Monitoring sea sickness

[Paul Elliott]

I've found that once you get your sea-legs, a few days ashore (or even a week) won't completely reset your conditioning. Most people do adjust within three days, but until then you need to keep an eye on them for signs of dehydration, tearing of the esophagus (blood), and the other possible complications. Seasickness can kill.

I personally will get sick, and I've found that Bonine does a good job (or non-drowsy Dramamine -- same stuff.) I start taking it one or better-yet, two days before heading out to sea. After a few days at sea I can stop taking it. The Scopalamine Patch seems to work well for my friends who use it.

I suspect that perhaps 50% of the effectiveness of these treatments is due to the placebo effect. I don't mind, it works for me.

[Hydra]

A colleague of mine seems unable to get sea legs. Each time he goes to sea, he is sea-sick to the point that he is barely able to go from his bunk to the toilet. The last time was on a 6500 t frigate: he was sick for 5 days, to such a point that the Navy medic onboard was becoming worried. This medic said that 5% of people never get over seasickness.

Alain

[SteveT]

I've had cadets forced to look for another means of earning a living because they were permanently sick for months when at sea. I've never been sea sick and after this many years I don't expect to be. Scared yes, sick no. I have every sympathy for those who do suffer from it but it seems unpredictable in how it hits different people. Is there a psychosomatic element ? I don't know and would not even guess.

[mesailor]

I can get sick the first few days at sea. Often for me that is time crossing the gulf stream. I think it is different at sea because of stress and lack of good sleep. I generally do not get sick if I stop at anchor. Advice. The scope patches work and if sickness is an issue they are not swallowed which is a plus. Keep her at the helm as much as possible.

If she has to go below to sleep, undress in the cockpit and run into the best sea bunk in the boat. Use lee clothes and wedge her in so there is no rolling involved. Keep a bucket close by.
Best of luck

[atoll]

we carry sea sickness supposetories,
and a full enema kit for dehydrated sea sickness sufferers,
funny thing is iv'e never had to use it, thing is every time i bring it out sufferers seem to get their sea legs very quickly................

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by atoll

we carry sea sickness supposetories,
and a full enema kit for dehydrated sea sickness sufferers,
funny thing is iv'e never had to use it, thing is every time i bring it out sufferers seem to get their sea legs very quickly................

The enema sounds a bit severe especially for those who treat there anus as sacred or suffer serious homophobia? This old Navy Doctor Tom told me the trick back in his day was to order one for unruly boisterous seamen who ended up in the sickbay. Strangely they became much more manageable.

Nonetheless, I am sure it goes something like we absorb most of our water through the lower/big intestine, which makes enemas effective in cases of extreme seasickness/ dehydration? To prove the point their was that case of a family lost in the Pacific on a life-raft where the mother was a nurse. They used enemas to get the very last out of salt tainted water and survived. The crew member who refused to be 'violated" ended up a lot worse off.

Back to the original question, I used to find that getting off the boat after a nights fishing onto solid land and starting again the next day would feel like going through the whole adjustment process again. Although things slowly get better this was no fun and very frustrating. Still, following what "Msponer" posted above, while you are on your way up or down Australia's East Coast there is no real reason to have to moor off in dead flat marinas. For instance, on the way up you could anchor off at Broughton Island, Seal Rocks, SW Rocks, Coffs Jetty or Whiting Beach Yamba etc, where you are still going to get some motion that will help the senses adjust to sea-life. Even just staying on the boat and getting a very slight motion at anchor at more protected places like Iluka Boat Harbour or Bum's Bay can help.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by SurferShane

The enema sounds a bit severe especially for those who treat there anus as sacred or suffer serious homophobia? This old Navy Doctor Tom told me the trick back in his day was to order one for unruly boisterous seamen who ended up in the sickbay. Strangely they became much more manageable.

Nonetheless, I am sure it goes something like we absorb most of our water through the lower/big intestine, which makes enemas effective in cases of extreme seasickness/ dehydration? To prove the point their was that case of a family lost in the Pacific on a life-raft where the mother was a nurse. They used enemas to get the very last out of salt tainted water and survived. The crew member who refused to be 'violated" ended up a lot worse off.

[ or Bum's Bay can help.

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by Hud3

You never can tell about sea sickness.

