If there Is anything that can put us off fishing and sea journeys, it is seasickness. Seasickness can happen to anyone, and it doesn’t matter if your fishing is going well and you are getting your hands on some of the biggest fish out there. If you are feeling nauseous, then fishing too will lose its charm.
Now you might ask how to prevent seasickness while fishing, to which I will say that you shouldn’t worry too much about feeling down because there are always remedies and preparations that can help you fight seasickness.
So, read on as we take you on a detailed guide to handling seasickness, especially if you want to make the most out of your fishing trip without puking here and there on your ship.
What Exactly Is Seasickness?
Seasickness, or a more common name, motion sickness, usually happens when we are on a boat in the water (it can also happen to some people traveling by air, car, or bus).
Anyone can experience seasickness as there is no set parameter of who is and isn’t affected by this sickness. However, it is seen that pregnant women, children, and people on different kinds of medication suffer more from this thing than others do.
Seasickness shouldn’t worry you because it is not fatal. But, since its symptoms include nausea, cramps, dizziness, and other similar things, it can take all the fun out of the fishing trip. Seasickness is caused by visual disorientation and the body sending mixed signals to the mind.
Our body is always trying to keep us inclined toward balance, so we can start feeling sick when fishing. Some people suffer more during seasickness, while others can recover quickly or take less effect on themselves.
What Can Trigger Seasickness?
Seasickness generally happens when our mind and body can’t fully communicate. For example, the brain is conflicted regarding what you see and feel while in motion. This contradiction usually happens when your inner ear sends conflicting messages to your brain.
Your inner ear controls your equilibrium, sending the following message to your brain: a sense that you are moving. But, since you can’t actually see that you are moving, your mind becomes conflicted.
For example, if you are sitting in the cabin of the ship and reading a book, your eyes will send the message to your brain that you aren’t moving, but since you can hear the water gushing and the ship moving, your ears will tell the brain that you are moving (because the ear senses motion).
Sometimes, the contributing factor to feeling sick on a ship also comes from the particular smell of the sea. For example, as soon as you are in the deep sea for fishing, you may start to sweat, feel nauseous, and might even vomit.
At such times, you might ask how to avoid seasickness while fishing. And you would be happy to know that there are a few ways to help you prevent seasickness.
How Do You Prepare For Deep-Sea Fishing?
Prevention is better than cure, which is why you should be prepared to prevent seasickness before going into the deep sea if you know you are prone to getting seasick.
Your best chance to avoid getting sick or to ensure that you don’t feel too seasick you should prepare a few days before your fishing trip.
The first thing you should do is to check the dates. Don’t plan a fishing trip to the deep sea if a big event is around the corner or if you are taking any kind of meds because meds or nervousness of an event can make you more nauseous.
Apart from this, you should also check the weather update on the sea to check if it will be calm on the day of your trip because calm seas cause less sickness.
The second thing you should do is to take vitamin B6 at least a week before your trip. If you don’t want to take supplements, you can eat: chicken, tuna, chickpeas, salmon, etc., to naturally increase your B6 vitamin so that you may be able to fight seasickness in a better way.
The third and final thing that you should do is that just 24 hours before the trip, you should:
- sleep well (at least 7 hours)
- eat healthy and don’t drink alcohol
- eat a light dinner, don’t fill your stomach to the brim
- eat a light breakfast and take the supplement or over-the-counter medicine for motion sickness
- don’t drink coffee unless you are a caffeine addict.
If you follow the checklist we discussed above, your deep sea fishing trip won’t be spoiled by seasickness.
8 Tips & Tricks To Prevent Seasickness While Fishing
Now that we have answered the question of how to avoid getting seasick while fishing, it’s time to discuss some tips on preventing feeling sick before you get on board and while your fishing trip is going on.
The tips and tricks we will mention are fool-proof and will definitely work for you, so let’s get started.
#1- Take In The Fresh Air
As soon as you feel seasick or dizzy, I suggest you go out on your boat’s deck or a balcony of your boat’s cabin and breathe the fresh air. Then, look towards the endless sea.
This way, you will see the motion happening and hear the sound of the waves (your mind will not be confused anymore); the feeling of motion and the signals your eyes were sending your brain will finally align, and you will feel better.
Tell your brain that you are not sick anymore while taking deep breaths and enjoying the wind blowing on your face.
#2- Eat Lightly Before Boarding
Just like I mentioned above that you should eat a light meal before you go on your deep sea fishing expenditure. Eat like your last meal before your fishing trip, like your stomach is already full and you want to top it up.
Don’t eat heavy food like waffles, bacon, sausages, and pancakes; don’t take acidic meals like grapefruit juice, coffee, etc., because these foods digest slowly and can become heavy on your chest.
Take light meals like bananas, bread, milk, apples, cereals, water, etc. Eat before your trip but don’t overeat. And believe me when I say that eating light will make your stomach thank you later.
#3- Don’t Stare At The Waves
Staring at the infinite ocean can push your brain into a meditative state. It changes our brain waves’ frequency and makes us get lost in those waves.
