Fighting the big 'S'

Editor

Rotterdam, Netherlands

Created on Aug 17, 2018

Aug 17, 2018

Categories: Life Aboard

When we hear the word seasickness, what usually comes to mind is the scene in the movie when the miserable young man is throwing up in a bucket as the boat rocks terribly in the storm. He is wet with sweat and the water splashing from side to side below deck. And there’s also a scene when the crew feed the seasick young recruit buckets of sea water to make him throw up for good and eventually get cured. Well… It doesn’t have to be this bad and this severe. In our modern times, we have our medication and know better than to swallow sea water. If you want to know how you can fight the illness that has been haunting the sailing man since the beginning of time, check this out.

What is it?

Seasickness is one of the the most unpleasant experiences you can have during a charter holiday. It is caused by a kind of disorientation between what you see and what your body feels in a rocking boat. You cannot assess the movements and this causes a particular kind of stress which your body responds to by increasing the secretion of histamine. Histamine is what causes these terrible symptoms.

Who gets it?

Little kids and those of us who are prone to car sickness are probably more at risk but it can affect pretty much everyone. You could be sailing for ten years and never get seasick until that day… Or getting seasick on the weekend cruise doesn’t mean that you’re going to get it at your boat holiday.

How can you tell?

It’s easy. When you see someone dizzy and weary with a pale face, you can usually say that seasickness is about to take its toll. It When nausea, vomiting and sweating begin, you can be almost sure and start trying seasickness remedies. You just need to wait a little more for symptoms like fever to make sure that it’s not food poisoning.

Can you prevent it?

Probably yes. If you take your doctor recommended medication and be careful about a few things, you can stop it even before it begins. Try not to spend a lot of time below deck and get a lot of fresh air. Take a forward facing position on the boat and look at the horizon when you can. Do not do a lot of detailed work such as looking at the screen, reading, drawing and writing. And finally, avoid heavy meals.

Can you cure it?

With the right kind of medication and/or some home remedies, curing seasickness is possible. Ginger is one of the most common cures. You can eat it fresh or in the form of candies. Resting with your eyes closed can also help as it would stop the conflicting signals between your eyes and your body. Anti- nausea wristbands and some natural oils are known to help cure seasickness as well.