Post by: ICEMAN on August 02, 2013, 09:26:12 AM
When I was a contractor, we would book a charter boat each summer for our crew, family and customers.
I would often get sick.
No worse feeling in the world IMHO...
I finally found Scopolamine Transderm patches.... place the patch behind the ear the night before, and I was in pretty good shape the next day on the water...
Before I found it...I ralphed a lot over the rail trying to keep fishing. We had one trip (very rough) where we had retired navy guys begging to be taken off the boat.
How much would you pay to be taken off a boat by chopper? :chuckle:
What are your ways to avoid motion sickness? Bad stories?
:puke: :fishin: :puke: :fishin: :puke: :fishin: :puke:
Post by: seth30 on August 02, 2013, 09:28:13 AM
Post by: SquirrelHunter on August 02, 2013, 09:32:12 AM
Post by: CoryTDF on August 02, 2013, 09:38:30 AM
Post by: h20hunter on August 02, 2013, 09:40:15 AM
As a boy the men in the family, me, brother, couple of uncles, father, grandfather, and neighbor family father (like a 2nd family to me) would all go up to Lake Michigan to work over some salmon. We would drive up to Benton Harbor the night before and load up with a massive New York Style Pizza just before hitting the rack. 4am wake up call and to the dock by 5. Leaving the dock and fishing by 6. Then....we would just watch and wait. It was always somebody. The year of the epic hurl was a good smooth swell. It was widely spaced but man the trough was a deep one. The neighbor Simon was getting a little woozy. The vultures began to circle and taunt....As we fished that slow up and down troll he got greener and greener and then the chunks flew. Now Simon, God bless him, loved to fish. However...he was just terrible. From bluegill to catfish to walley to bass the man was awfull. However, the drive was strong in this one. He had purged most of his system and Capt Jim was actually suggesting we take him in. He was that bad. However, there were fish to catch. We figured the open deck with fresh air was the best place for him. We set him down, he closed his eyes and just tried to survive. Well, the rod went off a bit later and it was technically his turn. Being one of the men he asked to be helped to the rail. We had one guy on each side and me holding him up in back by his belt. He tucked his chin, closed his eyes, and began to crank the reel like a man on a mission. The deck hand got ready with the net and the salmon literlally launched out of the water, was scooped up in mid air and flopped on the deck. Simon was reeling so hard he snapped the line at the swivel and reeled the end of the line right onto the spool. We took the real from him and pretty much just flopped him back onto the deck. He just laid there like the fish he just landed.
After that we of course fished a bit more then went in. He remembers very little.
Post by: vandeman17 on August 02, 2013, 09:44:00 AM
Post by: FC on August 02, 2013, 02:11:42 PM
Post by: trophyhunt on August 02, 2013, 02:26:36 PM
Post by: RadSav on August 02, 2013, 02:50:13 PM
Among women fear seemed to be the biggest trigger and the ear patches and Dramamine did not seem to effect that. Most women that get sick began convincing themselves they were getting sick before we ever left the dock. So ladies, if you are fearful of being on a boat or of getting sick, you might want to keep your feet on solid ground.
The seasick rate of African Americans was near 100%. No reason why that I could tell and the patches did not seem to help most of them. Seeing a black skinned man turn green is a bit of a concern. ;) Odd thing was that I have never seen an Asian American get seasick. While the rate of white adult men seems to be somewhere between 25 & 30%.
I worked one summer while fighting mononucleosis. The long hours, lack of sleep and effects of the viral disease caused me to become seasick a number of times. Especially while having engine problems and working to fix them below deck without customers noticing. The skipper I was working for suggested the ingestion of orange juice while at sea. It worked WONDERS!!! You could feel the immediate benefit. Not sure if it was the acids, the sugar or what. But it did work! Once back on dry land a large milk shake (i'd always get chocolate malts) seemed to give the most relief.
Not sure if others who have motion sickness not related to a virus would see the same results. But, I can not see where it would hurt to give it a try.
Post by: runamuk on August 02, 2013, 03:23:33 PM
So no idea what to do or not do :chuckle:
Post by: jackmaster on August 02, 2013, 03:26:23 PM
Post by: NRA4LIFE on August 02, 2013, 03:31:23 PM
Post by: pd on August 02, 2013, 03:39:41 PM
I don't get sick. By that I mean that I don't vomit. Ever. For any reason. Alcohol, influenza, nothing can make me vomit. I hold it all in. Can you imagine how bad this is when you are on a fishing boat, and cannot relieve yourself?
I most vividly remember the oldest guy (must have been close to 60 at the time) from our group, a very avid fisherman. From early morning until quitting time he always had a beer in one hand, food (usually a rice ball) in the other, somehow juggling his pole, and laughing all of the time. He never once got sick.
