Might want to try the famed "Paihia Bombs"
Many of our Project MARC volunteers have to make overnight crossings on the often rough ocean around the Vanuatu islands. Some volunteers even stay on S/V "Alvei", S/V "Augustina" or S/V "Siome" for several days or weeks. Since about 3 out of 4 report getting very seasick co-skipper Nelleke provides all of them with the following tips, based on her personal experience during sixteen years of cruising and helping seasick crew/volunteer team members: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nelleke's seasickness prevention & management advice ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What works is different for everyone and it takes some experimenting to find out. Rough weather, heeling and diesel fumes do accelerate seasickness if you are vulnerable. Eating light before a passage and avoiding alcohol is generally a good advice. Going down below when already not feeling too well generally turns "queasy" into "seasick" very quickly. During the first days of passage-making, overnight- or day-sailing, chicken soup, ramen noodles soda crackers, ginger snaps, tea and water are good choices. But I have on occasion also seen people eat greasy hamburgers swallowed with strong coffee survive a gale.... (I am not one of them!) My advice: don't take any chances: if you are afraid you will get seasick or have never sailed before DO take medication for the first three days. After three days the equilibirum in the inner ear seems to have adjusted to the motion of the boat and meds are often no longer needed. Here is an overview of the remedies I am aware of, plus some known side effects: Pressure wrists bands, I occasionaly meet someone who reports this to work. Ginger pieces, ginger ale, ginger snaps or ginger pills seem to have a good effect for many people but don't do the job for me.... Stugeron, Meclizine (Bonine) and Dramamine are all effective but cause some degree of drowsiness for most people. Some people do well with the patches behind the ear (Scopolamine) but for many it causes extreme drowsiness and blurred vision. There is a large array of other possible side effects. I have seen people do well with half a patch. I advice to wear surgical gloves when cutting the patch, the atropine when rubbed into the eyes causes the eyes to dilate and you won' t be able to see for a few hours! Personally, I faithfully use the famed "Paihia bombs". Besides scopolamine and antihistamine it also contains caffeine. Many people report fabulous results from this drug. However, I have met a few people who did not allow for any caffeine in their daily diets and who ended up staying awake all night.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ end of quoted advice ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I cannot say enough about the amazing results the Paihia bombs have had on Nelleke's own battle against seasickness over the years. During the first few years of our cruising the California Channel Islands and Mexico, whatever she tried, it invariably fell through under very rough conditions. Then we heard some glowing reports on the Paihia bombs from other cruisers and shen decided to go through the -- then relatively lengthy -- process of ordering them from New Zealand. Now one can use Google to email a price/availability inquiry and/or order to the Paihia Pharmacy (PO Box 385, Paihia, NZ, phone 09 4027034, fax 09 4027342). Ever since Nelleke started using the bombs I now often have to implore her to please not go into the galley because conditions are simply too wild!! (most of the time she goes down anyhow and produces something nice and hot to keep us going....). Sorry, if this may sound like one of these paid (or at least commercially biased) advertisements. Neither one of us has any personal interests in this pharmacy or any of its products. Fair winds and following seas. Flying Dutchman
