Seasickness is a form of motion sickness and many physiological and
psychological factors are involved.
Simply, the inner ear contains a balance organ filled with a viscous fluid
connected to an elaborate sensory system linked to all the senses and the
musculature.
It acts like a gyroscope in mantaining our equilibrium.
Motion sickness sufferers cannot cope with unusual or excessive stimuli
reaching the inner ear balance mechanism, and they become nauseated, and
vomit, and feel wretched in many other ways.
For those who want to go on Pelagic trips 35 nm of shore in less than
comfortable conditions, here are a few more tips:-
1. You can acclimatise to motion sickness by frequently repeated or
prolonged outings. A seasick sailor nearly always settles down after a few
days at sea. The constant motion sensitizes the balance organ to accept the
current situation.
2. For those of you who are occasional sailors, it is possible to
"exercise" or "train" your inner ear to manage much better on your next
occasional outing. In the week preceeding the trip practice rolling and
rocking your head as it would be in a rough swell, for a few minutes at a
time every hour or so. You will find that these movements will make you feel
ill at first, but will settle with repetition. A good outdoor activity is to
go to the park and swing on the swings.
3. Over the counter medications are usually unsatisfactory because
of their side-effects. A very effective medication is "Maxalon".
Ask your Doctor for a prescription. Take the first tablet an hour before you
set sail and every six hours as a preventative.
Happy sailing
Michael Powell
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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