Everyone gets sea sick at some time, even the saltiest old sea dog will have almost certainly succumbed at some stage, though some people are more susceptible than others. If you get car sick then you probably will be seasick too. Sorry.
However I’m convinced that you get used to the sea and each trip you make gets easier.
When I take friends out on the boat I try to keep them busy – that’s not easy in a little boat like mine, but I get them fishing as soon as possible, even if I know there’s no chance of them getting a bite where we are. I’m just trying to take their mind off the fact that we’re rolling around on the waves.
I make sure they drink plenty of water, and I don’t mind them having a few beers either. I’d like other opinions on this – I reckon that folk are less likely to be sick just by not thinking about it, and a beer or two helps this, but I don’t want anyone drunk as we still have to keep the thing up right and safe.
On my little craft there’s no choice but to be outside in the fresh air, but if you’re on a ferry let’s say and you start to feel a bit queasy then get outside, and watch the horizon, or a distant point, anything that isn’t bobbing around like crazy.
A big fry up isn’t a good idea before taking to the waves, but do eat something more bland, you don’t want an empty stomach, or one swilling with fat.
Dad always gives people little lumps of ginger to suck. I don’t know if it makes any difference, but I love ginger anyway so it’s no bad thing.
But as it say, it gets most of us at some stage, so the only truly safe avoidance tactic is to stay on dry land!
And don’t forget, when you get off after a couple of days you’ll feel weird again, but this time because everything is just too still.
You can’t win.