If you’ve ever had seasickness or any sort of motion sickness for that matter, it is the opposite of pleasant and can really ruin even the most thrilling of moments. For some people, motion sickness hits them like a wall of nausea the moment their foot makes contact with a boat and won’t abate until both feet are planted firmly on terra firma. For other people, nausea slowly starts to creep up on them but is easily controlled by putting down the book or just getting a bit of fresh air. Then there are those annoying people who could happily eat a heaping plate of biscuits and gravy with a side of greasy bacon while reading a book in a windowless cabin aboard a small boat in the rolliest of seas. For those of you that do not fit this last description, this blog is for you.
Sea-Bands
If you already know you are prone to seasickness, the best thing you can do before you join a snorkeling safari is to grab a pair of these pressure point bands that go around your wrist. They begin working minutes after you put them on and can be worn throughout the trip.
Motion Sickness Tablets and or Patches
Most liveaboards will have a stash of motion sickness tablets, but there are quite a few brands of different compositions out there, some of which you may be allergic to or overly drowsy. For this reason it’s a good idea to grab the ones you know will agree with you before you travel. It’s really important to take the requested dosage about an hour before you join the vessel, otherwise, they may not work. Again, there are lots of different options in pill form or patches that go behind your ear, some of which are prescription while others may be over the counter, so it’s really a good idea to do a bit of quick research to see which will work best for you.
Fresh Air & Horizons
If you do start to feel nausea creeping in, it’s best to find a place where you can see the horizon, get a bit of fresh air, and face the direction the vessel is moving.
No-Screens or Books
One of the quickest ways to bring on a bout of sea-sickness is to stare at a screen or a book. If you feel a bit queasy, put whatever you’re starting at down and follow the suggestion above.
Distract Yourself
Whatever you think might distract you—aside from staring at your phone or reading a book, try to do that. I’ve found that listening to music or a podcast are great ways of taking my mind off of my nausea.
Go for a Swim
If you are just feeling miserable on board and there’s an opportunity to get in the water, going for a snorkel or a swim can really help relieve seasickness.
Sips & Nibbles
Depending on how sea-sick you are, nibbling on some plain crackers and sipping some not-to-sweet carbonated beverages like soda water or ginger-ale can help settle the stomach.
