Sea Sickness Remedies

We are headed down in just over a month and bringing newbies. My buddy was asking about the most effective sea sickness remedies in case that becomes an issue. I really don't know what's working, as it hasn't been an issue in a long time . . . in fact, since 2005, when one guy got so sick we had to put him ashore for 3 days.

So what's the scoop? What's working?

Shifty from Northern Indiana

The Scopolamine patch is about as sure fire as you can get. Just be prepared for cotton mouth (solved by copius beer consumption) and disorienting dreams after. For me, Dramamine and Bonine don't work as well as ginger snaps and a copper penny taped to your belly button.

I’ve heard of ginger gum and was interested in finding that for my group as well. I suppose ginger anything may be helpful? Anyone have any insight to add on that end? We took Dramamine and it seemed to help a little, but i understand it’s not effective if you wait to take it until after you’re already experiencing sea sickness symptoms. It also can make you drowsy, though they do sell a “less/non drowsy” version

My wife swears by the ginger chewables from the health food stores.

GlennA- I didn't know if that was a total tongue in cheek statement or not (penny taped to BB) But- according to the Farmer's Almanac, its supposed to work. Who knew!! (wouldn't make you sleepy at least) If it works. 🤮

My daughter used to get seasick years ago and then she heard about ginger so
a day before she would consume some ginger and she never got sick again even when she stopped taking it.
Now you have to be careful most Ginger products today don’t contain Ginger they use a
synthesized chemical that has the same taste as Ginger, if you look at the ingredients in Ginger Ale
or Ginger Snaps you’ll see there’s no Ginger.

I take and reccomend Bonine all the time. It's cheap, effective and no side effects. Take every day when you wake up and no problems for me or the crew.

I love Moscow Mules! Does Ginger beer also work?

Ginger snaps, also wrist bands for motion sickness. We always had these in our first aid kit. Also some advice from the pre Irma cruising guide“ lie on your stomach with wind blowing in face”. This is better done while at anchor.

Hydrate, hydrate & hydrate!

My routine to avoid " that feeling" would start the day before wheels up with Bonine in the morning. Then every morning through air travel ( usually one day but stuff does happen). Every morning for the first 3 days on the boat, at which time I'd try a day without. Usually that would do the trick for me for the rest of the trip, but if seas were ugly or we were planning a long(ish) sailing leg, I'd just dose up again for that day. ALL motion sickness remedies work best if you take/use them before you begin to feel sick.

HINT: if you are heading out of the BVI from St. Thomas, either by sail or ferry, it is wise to dose up in advance of that trip. Pillsbury Sound is a known trigger, often called " the washing machine".

Usual advice applies-- stay hydrated, watch your alcohol intake so you remain aware. Eyes out of the boat when sailing, don't be reading or knitting or below deck. Keep aware of the horizon at all times, take a turn at the wheel ( sit with the captain AT the wheel if you aren't wheel ready). Motion sickness is a physical thing, there is a dispute happening between what your inner ear tells you and what your eyes are telling you. Much better living by chemistry when you can head off that dispute.

I don't know what the BVI pharmacies have or recommend for motion sickness, but they are not hamstrung by the US FDA. Don't leave Tortola without a remedy if you know or suspect you'll suffer. Tacking up the Sir Francis Drake channel first day in a sporty breeze is not great fun if you are green.

As a professional. charter capt for 35 years, world wide, have found that some remedies work for one person , but not another . Some no mater what they do, nothing works.

But, as Breeze stated, in addition to the motion sickness remedy, there are other things that you can do .

1. Lay off the Booze the night before . Also, no over abundance of any liquid. Especially, coffee, tea, fruit juices especially, orange juice, or any other liquid acidic liquid. , .

2. Have a healthy breakfast , or meal before you go out sailing. A couple of cups of coffee and a pastry, donut, etc, is almost a guarantee for spending the passage feeding the fish.

