The Joy of Motion Sickness

[RB]

The first time I really got seasick was in Sitka AK on my grandfathers troller. Before we left the dock a friend of his had just come in with a huge load of Dungeness crab and gave him a few. We cleaned and cooked it cracked it up and ate my fill cause I loved crab!

We left the dock for a two week cruise to fish the outside of Chichagof Island about 10 minutes into the swells the crabs wanted out in a bad way. It took years before I could eat crab again and I have never been so sick, but about three days in I was fine and made it through without medication the rest of the trip. Best fishing trip of my life!

[Bmcox86]

Take a shot of saltwater before you head out, you're be fine

[Austrian Hunter]

here is a good quick little story....my wife is prone to motion sickness. She is especially prone after a dive. I believe that when she is coming up her inner ears don't equalize the same, then, on the boat, instant barfville. We were diving on the ferry on Possesion and she was the first in the boat. I'm at the side putting my gear on the gear line and all I see is her wide eyed face leaning over. I think she is going to say something but out of instinct I bite down on my reg and just duck my head. She heaved all over me. Thankfully I still had on my hood and full gear. I just went under a bit and shook myself clean. Took her about 3 months to eat eggs after that.

  I'm picturing this and I can't stop laughing    Good story!

[Skillet]

. Took her about 3 months to eat eggs after that.

How many months did it take you??

I've heard it said that with seasickness, it can get so bad you're afraid you're going to die.  Then it's worse when you realize you won't 

I feel no shame in admitting I've been a little green on early spring foul weather charters in the past, and may have coughed up a few breakfasts over the years.  No biggie, just stay outside, keep an eye on the horizon, keep trying to drink water and focus on fishing.  Do NOT go lay down in the cabin!  Seen that happen too many times and nobody ever really comes back from it.  Even though I can get seasick, I actually like fishing on a charter in rough weather - it seems that a good percentage of the boat just gives up and you get to catch more fish if you can stick it out 

[wildweeds]

I've been seasick one time in 39 years,it was caused by rotten crab bait,diesel fumes,the faint smell of a naked butted camel my dad was smoking from the wheelhouse and green walls of water all around.The constant hollering from the wheelhouse probably didn't help either to HURRY UP!.I've never used dramamine or the pressure bracelets.My buddy swears by the pressure bracelets.We went tuna fishing out of westport on the 85 foot Deluxe about 15 years ago,AWESOME trip 120 miles offshore,the water on the run out was big,30 to 35 footers,I was high up in the wheelhouse till the wee hours of the morning having a ball with the skipper in the big water watching the waves blow over the wheelhouse(28 feet to the waterline),the others on the trip weren't as lucky all but 3 of us were chummers.My buddies old man didn't get sick,I didn't and we took/did nothing,My buddy had his pressure bracelets on and came away unscathed.He ran and bought them when he saw the deckhands.

[hunting4sanity]

The worst motion sickness I've ever had was when I wasn't even moving, I woke up with severe vertigo feeling like I was in a giant dryer tumbling around.  I had to lay flat on my back and try to convince my brain that nothing was moving.  At times I would go from feeling normal to barfing in 30 to 40 seconds.  It's one of the most bothersome things I've ever had to deal with, you feel kinda stupid walking around holding onto the wall feeling like the room is rolling over.

[sumbeech66]

What a sickening thread!

Kind of turned into a novel but here is my story.


A couple buddies and I decided to go on a charter for silvers out of Astoria. What a terrible decision We had no idea about this fishery at all, so we leave Seattleish area friday night after work and we're just going to get a motel when we get there (another bad move) come to find out when there are fish in the area, you're not going to find a motel anywhere close. So the 3 of us "SLEPT" in my ford ranger (real comfy  ). Instead of waking  up bright and early and heading over to the outfit we just opened the doors and were standing in their parking lot.

We get all aboard and head down the Columbia, all is fine and well and all of a sudden we hit the BAR. What a cazy sight/feeling. Kind of like a looonnngggg rollercoaster. At first it was awsome, like nothing ever before, one second you're on top of a mountain and the next you see nothing but water and the next wave coming.

Well soon after that the size of the waves decrease but they became so sporadic it was hard to stand still (impossible for me) and you lose site of ALL land. So we were in a washing machine and it was time to fish. We put lines out and no lie less than 2 minutes I caught the first silver of the day.   All of a sudden after I caught a few fish and watched my buddy catch the biggest fish of the day I took a breath  and realized my stomach was in bad shape. A few minutes later I was THAT guy chumming over the side. the only thing you can think about is 1. getting off that devil boat and 2. you know exactly what you have to go back through to get back. I would have given everybody on the boat a weeks paycheck to go back in. Luckily for me it was the best fishing day of the year and the boat limited out fast. (not fast enough for me  )

As soon as we FINALLY hit the river I felt 90 percent better and 10 minutes at the dock felt almost normal again THANK GOD!


Couple weeks later watching the discover channel found out the columbia river bar is a coast gaurd training site because its so rough all the time 

[Fishnclifff]

I don't get sick but the wife has before.

Here is the best remedy.
Start taking 1 Dramamine per day--4 days before you go out.
Take 1 that morning or put on a patch.
The meds take time to get into your system.
Works pretty good.

[Gobble Doc]

It always seems to help sitting right by the exhaust and breathing deep while going up and down.  I think I am still sick from Westport as a kid going out with my dad in the 70's.

[Wacenturion]

I have never been sick but got close last year. Left out of west port and water was to bad to go for tuna so we just tried for salmon. when in the trough of the wave you could not see sky nothing but water all around. It was nasty! 25 foot North River boat. I made it without getting sick but was about as close as you can get.

Have been in one of those troughs as you say years ago at Westport while on a 52 ft. charter only seeing sky, then bouncing up to see the rest of the fleet, then repeat.....just loads of fun.

[fast60eddie]

salami & whip cream ya softies

[hrd2fnd]

Stay away from spaghetti lunch or dinner, noodles don't feel all that good coming out the nose 

The only time I lost it was while stationed on a 378 cutter and we hit a storm out of Adak AK taking water over the flying bridge. Hurricane force winds, while standing fire watch doing rounds of the jp5 and diesel pump rooms.

Never a problem while stationed at the lifeboat school, have crossed the Columbia bar on everything from 30',44 lifeboat to the 52' while training newbie on how to not roll the boats.  Playing in the surf is a blast and do miss those days.

[trophyhunt]

Am I the only guy who feels horrible on Dramamine or the patch? My cousin takes dram and feels no effect, I just don't get it. I've tried everything except the bracket including taking ginger a week before fishing.

[RB]

Am I the only guy who feels horrible on Dramamine or the patch? My cousin takes dram and feels no effect, I just don't get it. I've tried everything except the bracket including taking ginger a week before fishing.

No one of my fishing buddies gets sick from it as well took a couple trips out to figure it out. He quit taking Dramamine and does better now

[ICEMAN]

Am I the only guy who feels horrible on Dramamine or the patch? My cousin takes dram and feels no effect, I just don't get it. I've tried everything except the bracket including taking ginger a week before fishing.

Dramamine never worked for me, had to switch to prescription Scopolamine....