POH]

Or it can be like a mill pond! (Is that better?)

Yep!!

 

[HarryML7]

It's not the same for everyone and I've never suffered from seasickness but from my 30 years as a yachting instructor/examiner and charter skipper (often with a crew of non-sailing holidaymakers).......

Take Stugeron (well beforehand as per the instructions) or wear wrist pressure bands.
Keep warm.
Avoid coffee.
No alcohol.
No fried food.
Stay as far as possible in the centreline of the ship midway between bow and stern (less pitching and rolling).
Don't read.
Eating ginger biscuits can help some.
If you go outside wrap up and stand on the windward breezy side to avoid diesel smell/smoke. Most people will stand on the leeward (sheltered) side but that's where engine/diesel/smoke/cooking smells and fumes (and fag smokers) will be drawn and hang around. Wrap up because even if feeling flushed and hot you're likely to chill on a breezy deck, even on a warm day.

(Sailor's unhelpful joke: If you're really hungry stick to strawberry sandwiches as they taste the same coming up as they do going down ).

Another unhelpful one to add to you list, Stand under a tree.

 

[Spriddler]

Another unhelpful one to add to you list, Stand under a tree.

Or as I used to say to my well-paying charter crew when they moaned about us not going out due to the unsuitable weather:

"You'll be happier in here wishing you were out there, than out there wishing you were in here".

(Believe me, with a crew of gung-ho yet naïve landlubber Americans (mostly) it takes far more courage to decide to stay in harbour than to go out ).

 

[cyberyacht]

I recall many years back on the Bilbao/Portsmouth run that I was dining alone among about four or five people in the restaurant. So much for a romantic meal with my OH to finish off the trip.

 

[jockaneezer]

I've just remembered about a lorry mechanic I knew about 30 years ago, who seemed to get all the diesel (Webasto type)"night heater" installs to do. He got sent down to a marina on Windermere to install a few in some of the gin palaces that were moored there. He was sick on every one he did. A combination of the boats wallowing and his head being lower than his body for a lot of the time and no horizon to watch finished him off

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[pappajohn]

I have an unusual form of seasickness.
On a yachting holiday round the Greek islands years ago.
Quite rough and under sail, the boat leaning over far enough for water to come over the side. ........not a problem.
Around the lea-ward side of one island the sea was flat calm and the boat just bobbing around ...throwing up for England.

 

[nicholsong]

It's not the same for everyone and I've never suffered from seasickness but from my 30 years as a yachting instructor/examiner and charter skipper (often with a crew of non-sailing holidaymakers).......

Take Stugeron (well beforehand as per the instructions) or wear wrist pressure bands.
Keep warm.
Avoid coffee.
No alcohol.
No fried food.
Stay as far as possible in the centreline of the ship midway between bow and stern (less pitching and rolling).
Don't read.
Eating ginger biscuits can help some.
If you go outside wrap up and stand on the windward breezy side to avoid diesel smell/smoke. Most people will stand on the leeward (sheltered) side but that's where engine/diesel/smoke/cooking smells and fumes (and fag smokers) will be drawn and hang around. Wrap up because even if feeling flushed and hot you're likely to chill on a breezy deck, even on a warm day.

(Sailor's unhelpful joke: If you're really hungry stick to strawberry sandwiches as they taste the same coming up as they do going down ).

Would add to that list that if you can view the horizon keep your eyes fixed in it as it takes away some of the sense of motion. That certainly helped a lot of people on my sailing boat if they felt a bit queazy - none of them ever threw up.

 

[bigwood]

During my time stationed in Germany I used the various ferry routes to come to the uk for leave with no problems even during the winter. A long haul flight in a Hercules transporter had no affect on me.
The crossing when I left the army Rotterdam to Hull was a nightmare. It was a force twelve gale. I spent most of the night between throwing up and lying on the cabin floor. Next morning I realsised there was a strong smell of diesel fumes in the corridors. Vehicles were damaged on that crossing.
The only other time I was travel sick was a flight from Humberside airport to Heathrow on route to Australia. I got some tablets at Heathrow. It stopped the motion sickness but I couldnt keep my eyes open for more than a couple of minits. I missed most of the flight to Singapore.

 

[L' Hobo]

I have an unusual form of seasickness.
On a yachting holiday round the Greek islands years ago.
Quite rough and under sail, the boat leaning over far enough for water to come over the side. ........not a problem.
Around the lea-ward side of one island the sea was flat calm and the boat just bobbing around ...throwing up for England.

Strangely, that often happens!

 

[L' Hobo]

Would add to that list that if you can view the horizon keep your eyes fixed in it as it takes away some of the sense of motion. That certainly helped a lot of people on my sailing boat if they felt a bit queazy - none of them ever threw up.

I have always thought that this reinforces my view that it's a lot to do with the mind and, as we all know, a man's brain can only concentrate on one thing at a time!

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[Tea Bag]

It used to be said certain beers tasted better on the return journey.

Hi.
This was said at Jock MacFarland aka " Happy feet " ( He was excused boots !! YES !! ) Demob party. He was escorted to the toilets drunk as a skunk.Rum and Orange. Technicoloured yawn on arrival and the words i will never forget...." Look for my heart...its in there somewhere ".
Tea Bag. Happy days.

 

[poppycamper]

Ex RN and the worst sailor EVER, for first two days... start feeling rough out the Sound/ Solent/Clyde or Forth then absolutely fine.
4 months South Atlantic in 82 with the mother of all rolling waves. North Sea in wee little wenny teeny tiny minesweeper.
That IMV is the trouble with ferries... you not on long enough to aclimatize.

 

[Montecatini]

As others have suggested, lower deck levels if possible & near centreline if it rolling. Stugeron is widely recommended, also echo earlier poster regarding ginger. I know a few people who have found this very effective.
Again echo earlier post if you are ill try & rehydrate, it really will make a huge difference. Dyoralyte is a particularly good recommendation as will replenish salts as well as water.

As others have said weather might be fine or you might feel fine despite weather so don't let it spoil your trip.

(34 years working at sea... and counting )

 

[Puddleduck]

I get seasick but have found lying down in my dark cabin with feet firmly on the foot board (or wrong way round with feet on head board or wall) makes a huge difference.

 

[pappajohn]

1976, steam packet ferry (converted mine-sweepers someone said) to the Isle of Man.
Ship all over the place, no stabilisers, and a long journey.
I'm sure only one end was in the water at any time
Unusually, chucking for England and dreading the return trip.
Return trip no problem.

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