Ever find your self leaning
over the low side of a boat offering your previously
digested lunch to King Neptune while he slaps your
face with a few salty waves? No? You just don't know
what your missing. Can't say that I have either,
and that's just fine with me. One of the things everyone
worries about on their first trip, or when buying
their first boat is whether they will get seasick.
Not to worry. While I've never had to deal with it
myself, I have had sailing friends who deal with
it every time they go out on their boats. Not that
they would ever let it stop them from enjoying their
favorite pastime. Here are a few suggested strategies
and cures to put your mind at rest if you really
want to go boating, but don't have a cast iron stomach.
Prolong the Inevitable
If you know your prone to seasickness, keep these
tricks in mind. Stay on deck as much as possible,
and keep an eye on the horizon. Going down below
to rest if your feeling queasy is a sure way to push
you over the edge. Try not to sit too much. They
say that sitting is the position most likely to induce
seasickness. Trying to stay busy wile on the boat
tends to keep the queasy feeling away. Proably the
reason I've never experienced it, is I always seem
to be the guy on the wheel, or messing around with
the sails. Could be a mental thing as well. If you
have medication for seasickness, be sure to take
it sooner than later. Better to have the medicine
working when the heavy weather hits, then to go scrambling
for some pills when it starts. If you going to be
on a long boating trip, try to spend a few days on
the boat before leaving the dock. It gives your body
a chance to acclimate to the motion of the boat before
it really starts moving around on the open water.
Dealing With The Devil
Once your sick, you have no choice but to deal with
it. Transcutaneous electrical nerve simulators (often
called TENS) use electrical stimulation to combat
seasickness. They have no side effects, and you shouldn't
even notice them while wearing the bands on your
arm. Accupressure wristbands can be used in the early
or late stages of the sickness. Queaz-Away Band is
one of the name brands. There are a number of medicinal
aids as well for tackling the sickness. Some are
Stugeron, Bonine, Dranamine and Phenergan. The Transderm
Scop patch is another product, whose side effects
have been reduced as the product has improved.
As you can see, there are plenty of options for
dealing with seasickness. So, you no longer have
any excuses to put off your boating adventures any
longer. Happy sailing. |