But, the problem starts when you stare into the waves for so long that your eyes tell your brain that you are static and not moving, but your ear senses the ship’s motion and therefore sends the signal that you are moving.
These contradicting signals that the brain receives make you feel nauseous and seasick. So, I suggest that you keep moving here and there on the ship and don’t look overboard for too long.
#4- Remain Above Deck
The cabin of the ships is usually dark and smelly. If you stay below the deck where you don’t see natural light or feel the breeze, you will feel more terrible than you already are.
Even if you have to go below the deck for something, try to come back in the open as soon as possible because the longer you are below the deck, the more motion sick, you will feel. Stay where you can see the water and feel the wind on your face.
#5- Stay Hydrated
Always, I repeat, ALWAYS stay hydrated because, at a time when you feel nauseous, drinking water will be your best friend. Regularly take sips of water and soft drinks.
Don’t let your body dehydrate, especially if you are vomiting because of seasickness. Water will help you through seasickness and will make you feel better.
However, don’t drink too much alcohol, soft drinks, caffeinated drinks, or any other questionable drink. Your best option is water.
#6- Skip The Alcoholic Beverages
It would be best if you skipped alcohol the day before your fishing trip and the day of your trip because alcohol can make you a hangover, which will definitely make you sick and queasy.
A hangover is the worst thing you can do to your body while going on a fishing trip. So even if you weren’t getting sick before, alcohol would make you sick.
#7- Consider Your Positioning On The Boat
Make sure you sit in such a place on your boat that shows you that the boat is moving. If you see the boat moving, and if your ears hear the sound of the boat moving, your mind won’t be confused anymore, and you won’t feel sick.
Try sitting on the front side of the boat, facing towards the face of the boat (like the passenger seat of the car). This way, you will see the boat moving and will also feel less sick.
#8- Wrist Bands
The wristbands are specially made for people who get seasick. These are the bands you can wear on the place of your wrist watch which put slight pressure on our acupuncture point.
This pressure is known to relieve stress and take away the symptoms of motion sickness. Also, if you wear the band, you won’t have to put needles in your arm or massage the point between the tendons with fingers because the band will do that for you.
These were some of the tried and tested tips and tricks to help you prevent seasickness. And now, with any luck, you must have gotten your answer to how to avoid seasickness while deep-sea fishing.
But, if you are still afraid that you will feel sick in the middle of the sea, then we will give you some remedies to fight motion sickness while you are onboard.
6 Remedies If You do Feel Seasickness Onboard
it is time to look at some of the most effective remedies against seasickness. You can try these remedies if you suddenly feel nauseous or if your preventative tips don’t work for preventing seasickness.
Since seasickness can happen to anyone, I recommend you pack the necessary items before your big fishing trip.
#1- Take a Deep Breath
You must have heard that people tell the person feeling nauseous that they should take deep breaths. Taking a deep breath of fresh air will calm your mind and body; this calm will ensure that your dizziness goes down and you start to feel better.
Apart from this, when the air touches our faces, it calms us. So, it is highly recommended that you stay on top of the deck where you can feel the air and breeze on your body.
#2- Aromatherapy And Herbal Remedy
Aromatherapy is when you inhale the smell of something which has anti-nausea or anti-stress properties. To get out of the cycle of seasickness, you should take ginger or lavender with you onboard (you can also take ginger or lavender essential oils). Take a piece of either of these things and sniff it whenever you feel bad.
You can also try taking your favorite smelling essential oil to the sea. Favorite smells have a way of making us feel good when the situations are not in our favor.
Similarly, an herbal remedy means eating a piece of the plant (fruit, leaf, stem, etc.). For example, mint, Ginger, Lavender, and Fennel are popular for their anti-nausea properties.
You can either eat them raw or soak them in water and drink that water throughout the trip. You can also eat mint toffees which are a great alternative to mint leaves.
#3- Take Motion Sickness Medications
Since motion sickness is a common issue that most people face, many motion-sickness medicines are available worldwide. You can try to get Benadryl Antivert; these pills are antihistamines and over-the-counter medicines that will treat your sickness.
The best thing about antihistamines is that they don’t have any serious side effects other than making you a little drowsy, but they are great for treating your motion sickness.
However, if you need something more powerful, you can use Promethazine and Scopolamine. But, you will need a doctor’s prescription to buy these as they can cause some serious side effects for some people.
I think the best option for motion sickness medicines is the easily available ones, i.e., over-the-counter meds.
#4- Pressure Points
The pressure points or acupuncture points are right above our wrist. It is proven that this pressure point relieves our stress and the symptoms of seasickness.
Normally, people are afraid of acupuncture because they think that choosing acupuncture means sticking needles in your arm, which is technically true, but, in our case, you don’t have to use needles.
All you have to do is massage with three fingers between your tendons for a couple of minutes on each hand. While you are massaging your arms, you will start to feel better. This is the quickest and easiest way to eliminate feeling nauseous.
