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Avoiding Sea Sickness - Do the Pills Work?

Nick Drakes 23 March, 2006 12:15:00

Nick Drakes, is a Trolling Lure manufacturer and owner of Sekard Technology.

DEATH COME SWIFTLY!!
There can be very few saltwater anglers who have not experienced sea sickness at some time. It is a truly awful feeling and, once it has you in its grip, a swift and painless death often feels like quite an attractive alternative! Those who never feel sea sick are in a very fortunate minority. Then there are the macho men who try to tough it out and won't admit they are feeling rough. But the sea respects no-one and it doesn't matter how big and tough you are, once the dreaded 'Mal de Mer' begins you're going to go through hell. I know, I've been there and I don't mind admitting it.

As a young man my early fishing career was blighted by regular bouts of sea sickness and I often felt complete despair and prayed for a cure. If it gives any comfort to fellow sufferers there are far more illustrious sea farers than I who have battled this problem and I won't bore you with the old historical tale of Admiral Lord Nelson. Legendary big game angler Stewart Campbell is a person far more relevant to this article. Mr Campbell is one of the all time greats of the big game angling world, multiple World Record holder and IGFA trustee and regarded as one of the most gifted and knowledgeable Marlin fishermen in the world. Despite his devotion to big game fishing it is well known that he has suffered with sea sickness. Such was the extent of his problem that he once named his beautiful Merritt game boat 'CHUNDA', a humorous term picked up from the Aussie crews on his trips to The Great Barrier Reef!

So take heart, sea sickness is nothing to be ashamed of and there are things you can do to help prevent it. I can't promise an absolute cure for sea sickness but I can share my own experiences and the results of many years of painful trial and error.

PREPERATION
To help avoid sea sickness you must be sensible in your approach and this includes starting your preparation the night before your fishing trip. Avoid anything that could produce a less than perfect stomach condition next morning. This means eating sensibly, no excessively rich or spicy food, and keeping alcohol consumption to a minimum. An early night and good nights sleep will also allow you to set off next day in a good physical and mental condition. I know this can seem difficult, particularly for you macho hard men out there, and a weekend trip or fishing holiday with a bunch of friends will often include alcohol related R&R. But at the end of the day the choice is yours, if you prefer beer to fishing then stay on land in the bar and knock yourself out. If you're serious about fishing and know sea sickness could be a problem then use your common sense and don't allow yourself to be drawn into any excessive behavior.

On the morning of the fishing trip make sure you're out of bed in plenty of time to allow a leisurely breakfast and unhurried journey to the dock or marina. Rising late and rushing around in a panic trying to get ready will start you off on the wrong foot and you're likely to arrive at the boat feeling flustered and with that nervous stomach feeling, not how you want to start the day!

Always eat breakfast. There is an old school of thought that says a large greasy fried breakfast 'lines the stomach' - bacon, sausage, fried eggs, hash browns, etc. In my opinion this is a bad idea and it's best to go for a bland breakfast - breakfast cereals, toast, poached/scrambled/boiled eggs or porridge. I also like to avoid caffeine drinks, such as coffee and tea, and anything that is too acidic, such as fruit juice, the best drink is just plain water.

ON THE BOAT
Once aboard the boat there are several things that you can do to help avoid the onset of sea sickness. In my opinion the single most important things to avoid are diesel fuel and exhaust fumes, these are unpleasant at the best of times but when you're stomach is already in a touch-and-go situation they're guaranteed to tip you over the edge. Check out where the boat's exhaust discharge is and try to keep as far away as possible, even if this means missing out on the best vantage place, or fishing position if you're on a party boat. Sitting inside the salon or cabin may seem a good idea but only do this if it is very fresh and airy, or if it has the luxury of air-conditioning. Generally it's best to stay out in the fresh air.

Food and drink are important. Don't allow your body to dehydrate and do keep your stomach ticking over - keep sipping drinks and taking regular light snacks during the day. Stick with water or non-carbonated drinks and definitely avoid caffeine and alcohol. I've seen parties of anglers heading along the dock struggling under the weight of cases of beer. I have no time for anglers (and I use that term loosely!) who have spent more time buying alcohol than they have in preparing their fishing tackle. Please don't think of me as a boring party pooper, but there is a time and place for it and when I'm fishing then I'm fishing, period!

Don't overheat. One of the first signs of sea sickness is when you begin to feel a little hot and sweaty. If you can lower your body temperature a little this can ward off the problem. Surprisingly I find overheating is less of a problem in hot countries, I think because I am usually wearing very light clothing and my body can 'breath' more naturally. Fishing in colder climbs can be worse as it is common to wear warm clothing and waterproofs. In this case, once you feel your temperature rising and a little sweat appears on your brow, shed a layer of clothing immediately and try to drop your body temperature slightly, you're much better off feeling a little cool than too hot.