And there I was, sprawled out on the deck, ready at any time to die. The heat, the wave action, the smell of diesel exhaust, the extra loud radio with the various charter captains perpetually asking the same thing ("...are you catching anything over there...."), it was pure torture. You would not wish this on your worst enemy.
Sorry, Iceman, I don't have any advice for you. The old man in our group and I are exactly the same: We never, ever vomit. But neither of us could figure out why he had so much fun, and I suffered. Perhaps it was the rice balls?
Post by: RB on August 02, 2013, 03:51:01 PM
Post by: h20hunter on August 02, 2013, 03:53:47 PM
Post by: RB on August 02, 2013, 04:10:47 PM
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!
Post by: Bmcox86 on August 02, 2013, 04:21:57 PM
Post by: Austrian Hunter on August 02, 2013, 04:23:38 PM
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.
:chuckle: :chuckle: I'm picturing this and I can't stop laughing :chuckle: :chuckle: Good story!
Post by: Skillet on August 02, 2013, 04:31:19 PM
. 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 :chuckle:
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 :tup:
Post by: wildweeds on August 02, 2013, 04:36:17 PM
Post by: hunting4sanity on August 02, 2013, 05:11:12 PM
Post by: sumbeech66 on August 02, 2013, 05:23:50 PM
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 :bash: ). 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. :IBCOOL: 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 :chuckle: )
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 :bash:
Post by: Fishnclifff on August 02, 2013, 06:00:34 PM
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.
Post by: Gobble Doc on August 03, 2013, 06:52:11 AM
Post by: Wacenturion on August 03, 2013, 09:43:27 AM
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. :chuckle:
Post by: fast60eddie on August 03, 2013, 10:08:11 AM
Post by: hrd2fnd on August 03, 2013, 10:09:44 AM
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.
Post by: trophyhunt on August 03, 2013, 10:28:51 AM
Post by: RB on August 03, 2013, 10:59:44 AM
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
Post by: ICEMAN on August 03, 2013, 07:14:11 PM
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....
Post by: robodad on August 04, 2013, 07:47:19 AM
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....
Just curious what you pay for them patches ? I don't get seasick unless I drink a fifth of fireball the night before (don't do that anymore) but I get the patches in case someone I take fishing needs them and they are like $15/ea at Wally World but wondering if I could get them cheaper elsewhere ?
Post by: Hunterman on August 04, 2013, 09:25:04 AM
Hunterman(Tony)
Post by: ICEMAN on August 04, 2013, 10:27:07 AM
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....
Just curious what you pay for them patches ? I don't get seasick unless I drink a fifth of fireball the night before (don't do that anymore) but I get the patches in case someone I take fishing needs them and they are like $15/ea at Wally World but wondering if I could get them cheaper elsewhere ?
Robo, last time I got them, they were a prescription, got them through my health care provider pharmacy, probably 10 bucks for four patches?
Post by: rasbo on August 04, 2013, 10:38:30 AM
Post by: Smossy on August 04, 2013, 11:32:22 AM
Post by: Moose-head on August 04, 2013, 12:14:11 PM
Post by: wildmanoutdoors on August 05, 2013, 06:23:53 AM
Post by: seth30 on August 05, 2013, 06:46:52 AM
I think that the best definition of seasickness is that 'First you are afraid you are going to die; then you are afraid you won't' :o:chuckle:
Post by: jackmaster on August 05, 2013, 06:47:18 AM
My girl was getting sick standing on the floating dock yesterday trying to crab :chuckle:dude thats funny :chuckle: poor smossys girl :chuckle: i bet she didnt think it was to funny though :chuckle:
Post by: Rick on August 05, 2013, 08:46:32 AM
For all you guys that laugh and joke (I was one of them) about being a puzzy if you gets seasick,your time may be coming.
Post by: hunt_fish on August 05, 2013, 11:30:07 AM
Post by: YoterHunter on August 05, 2013, 02:43:22 PM
Post by: rtspring on August 05, 2013, 03:15:47 PM
Guess Im one of the lucky ones
Post by: Goldeneye on August 05, 2013, 03:18:39 PM
My girl was getting sick standing on the floating dock yesterday trying to crab :chuckle:
Guess you'll be getting in those boats of yours alone if there is any chop to the water...
Post by: Angus on August 05, 2013, 07:22:03 PM
Post by: sumbeech66 on August 05, 2013, 07:33:08 PM
In 22 years of chartering off the coast of S.E. Alaska I've never been sea-sick but the stories I could tell. :chuckle:
I think a lot of people here like your stories, but you stopped telling them! :dunno: What gives? :tup: :chuckle:
Post by: Angus on August 05, 2013, 08:55:47 PM
Post by: dewandgin on August 05, 2013, 08:56:36 PM
Post by: WCTaxidermy on August 07, 2013, 08:11:15 AM
Post by: lokidog on August 07, 2013, 08:22:49 AM
I grew up boating in the Puget sound so when Loki took me and my son fishing I totally went in thinking I would be fine, he did have all of us take a Dramamine just in case :tup: that was a good call...because after a little bit of... top of wave, bottom of wave, top of wave, bottom of wave...... I was getting a little woozy, my kid turned green but thankfully fell asleep and slept it off once the fish started biting all was well....
