Chumming; how do you keep from Puking yer guts on the Big Blue?

Howdy All,

I thought we could/should start a thread regarding dealing with seasickness.
I have never quite gotten seasick.  The few times that I have been on a boat in open water the worst thing that I experienced (so far) has been a brief tightness in my stomach, that passes within the first 30 minutes or so.

So how do/would I deal with it?  First, a disclaimer.  I am an acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist.  So all of what I am going to talk about is acupuncture/pressure points and herbs.  No Dramamine or Scopolamine for me - and I am technically unqualified to discuss western drugs.

My first trip out onto the big blue within the past 20 years was on a 34' charter boat targeting halibut out of Depoe Bay.  The day we went out the seas were topping out at 9 feet.  Boat was capable of 12 knots, we headed to the "Chicken Ranch," which is roughly 30 miles out, so the ride was long, long, long.  Spent about 12 hours on the water.  No seasickness for me that day.  It did take me the rest of the day to get my land legs back, though.

The day before heading out I had a friend place some ear seeds (little squares of medical tape with radish seeds, or metal beads) over a few points in my ears.  I took along ginger chews from Ginger People, as well as a vial of ginger extract, and a bottle of ginger powder in capsules.  I took a dropper full of the tincture right before getting on the boat, and I popped a chew every hour or so, and pressed on the seeds every once in a while.

The last big trip out was on the same boat, similar conditions, this time on a Tuna run.  I took a dose of powdered ginger before heading out, and another does about halfway through the trip.  Instead of ear seeds, this time I placed magnets over an acupuncture point on the inside of my wrists.  Again, about 30 minutes of a tight stomach right at the beginning.

The three times that I have gone out on my Kayak on the ocean have been on days where the swell size is about 4 feet.  Each trip has been ginger only.  Mild tightness in the stomach at first, which could be nerves, and if I focus on anything nearby for more than a few seconds in the first 15 minutes (like setting up a rod), I get a tiny bit queasy.  Different feeling from the tight stomach – this one is more in the head feeling, and I attribute it to my peripheral vision picking up motion outside of my focus range, which totally messes with me, at least until I settle into the motion of the ocean.

Of course, since I didn't get sick on any of these trips, and am not prone to motion sickness in general, I couldn't tell you if it worked for me.  But I can tell you that ginger works against nausea - beside the "mythbusters" episode, there have been several reputable studies, and in my personal/professional experience it works well against nausea from chemo and radiation therapy.

There are other herbs that I could have taken, but ginger is readily available, inexpensive, and a food spice, so unless you are allergic to it, I have no problem recommending it to everyone and anyone.

As far as the ear seeds go, I would say that you should consult a professional - yes there are kits out there where you self apply the seeds, but unless you are trained and can see the differences in ears, they are a waste of time.  Again, I know it works from personal/professional experience. (for those of you who really must know, we used ear shenmen, spleen and stomach bilaterally.)

There are some other things that you can try that requires not much more than some coach's or medical tape, a small hard round object (bigger than a lentil, smaller than a kidney bean), and your fingers.  I make no guarantees - If it works on you, great, if not, you are out the money for the bag of beans and the tape.

The first is utilizing the acupuncture point known as LI4.  This is located on the back of your hand, in the web between your thumb and index finger.  Follow the metacarpal bone, starting at the knuckle back to your wrist.  At about the halfway point along the length of the bone, in the middle of the web, is the point (for you sticklers out there, this is one of innumerable ways of finding the point).

Now, take the small, hard, bean or pellet shaped object and a square piece of tape that is an inch on all sides.  Tape the bean over that spot, and then put another layer of tape on top of that.  The problem with this, that you might encounter if you are paddling or donning and doffing gloves on a regular basis, is that the tape won’t stay for very long.  You could use something like tegaderm to secure the bead, but it is a bit more costly.

The next spot in question is on the inside of your wrist, about two inches below the wrist crease closest to your palm, known as P6.  I say “about,” as it is slightly different for everyone.  Grab your wrist with the other hand, using just the index and middle finger.  Line the second knuckle of your index finger up with the middle of your wrist (between the tendons that pop up when you make a fist).  Mark that spot, and then tape the bead/bean over it.   Press on the bead every once in a while, or allow the gasket on your drysuit to do it for you.  This is the point where I placed the magnet.

Yes, there are bracelets designed to do this.  And they may work – but I have no experience with them.  You can get fancy and purchase small rare earth magnets in the 800-2500 gauss range, and tape them in place with the North pole against the skin, but again, we are going for cheap and readily available in your local supermarket.  Plus putting a strong magnet on your wrist or hand means that any electronic gizmo or compass you get near may get a little wonky.  Beans won’t make your compass give you false readings.

There are even more little tricks up my sleeve, but I would want to show them in person.  Can’t put myself out of a job by giving away the shop, can I?

Anyone else have “this works for me” IRT seasickness?

My first trip out I tried the "Less Drowsy Dramamine".   Took it an hour before hitting the water. 
Between being the first time sitting 6" above the salt, a 1/4 -1/2 mile out, and the "Less Drowsy" formula, I was not good.  Wasn't really feeling like death needed to come, but a nap sure sounded good.  I was puking up a storm, as my nerves were VERY new to this feeling, and the drug was pulling me down to the point I was ready to just close my eyes and go to sleep right there.  Of course, not able to keep my eyes focused on a solid object, and the tired feeling, really didn't make things comfortable. 

I still feel bad and apologize for cutting your day short in the salt that day, Yakintup. 

