I'd like to start a completely different topic: sea sickness.
Since we're all divers on this forum, I'm curious what kind of experiences everyone had considering becoming seasick and what to do about it.

I spent a lot of time on boats and never became ill until a few years ago on a boat in Egypt. Now I even get sick when I'm on the boat heading for Klein Bonaire or North. And that's funny when you think about it that people always tell you it's almost impossible to get seasick on Bonaire. Well, it happens to me! It takes a very short time to get there, and I'm not that sick, but I always have to be in the water first and out last to make the trip as short as possible. For me, pills don't do the job and horizon staring is no option either.

Has anyone had the same thing getting seasick every time after but only after a few years and what did you do about it?

Thanx for your ideas.
Dénise

DEAR DENISE, my wife, an avid diver, is the same way, made the mistake of going on the nekton, no seasick boat, a couple of years back, and i guess we were the 1 percent who gets sick on that boat, we found the ultimate answer to seasickness though, its called, 4 door truck with tank racks in the back......

http://www.seaproductsonline.com/index60.html Take a look at this product I have read some good reports on it.... Ron

Denise,

I'm one of those divers who gets sea sick easily. I'm always first one in last one out and still get nauseated. Dramamine knocks me out, terrible stuff...Tried the patches, nope, the bracelet, nope. I have one word for you MECLIZINE. Brand name is Bonine. If you cannot get it over the counter have your MD write you a prescription. It works great (at least for me). No snoozing, no seasickness...fantastic. I use them to go fishing too...they work great. I went this past year in a rough area for sea bass in NJ and they worked great. Good luck!

Liz

2nd vote for Bonine.

Until the last 2 years I never had a problem with seasickness, including 12 weeks on Coast Guard Cutters in the Atlantic. The past 2 years getting on dive boats in Florida, about 5 minutes from shore, I'm leaning over the rail.

Do agree that shore diving is the best cure for this problem though...

third vote for Bonine over the counter)..Meclizine from your Dr. perscription) I have tried different products over the years, cars, trains, planes, boats, even certain roads or 3D movies really make me seasick, can't believe I'm a world traveler, but Bonaine has made my life alot easier. Dramamine works differently and makes you sleepy, plus you have to take it every 6-8 hours, scapolomine patch is $ and strong, can blurr your vision, but Bonine seems to work just great and take one pill for 12 hours(great on a cruise) and no dry cotton mouth..PLEASE try it and report back

Denise,

I used the Relief Band that Ron has a link to on his post, while on a live aboard to St. Kitts this summer. I was skeptical, mostly because of the price. But I get very sea sick and didn’t want to take any chances. I too love Bonine, but it doesn’t always work for me, especially when I forget to take it ;-). The relief band is supposed to help even if you are already sea sick. It sure worked for me. When we were crossing in large swells I started feeling sick, I just turned up the Relief band and was fine. I even slept with it on. I sometimes have a problem with the boat rocking while lying in the bunk and the band kept me from getting nauseous.

Shelly

I am a huge sickie as well- I have even gotten sick AFTER I got in the water (through my reg- ugh!! But I lived through THAT and now I can deal with anything)- Bonine is what I always use now- even to get on the boat to Klein (and really I think that it was SO not rough that I would have lived without)- but I always take it the night before so that its really in my system and I am also not so tired...the Sea Bands (do they still sell them? I haven't seen them for years) for my wrists are always on- as soon as I get on the plane. I also make very sure that I don't get dehydrated during the trip- lots of water and I am very careful to really tank up if I have been drinking alcohol- 1 glass of water for every alcoholic beverage. (The old wives tale- seems to work for me.) For some reason when we were on the Neckton Pilot I was one of the few NOT to get sea sick- but then I had been drugging steadily along. By the end of the trip I was NOT on any drugs...but I am not going to trust that the next time I wouldn't get just as sick.

Tami, read the url that I posted it is a different system then Sea Bands.. Ron

Bonnine even knocks me out!!! We were traveling and my husband had to wake me up where ever I sat down! I get motion sickness in cars, planes boats and even in the water! I started taking 500mg of Ginger capsules and it works awesome. I have not been sick since I started taking them. The week before I travel, I take one in the morning and one at night and I do the same through out my vacation.