So no idea what to do or not do :chuckle:
:chuckle: Always listen to the captain.... My mom went out with me once on the 21' Trophy, "I don't get seasick" she says, you can guess where it goes from there. All I can say is, I don't go in until I'm done fishing, even for my mom. 8)
I always take Dramamine/Bonine on the way to the coast, our saying was take your dramamine in Aberdeen, just because I don't like even feeling queezy. Never had issues in the Sound though.
Many years ago, I worked for NMFS on commercial tuna seiners, 175 to 205 foot long. Rode out a couple of hurricanes (on the edge) and a huge blow off the Gulf of Tehuanipec (sp?) where the 175 footer would have the stern slide sideways while going down the back of the swells, and never got even queezy. Then, my last trip, I spent two months on a 75 foot albacore troll boat north of Vancouver Island... I was seasick almost the entire trip, though I never did puke. My routine was wake up, eat breakfast, slowly feel worse, take a nap, wake up, eat lunch, slowly feel worse, take a nap, wake up eat dinner, slowly feel worse, go to bed, rinse, repeat.
Sleeping and a full stomach seemed to help me feel better, and catching fish, I never noticed it when there were fish on the line.
Oh forgot to mention, the boat also had a flea infestation from the captain's dog that was onboard before we left Monterey, and I am way allergic to flea bites. This was not one of my more enjoyable times spent on the water.
I had a girlfriend in San Diego that swore by the bracelet when we would go out in my 12 1/2' Zodiac fishing or dolphin watching.
Post by: rainshadow1 on August 07, 2013, 09:15:37 AM
I started trip fishing out of hs and learned that I would recover after 36 hours and be absolutely bullet proof until my foot touched a dock again (that was like a reset button. Only took an instant... =another 36 hrs of hell!) After 36hrs of heaving, it could blow up to the point where my crew feared for their lives, I was impervious to it. It was wierd.
I learned to work with/through it. Never to live with it though. Probably the #1 reason I don't fish anymore. I wouldn't wish severe nausea on an enemy. I've been to the rail several thousand times (no exaggeration.) I've violently dry-heaved for more than 6 hours straight... more than once. All the while baiting hooks or shoveling ice or sorting fish or navigating...
Enough to abandon my 4th generation heritage and seek employment elsewhere, I'll tell you that!
Post by: nocklehead on August 07, 2013, 02:03:13 PM
I found the best medicine for me is to hear "FISH ON"! when the fishing is good and everyone is active Im fine, what gets me is 5 hours of watching my rod as the horizon goes up and down, up and down....
hey iceman, careful with that scopolamine! :chuckle: I just saw a documentary on that stuff, I guess after too much you go into a highly suggestive zombie state! They call it the scariest drug in the world!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToQ8PWYnu04 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToQ8PWYnu04)
Post by: Fishstiq on August 07, 2013, 02:25:21 PM
I don't get sick. By that I mean that I don't vomit. Ever. For any reason. Alcohol, influenza, nothing can make me vomit. I hold it all in. Can you imagine how bad this is when you are on a fishing boat, and cannot relieve yourself?
This is exactly what happens to me as well. I get more and more nauseous, dizzy, and generally miserable. Never vomit though, even when I try to by leaning over the rail and sticking a finger down my throat to get it started.
As far as what helps, don't discount the cabin! When I'm seasick, i head downstairs into the cabin and find a bunk, usually somewhere near the bow. I curl up in a ball, laying on my left side, and as long as I stay there the nausea is held at bay for the most part. As soon as I leave that position though I'm sick and dizzy again in under a minute.
Dramamine used to work for me, but it doesn't anymore. I haven't tried the patches yet, might have to give that a go.
For me, the worst part of being seasick isn't the nausea, or the dizzyness, or the wishing I could just die and get it over with. The worst part is all of you non-seasick *******s giving me advice on how to feel better!! "Don't go in the cabin, try drinking chamomile tea, bite the head off this herring, blink your eyes fast, look at the horizon, blah blah blah blah....", for the love of Neptune will you just SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME ALONE!!!! I didn't ask you the best way to kill myself, I'm trying to die in peace over here!!
Post by: Becky on August 07, 2013, 02:34:00 PM
I don't get sick. By that I mean that I don't vomit. Ever. For any reason. Alcohol, influenza, nothing can make me vomit. I hold it all in. Can you imagine how bad this is when you are on a fishing boat, and cannot relieve yourself?
