Seasickness
Seasickness is the bane of all scuba divers. Here are a number of preventatives:
Chinese Medicine - pressure points in the wrist that are supposed to relieve the effects of seasickness. I don't believe it.
Dramamine - to be effective, this must be taken the night before, as well as again in the morning. It is not effective on all people, and some actually get worse. There is no harm in doubling the dose if you are very worried.
Eat Right - avoid greasy rich foods and excessive amounts of coffee and sugary/acidy fruit drinks. Do eat something though, an empty stomach can be even worse. Cereals, toast, bagels, etc are good things to eat before a dive trip. Bring some extra along -saltines and pretzels are excellent for settling a stomach ( see below. ) Water is the best drink - don't get dehydrated! Get enough rest before the trip, and needless to say, avoid alcohol.
Sea Legs - just get used to it. The more time you spend out at sea on boats, the less prone you will be to seasickness. On the first trip of the season I am often a little queasy, and after that, I'm fine in all but the worst seas. Don't give up after one bad experience, it may take several trips, but most people eventually get used to being at sea.
So none of these things worked - some ways to make yourself feel better:
Throw up - yes that's right, go back to the transom of the boat and let it go. Throwing up is a release for your body, and you will feel much better afterward. No one will make fun of you ( because we've all done it, ) unless you throw up on the deck, in which case the crew may be upset. Drink water afterward to rehydrate. Dry heaves are worse than anything, so if you have to, eat something just so you can throw it up.
Get some air - go outside and breathe. Get away from closed spaces, the boat's head ( toilet ), food smells, cigarette smoke, and engine fumes. Lying in a bunk below is much more miserable than being outside; the air is usually the best on the bow. Try to stand on your feet and watch the clouds and the horizon - they move least. The closer you are to the water, the less apparent the rocking motion of the boat will be.
Dive - if you are not feeling too bad and can fight your way into your suit and gear and fall overboard, you will feel worlds better by the time you get down to 20 ft ( you may hurl in your regulator, but that's ok, they're built for it - just swish it around to rinse it out. ) If you still feel bad once you have been in the water for a few minutes, then abort the dive, but it is much better to be enjoying yourself on a dive than nauseous topside waiting for the trip to end.
Some boats are better for seasickness than others. Different hulls move differently in the water and may affect you differently. Most people do better on bigger boats, but not all. Wide heavy wooden boats with full keels are generally the most stable, while lighter fiberglass and metal boats tend to move more. Round-bottom boats are very rolly, especially when the wind blows them broadside to the waves. Fast planing hulls can give a much rougher ride than slower displacement hulls, but they also get you out and back faster. If you have a problem with seasickness, try a number of different boats, and find the ones that agree with you and the ones that don't.
Of course, if you really can't cope, you can always take up cave diving.