3. Stay up top side, and do not go down below. Especially if blowing chunks . Lean over the stern or a down wind quarter, have some one grab tightly to the back of the sick persons belt. Secures them from toppling overboard and they know that they are not
not going to lose their balance . Have a wet towel for them to wipe off their face and what ever.

4. Absolutely, put them to work, at the helm, at the beginning, steering the vessel, also looking out at the horizon, or land . Give them a job to concentrate on.

5. Follow the directions of the particular medication, and take it well ahead . Waiting until the person feels queezy or uncomfortable is too late.

6. Do not sit around in the cockpit telling BARF stories or bragging about sea sickness experiences.

7. For shorter passages or trips of a couple of days, I used to recommend that the scopolomine patch be cut in half, to reduce any unwanted physical effects. That patch goes on the neck.

I have heard stories using all kinds of mal de mere prevention. with just about everything, from wristbands, to the patch, to ginger, to bonine, and nite nite dramamine , etc. Some times the work, and some times the do not work.

If, the motion sickness is a true condition, and nothing seems to stop it....THAT PERSON DOES NOT BELONG ON A BOAT, ESPECIALLY ON A WEEK OR TWO SAILING TRIP IN THE BVI. Not a good plan for everyone on board to be around a poor
retching soul,. That can make others on board sick as well. The fun light will be extinguished, period.

There's only one cure that works for everybody -- two hours spent sitting under a tree!

Agree with captdennyj on all points.

In terms of meds, Cinnarazine is always my recomendation. I've seen it work wonders for so many former crew-mates. We had a particularly bad Sydney-Hobart race back in 2010...by the end of which, everyone on the team (including the 'iron-stomached' Aussies) was a convert to this magic potion! Its generally branded as Stugeron in the UK...which can make you a bit drowsy, especially at 3am on night-watch! But if you talk to a doctor they can prescribe a non-drowsy alternative. My wife is a doc and previously had some sea-sickness issues...but not anymore. Problem solved!

I have sailed yearly in the BVI since 1981 and have hosted a few over 100 different friends and only twice did anyone suffer from sea sickness. They both recovered nicely in a day with ginger snaps, etc. Our seas are calm most of the time. When they are not just stop and drink. I always thought the penny and wrist bands were total BS until one afternoon I had a young lady onboard coming from Catalina Island to MDR (5 hours) and she was green and picking. I gave her some wrist bands that someone had left onboard and she eating a sandwich in half an hour. Amazing. So now I always keep pennies and wrist bands onboard. Plus I always prescribe Transderm Scop. It seems to be the best. They are a prescription from your MD or DDS

The pennies today are made of Zinc with a light copper plating

And still cost more to produce than they are actually worth. But hey, that's our government with our money.

For whatever its worth, I get sea sick on the open seas (cruise ship, deep sea fishing), but never in the BVIs - given the area is surrounded by islands you're never really 'out in the open' - not even on the way to Anegada IMO. But for those not willing to take that chance, suggestions above may work.

My husband and I only take day trips on boats due to his propensity to motion sickness. He loves boating and snorkeling, but unfortunately gets seasick, especially when there are swells. The solution he uses on planes, boats and after snorkeling is a device called the "Motion Sickness Relief Band". It can be found online at Hammacher Schlemmer, probably Amazon too. It is the only thing that works within minutes of him feeling icky. Below is a description of how it works (electrostatic pulses.). Please note it is splash-proof but NOT water proof and you can't wear it in the water. My husband wears it on the boat when we are under way, but sits where its unlikely he will be splashed. I tried it once when I was ill and so nauseous I wasn't able to move an inch without being sick. It was amazing how within minutes it "broke" the sick feeling. The wrist bands using acupressure don't work for him. The patch works but makes him so sleepy. Also note that you need the conductive gel to make it work, so we travel with extra batteries and gel.

Employing a treatment proven effective in multiple medical journals, the band transmits gentle electrostatic pulses to the wrist’s P6 acupressure point, harmlessly disrupting the nerve signals between the brain and stomach that cause nausea. The reusable device does not require abstaining from food or drink and quickly alleviates symptoms without causing drowsiness.