This is exactly what happens to me as well. I get more and more nauseous, dizzy, and generally miserable. Never vomit though, even when I try to by leaning over the rail and sticking a finger down my throat to get it started.
As far as what helps, don't discount the cabin! When I'm seasick, i head downstairs into the cabin and find a bunk, usually somewhere near the bow. I curl up in a ball, laying on my left side, and as long as I stay there the nausea is held at bay for the most part. As soon as I leave that position though I'm sick and dizzy again in under a minute.
Dramamine used to work for me, but it doesn't anymore. I haven't tried the patches yet, might have to give that a go.
For me, the worst part of being seasick isn't the nausea, or the dizzyness, or the wishing I could just die and get it over with. The worst part is all of you non-seasick *******s giving me advice on how to feel better!! "Don't go in the cabin, try drinking chamomile tea, bite the head off this herring, blink your eyes fast, look at the horizon, blah blah blah blah....", for the love of Neptune will you just SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME ALONE!!!! I didn't ask you the best way to kill myself, I'm trying to die in peace over here!!
:yeah: I don't vomit either, I get very motion sick on any moving thing and it's worse if it's only slightly moving instead of full on wave jumping action. Headache, nauseous dry heaves, dizzy, wishing for death - It will put me out the entire time until I'm on non-moving ground again.
For me, the cabin is the ABSOLUTE worse place to be, if I'm not able to look out at something, I'm done for. Riding in a back seat of a car with out clear view outside the windshield, I'm done for. It sucks, I get it from my dad, he's an avid hunter/fisher with multiple trips to Alaska for everything but he still will get sick as a dog on water.
I swear by the scope-patches, I use them for planes, boat trips, long car rides. If you haven't tried them out yet I fully recommend you do :tup: put one behind your ear the night before a trip and you're good to go for 2 days.
Post by: wildweeds on August 08, 2013, 11:57:15 PM
I don't get sick. By that I mean that I don't vomit. Ever. For any reason. Alcohol, influenza, nothing can make me vomit. I hold it all in. Can you imagine how bad this is when you are on a fishing boat, and cannot relieve yourself?
This is exactly what happens to me as well. I get more and more nauseous, dizzy, and generally miserable. Never vomit though, even when I try to by leaning over the rail and sticking a finger down my throat to get it started.
As far as what helps, don't discount the cabin! When I'm seasick, i head downstairs into the cabin and find a bunk, usually somewhere near the bow. I curl up in a ball, laying on my left side, and as long as I stay there the nausea is held at bay for the most part. As soon as I leave that position though I'm sick and dizzy again in under a minute.
Dramamine used to work for me, but it doesn't anymore. I haven't tried the patches yet, might have to give that a go.
For me, the worst part of being seasick isn't the nausea, or the dizzyness, or the wishing I could just die and get it over with. The worst part is all of you non-seasick *******s giving me advice on how to feel better!! "Don't go in the cabin, try drinking chamomile tea, bite the head off this herring, blink your eyes fast, look at the horizon, blah blah blah blah....", for the love of Neptune will you just SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME ALONE!!!! I didn't ask you the best way to kill myself, I'm trying to die in peace over here!!
:yeah: I don't vomit either, I get very motion sick on any moving thing and it's worse if it's only slightly moving instead of full on wave jumping action. Headache, nauseous dry heaves, dizzy, wishing for death - It will put me out the entire time until I'm on non-moving ground again.
For me, the cabin is the ABSOLUTE worse place to be, if I'm not able to look out at something, I'm done for. Riding in a back seat of a car with out clear view outside the windshield, I'm done for. It sucks, I get it from my dad, he's an avid hunter/fisher with multiple trips to Alaska for everything but he still will get sick as a dog on water.
I swear by the scope-patches, I use them for planes, boat trips, long car rides. If you haven't tried them out yet I fully recommend you do :tup: put one behind your ear the night before a trip and you're good to go for 2 days.
Post by: sumbeech66 on August 09, 2013, 12:42:04 AM
Its kind of like poking at a bruise and saying "it hurts when I poke it" WELL DONT DO THAT ANYMORE!!
Im a wuss. maybe I'll try it again someday. :chuckle:
Post by: PolarBear on August 09, 2013, 01:21:40 AM
Post by: lokidog on August 09, 2013, 08:39:56 AM
Taking a lot of ginger the week before has worked well for me. I usually barf before crossing the bar but that last couple of times ginger capsules, snacking on ginger snaps and eating candied ginger kept me from getting sick, even in 16 foot swells in my 18 foot boat!
It's hard to get sick when you are terrified.... :chuckle: I had the coasties tell me I had to go back in to Coos Bay once when out in my 12 1/2 Zodiac, I guess the 30' or less bar restriction was too much for them. 8)