#5- Smell a Slice of Lemon or Lime
Lemon and lime also have anti-nauseous properties. Many studies suggest that just smelling a slice of lemon or lime can help soothe your brain and body. The more you smell these sour fruits, the more you will feel relaxed and calm.
Who knew a simple thing like lemon could make you feel less nauseous and allow you to have more fun on your deep sea fishing trip.
#6- Consider Taking Dramamine
Dramamine is another over-the-counter medicine for the prevention of motion sickness. It is popular amongst anglers and is their go-to medicine. But since it is also an antihistamine, it can make you feel drowsy and less alert to your surroundings.
However, these side effects only last for half an hour, and you will feel great and won’t even feel seasick. Dramamine is one of the best motion sickness medicine out there.
How Long Does Seasickness Last?
Seasickness happens in the initial few hours of you getting on the boat, it may happen from 12 to 24 hours, and it also lasts in the initial hours of your time on the boat.
Usually, you will feel nauseous for 1-2 hours, and then your body will adjust to the motion of the sea. However, there are a few people whose seasickness can last for 12 hours or more.
But, the best way to avoid it is to follow the tips, tricks, and remedies discussed above. Then, if you are lucky, your nausea will be gone before you know it.
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Final Verdict:
No magic can save you from seasickness if you suffer from it. But, the answer to your question of how to prevent seasickness while deep sea fishing is what we mentioned in this guide to preventing it. So, your best bet is to follow everything we have told you about getting out of seasickness.
If you are going for deep sea fishing for the first time, and are not sure whether or not you will feel sick, then you should be prepared beforehand so that you don’t suffer from it.
However, if you have been on fishing trips, and it always makes you sick to your stomach, prevention and remedies are your best bet.
The most important thing you should remember while going on your fishing expedition is that you are out to have fun and have done everything you can to fight off the seasickness.
Thinking in this positive way will boost your confidence and give you the will you need to combat seasickness.
Hopefully, this guide will prove useful to you while you are on your deep sea fishing adventure!
Frequently Asked Questions
#1 – Can you prevent seasickness?
Yes, you can easily prevent seasickness. The best way to prevent it is to rest well, eat healthy, don’t drink alcohol or coffee, don’t eat heavy breakfast or dinner, don’t eat anything too much before sailing, and eat B6 vitamin supplements so that you may avoid feeling nauseous.
If you still feel dizzy after taking precautions, drinking water and taking deep breaths will help you fight the motion sickness.
#2 – What is a trick to avoid seasickness?
There are many tricks which can help you in avoiding seasickness. Every person has a different thing that works for them. But, the most common trick against seasickness and motion sickness is to:
- eat crackers along with soda
- drinking water
- taking deep breaths
- wearing acupressure wristbands which apply pressure to the place where you wear the wristwatch
- taking a walk on the deck.
#3 – Does jumping in the water help seasickness?
Yes! Water has healing properties (courtesy of Katara from ATLA). If the tide is low, you know how to swim, and in favorable conditions, you can jump into the water and tread it.
Jumping in water will help your brain reconcile with the confusing signals it has been getting from the inner ear, and it will be able to comprehend the surroundings.
As long as you are in the water, you will not feel seasick. In fact, you won’t feel sea sick even after getting out of the water.
#4 – Does everyone get seasick?
No, not everyone gets sea-sick. It happens to only a few people who are already sick, pregnant, low on sleep, or taking some sort of medication. Of course, it can also happen to other people, but the probability of that is low.
#5 – What is the best remedy for seasickness?
The best remedy for seasickness is antihistamines. Antihistamines are medicines that help you instantly whenever you feel sick.
So, the best remedy against seasickness is prescribed and over-the-counter medicine for seasickness like Marezine or Dramamine (both of these are the most common motion sickness meds.
Other remedies include taking deep breaths, drinking lots of fluid, and taking a dip into the water.
#6 – Do seasickness bands work?
These bands are the least effective method against seasickness. The ones we discussed are way more effective and helpful in getting out of feeling dizzy.
However, they do work in some instances. They can help to an extent in fighting nausea and dizziness or feelings of vomit (especially in pregnant women)
#7 – What is the best medication for seasickness?
The best medication for motion sickness is Marezine, Dramamine, or Scopolamine. All three of these medicines are the top choice of medics and people when it comes to preventing seasickness.
These medicines are administered many hours before you go out on your fishing expedition. They sedate us a bit, but they are also super effective.
#8 – Best motion sickness medicine for boats?
Dramamine is the most popular and effective motion sickness medicine for traveling on boats. It helps in reducing the symptoms of sickness and nausea.
However, since this medicine is an antihistamine, it will cause minor dizziness, drowsiness, and decreased mental alertness. But, overall, you will stop feeling sick, and that’s great, right?
#9 – Best food to eat before deep-sea fishing?
Whatever you eat, ensure you don’t fill your stomach to a point where you can’t even breathe properly. Keep your stomach light for the fishing trip net day; otherwise, you will feel seasick when you are on board.
The best foods to eat before deep-sea fishing are foods high in vitamin B6 like chicken, salmon, chickpeas, etc. Try to eat light yet nutritious food.