I was seasick only once in my life, on a small boat out fishing in the Delaware Bay in choppy conditions. Never since. My wife turned green (really!) the first time she sailed, and would get very queasy simply stepping on the boat in a slip. Transderm Scop worked for her, but made her queasy after she got off the boat. Then we chartered a sailboat for a half day whale watching trip in Maui. She did fine and never experienced mal de mer again, even on some extremely rough passages. On the other hand, a good friend who has sailed coastal and offshore all his life with no problems, suddenly began to experience seasickness in his early 60s, and nothing seemed to help alleviate it. It's a strange illness.

It certainly is! However there is a definite physiological reason for the illness concerning adjusting to motion. As above choppy conditions where you have seas and swell colliding from different directions can be difficult to adjust to and make even the die-hard puke! I had this happen a month back on my way from Yamba to Coffs when a low spiked up the Queensland coast sending a 2 metre plus north swell into the 2 metre seas and swell coming up from the south. The very worse was when the wind abated and the boat was at the mercy of the confused violent motion. I got down to bile at least once. The one thing that made me feel a bit better was when I met an experienced sailor in Coffs who had a good Ralph after last being seasick in 1969. That is, if the BOM predict substantial swells and/or seas from opposing directions don't go!

I am also sure there is a psychological side to seasickness. I know if I am feeling upset of anxious I become more vulnerable. This is kind of where there is no point in others carrying on with bravado about how they "never" get sick. As above, most people will have their day for a good old spew. Making others feel inferior also does nothing to help them overcome the problem. On this point it is important to communicate evenly with others so to help them overcome their "triggers".

[Sabbatical II]

Originally Posted by SurferShane

Back to the original question, while you are on your way up or down Australia's East Coast there is no real reason to have to moor off in dead flat marinas. For instance, on the way up you could anchor off at Broughton Island, Seal Rocks, SW Rocks, Coffs Jetty or Whiting Beach Yamba etc, where you are still going to get some motion that will help the senses adjust to sea-life. Even just staying on the boat and getting a very slight motion at anchor at more protected places like Iluka Boat Harbour or Bum's Bay can help.

Ezackly what I was thinking! Just wanted to know if it actually worked for anyone else.

[nautical62]

Originally Posted by The Boat Galley

Starting meds early (24 hours before departure) is HUGE for me -- and I do much better if I'm at the wheel (I think because it gives me something to do).

These are the biggest things for me as well. Many of the meds say to take them an hour or so before departure, but I find to start taking them a day ahead of time to be much more effective.

If it's going to be at all rough, it really helps if I can avoid going below - have a lunch made, drinks out, clothing handy, etc, so I don't need to go below and rummage around.

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by Eleebana

Ezackly what I was thinking! Just wanted to know if it actually worked for anyone else.

Simply - YES - it works for me. Likewise, the reason you will find my boat anchored off close to harbour entrances like at Horseshoe Beach Newcastle has a lot more to do than just trying to skip mooring fees!

[Astrid]

I have never had motion sickness (sea sick, car sick, air sick) but I do carry a variety of remedies for those who sail with me that might (stugeron, dramamine, ginger candy, cookies and drinks). Usually, I advise people joining me to get their physician's advice and perscription if need be, but so far have not had too many people suffer through more than a day or so before adjusting to being at sea.

[rebel heart]

I always take Bonine if I leave the harbor. After a good night's sleep I'm usually fine; sleeping underway makes a big difference for me (and others I've known).

[downunder]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

I always take Bonine if I leave the harbor. After a good night's sleep I'm usually fine; sleeping underway makes a big difference for me (and others I've known).

I could always escape sea sickness by sleeping however rather difficult if you are the skipper.

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

I always take Bonine if I leave the harbor. After a good night's sleep I'm usually fine; sleeping underway makes a big difference for me (and others I've known).

Unfortunately there is the other side of the coin that when some people succumb to seasickness and lay down they can have troubles getting back up again? Sometimes it is better to encourage them to keep active up in the fresh air and look at the horizon etc?

Again seasickness is a mysterious thing that effects people differently? I know on my last passage back to Newcastle I was feeling a bit average and had a quick nap. Instead of 20 mins later I woke up hours after feeling restored; while a cure it was not particularly good seamanship and I even overshot the port entrance (Ok, the de-merits of sailing solo are discussed elsewhere and I had charted a course sufficiently offshore yet inside the steaming lane and trawlers.).

Nevertheless, a good sleep at a rolly anchorage is a very pleasant way to let your sense adjust! I have got to say I much prefer this natural remedy to using medications that usually cause drowsiness.