The next trip out I tried ginger capsules and ginger candy from the health food department of Freddies.  This absolutely failed for me.  To the point that I don't think I could chew on ginger ever again for fear that I might taste that nasty "second time around" taste from the ginger coming back up.   
I tried to chew a piece of the candy a few weeks ago at home, and nearly lost it right there.   

The last few times I have been out, the swells were not as big as the first two times above.  However, I have been playing with "Motion Eaze" and it seems to do a really good job.  Spendy for what ya get, but compact and easy to apply.  I found that when I start to get queasy, I can dab this on skin behind my ears and can feel relief pretty quick.  It is made up of essential oils and comes in a really small glass container.  I made a tether for it and secure it to my PFD for easy application. 

I have noticed that I can get queasy after paddling through the surf zone and needing to catch up on air. It's   a bit harder with my latex choke hold reducing that ability, but once I get out and get the feel for the water movements, and catch up on my breathing I tend to be alright. 

Oh, I make a point of not eating a heavy greasy meal the night before, or in the morning before launch.  Soft basic  foods only.   

I do carry a small chum bucket with me, as it is more discrete for anyone fishing around me if the urge takes a hold, but mostly it is WAY easier on my back and side muscles if I don't lean over to hit the water.  Just aim into the chum bucket, pour it out over the side, rinse it and go back to fishing.   

I just looked up the motion eaze.  Shouldn't be to hard to mix up some of my own, as I have access to all of the listed essential oils.  That would be fun to try - at the very least I would have an exotic spice smell going on.

I just looked up the motion eaze.  Shouldn't be to hard to mix up some of my own, as I have access to all of the listed essential oils.  That would be fun to try - at the very least I would have an exotic spice smell going on.

Yeah, it does put off a pleasing cent, that itself may be part of antiqueasy fix.   

I bought the bracelets  took the dramamine  and chewed the ginger tablets it bought me time but i still lost it an hour into the ride

last time i've had to worry about this was a long time ago, also halibut fishing on 9+ foot seas.

I started by taking regular ol' fashioned dramamine the night before. Get up, take another, and went fishing. Didn't have a problem unless I was hanging out at the stern huffing diesel fumes.  I think the real trick with pills is to start them well ahead of the time you're going to be on the water

last time i've had to worry about this was a long time ago, also halibut fishing on 9+ foot seas.

I started by taking regular ol' fashioned dramamine the night before. Get up, take another, and went fishing. Didn't have a problem unless I was hanging out at the stern huffing diesel fumes.  I think the real trick with pills is to start them well ahead of the time you're going to be on the water

For some reason I am really susceptible to anything that "may" cause drowsiness.  Low drowsy Drem, turkey, boring speeches, etc...
If it clearly "will" cause drowsiness, I slip into a mini coma for several hours. 

I just can't handle it.   It must have something to do with my 17 years working graveyard or something? 
If I started taking Drem the night before, there is no way in hell I'd be able to wake up and go fishing in AM. 

I don't seem to have that problem.  Guess it comes from drinking coffee and taking a shower before i went to bed.... "may cause drowsiness" might just mean "makes isaac kinda normal"

I sometimes have the reverse problem.  While on the water I am fine.  After I haul out and get home, it still feels like I'm on the water with a mild vertigo.  Sometimes for the entire next day.  Anyone else get this?

I sometimes have the reverse problem.  While on the water I am fine.  After I haul out and get home, it still feels like I'm on the water with a mild vertigo.  Sometimes for the entire next day.  Anyone else get this?

I get it - Thus far it isn't terrible, but it doesn't go away until I wake up the next morning - I believe I have very sensitive ears - My ears will pop with a 50 foot elevation change, and I get headaches whenever there is a change in barometric pressure.  Probably some part of your inner ear telling you that you are still out on the water.

As far as the ginger goes - this last trip out to PC had me burping ginger, which wasn't fun ("tastes like burning!").  I think I am going to use the tincture from here on out, as it absorbs almost immediately.

I sometimes have the reverse problem.  While on the water I am fine.  After I haul out and get home, it still feels like I'm on the water with a mild vertigo.  Sometimes for the entire next day.  Anyone else get this?

  One time after a 3 week tuna trip i jumped off the boat went to a phone booth, closed the door and noticed people were stareing at me.. I had both hands on the walls like the booth was going to turn over!!

As far as the ginger goes - this last trip out to PC had me burping ginger, which wasn't fun ("tastes like burning!"). 

If I'm going to hurl, I sure as heck don't want the added flavor of stomach acid infused ginger.  NASTY!   

I'm hoping that time on the water learning to focus properly, as well as the Motion Eaze will do it for me.  If not, a few little hurls aren't that bad to me. 

Fished out of Carmel for the end of rockfish  we went out and it got bad really fast, high fast swells . I blew chunks on the third fish . I came back inside the bay and my buddy I was fishing with gave me a scopane tablet. with in 15min. I felt really good still a little sick but I got an appetite back and was able to fish out the rest of the day

Better living through chemistry!  Scopolamine makes some people a little loopy, and it dehydrates you, so drink a lot of water. 

The scopolamine patches take a long time to kick in, so use them hours before your exposure, or go with a tablet after symptoms develop. 

I sometimes have the reverse problem.  While on the water I am fine.  After I haul out and get home, it still feels like I'm on the water with a mild vertigo.  Sometimes for the entire next day.  Anyone else get this?

Every time I spend all day on the water.

Word of wisdom- Don't close your eyes in the shower when you wash your hair
after paddling. I've fallen twice.