Preparation. Go aboard the boat with your tackle meticulously prepared and with plenty of spare ready-made rigs. It's much better if you can keep your head looking up and away from the boat, having to look down to make rigs or tie knots will bring on the feeling of sea sickness very quickly.

Catch fish! I know this will sound a little stupid but sea sickness always hits worse on the slow days. When sport is fast and furious many sea sickness sufferers find they forget about their ailment - perhaps this adds weight to the theory that sea sickness is all in the mind and the more you think and worry about the problem the worse it becomes?!

DO THE DRUGS WORK?
There are many pills and potions that have been developed to cure or alleviate motion sickness.

Before I discuss this any further I must emphasize that I am NOT a doctor and I do not advise or condone the use of any medication to treat sea sickness. If you choose to go down the medication route then you MUST first consult your own doctor and take their professional advice. All I will do in this article is to discuss what I have tried and comment on the results that I have experienced.

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Firstly there are the over-the-counter pills that can be purchased at pharmacies. I think I must have tried most of the popular brands at one time or another and these include such products as Sea Legs(tm), Dramamine(tm) and Stugeron(tm).� These are all antihistamines and this is also the group of medicines that are used to treat some allergies such as hay ever. I must admit I could never quite understand how a hay fever cure was supposed to help with sea sickness and this probably explains why none of these medicines proved completely successful in curing my sea sickness.

They did definitely help a little, but were not a fail safe cure. One thing that I did learn that helped to improve their effectiveness was to start the medication the day before the fishing trip and then top it up on the day, always following the manufacturers recommended dosage of course. The warning on the packs that they "may cause drowsiness" was certainly true though and my wife once slept almost non-stop through a fishing holiday in Mauritius!

Another remedy that I experimented with is the wrist pressure band system.

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The one I tried was sold under the Sea Bands(tm) trade name. This is an elasticated wrist band with an inward facing plastic stud that applies pressure to the Nei Kuan acupressure point. This has the advantage of being completely drug free but sadly did not provide me with reliable protection from sea sickness. As with the antihistamine based medication they did help, but not well enough to be a complete cure.

The problem I always had was that the medication and/or wrist bands worked to a point. If the weather conditions were favorable and the sea not too rough, then I was fine. Once the sea conditions picked up I entered a zone where the medication began to fail and I lost my breakfast over the side.

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Then I discovered my Holy Grail, a product that has, up until now, provided me with 100% sea sickness protection. This is a drug called Scopolamine and the version I use is sold under the brand name Scopoderm TTS(tm). At this point I must point out that this is prescription only medication in many countries and I must again re-iterate my earlier comment.

I am NOT a doctor and I do not advise or condone the use of any medication to treat sea sickness. If you choose to go down the medication route then you MUST first consult your own doctor and take their professional advice. All I will do in this article is to discuss what I have tried and comment on the results that I have experienced.

Scopoderm TTS(tm) is supplied as a stick-on patch, like a small round sticking plaster, that is applied to the skin behind the ear. Once applied it provides the body with a constant trickle dose of medication and one patch will last for up to 72 hours.

sickness_5.jpg
I apply the patch the night before the start of the fishing trip, immediately before I go to bed. This ensures that the medication is fully in my body before I set foot on the boat. Be warned though, I have experienced some slightly strange and unpleasant side effects. Firstly it creates dryness in the mouth, almost like an insatiable thirst, but at least this reminds you to keep drinking plenty of water during the day. The most disconcerting side effect for me is that it causes a feeling of motion and slight dizziness! The first time I used it I got out of bed in the morning and nearly fell flat on my face - definitely don't drive or operate machinery when using this product! The feeling is exactly like that experienced when you step back onto dry land after a day on a moving boat.

I don't understand how a product that makes you feel like you're moving, when you're not, can cure motion sickness?! But it does, and for me it's proved to be absolutely bomb-proof. I've been out in some horrendously rough conditions and been absolutely fine. It works for me so it may work for you too, but if you want to try Scopoderm TTS(tm) first go to your doctor, take his/her advice and make sure you read the instructions on the pack VERY carefully.

There are other drug free options that I've considered but never had the opportunity to try. These are alternative medical treatments such as Acupuncture or Hypnosis. I know these are very powerful treatments and are used successfully to help alleviate many quite serious physical and psychological conditions. If anyone out there has tried either of these to help with sea sickness I'd be pleased to hear your views and comments, please e-mail me at nick@sekard.com

SUMMARY
1. Eat sensible food and don't drink alcohol the night before the fishing trip
2. Go to bed early and get a good night's sleep
3. Get up next morning in good time, no rushing around
4. Eat a healthy, sensible breakfast and avoid caffeine and acidic fruit drinks
5. Go aboard fully prepared
6. Avoid fuel and exhaust fumes wherever possible
7. Drink plenty of water and take regular light snacks during the day
8. Don't overheat
9. If you try any medication consult your doctor first and follow their advice