We dove in Greece and my husband had seasickness on the boatdives. In Greece they gave us Drimen (Dimenhydrinate 50mg) and it worked great. Not feeling sleepy or drowsy. Even went diving with it. No problem at all.

Thanx all!
This Bonine and relief band sound very interesting. I'm wondering whether Bonine (Meclizine) is available in my country, but I sure will ask my doctor.

I tried the ginger also, and about all our kinds of travelmedication pills, but I have the feeling when I take these pills, I get sick for sure. There's something in it, I don't know what, but it's nasty...

You become afraid of hopping on board and that doesn't help to prevent it as well.

I get seasick all the time, even motion sickness at the IMAX movie things! lol!

I tried everything, and Bonine knocked me out too. Now I use the scopolamine patches, and they work great. I put one on as soon as I get to the airport, and replace it every 3 days. Makes me a little more thirsty than normal, but no other symptoms besides that and it stays on in saltwater. Good luck!

Hi Dénise

Sorry us Brits can't help with this one as I think we have a definite genetic advantage ;-}

We did a very rough ferry crossing from Curacao to Bonaire and as long we did not get very close to the people hugging buckets we felt ok. It was with hindsight very sad as a large group of people from Curacao were coming to Bonaire for a day trip (all dressed in Chogogo Tshirts and caps). At first they screamed and whooped as the spray crashed over the top deck, 15 minutes later it was a lot quieter, then they started to lay down, then buckets and the ferry had to go slow because of the waves, the crossing took nearly 3 hours. They had a shortened trip around Bonaire and then had to go back on the ferry to Curacao. At least the wind was behind them on the way back.

How was your trip to Palau? Pictures please!!

We are off to Indonesia a week tomorrow to Kungkungan bay. See you at the Coral Spawning

Brian & Sue

Ron- I just checked out your URL- its got Sea Bands on it as well- I guess its all the same- the sea bands don't run on batteries though!!
Brain- I can remember as a child making a VERY rough crossing from (Canberra maybe?) to Green Island on the Barrier Reef in Australia. It was SO ROUGH my 11 year old self thought that I was going to die. One lady did have a heart attack and was laid out on the sand after we docked (well- she LOOKED dead)- and I will swear to this day that the people on the top deck were singing "Nearer My God To Thee" but my Mom says that they were only singing "Its A Long Way To Tipparary". (OK- I can't spell that- does anyone know how?)

Hi Brian,

I know about your British genetic advantage

Palau and Yap were great, no pics, you know for me video only!
I hope to have enough time so I can bring a little movie with me in September. We did a sailing/divetrip for a week and got seasick while Ruud was steering the wheel and the captain catching a Spanish mackerel. Maybe this post was not necessary after all, I should not let my husband be in charge of the ship, then I don't have to worry about seasickness anymore

We will not be at Habitat in September. I have the opportunity to housesit for 4 weeks and will be on the island on the 3rd of September. Ruud will arrive on the 15th but of course will catch up with both of you at the reef.

Have a nice trip to Indonesia. Can't wait to hear your report!

By the way: I received a message from the BBC. They would like to see a taster of my footage. I have to thank you both for that! Fingers crossed, it would be so great when they like it...

See you soon! Dénise

Dénise

Four weeks in Bonaire, it is a tough old life! Well done.

Neil will be in Bonaire for the spawning as well, good luck with the BBC.

See you in September.

Okay all you pukey people, here's your savior - Phenergan. I have struggled with the queasies for years and when I was about to embark on a long sailing passage I asked my family MD(a former Navy doctor) if he could suggest anything and he turned me on to this and yes, its bulletproof. Now for the downside. Unless taken with some kind of stimulant it does make one very drowsy. Once upon a time the stimulant of choice was ephedrine but the kids ruined that for us and you can't get it anymore. I find that pure terror keeps me awake in those conditions when I'm most likely to feel badly but hopefully this would not be the case while diving.
I have only known one person who it didn't work for (and she turned green on the swan boats in Boston Common) and while I don't often need it, I carry it on every sailing trip. If you can hold it down for twenty minutes, you are invincible. I'm talking hanging upside down covered in diesel fuel with bilge water sloshing around and feeling well enough to get the job done.
Oh and never underestimate the power of pretzel rods and ginger ale.