Seasickness

[Big T]

Big Tuna... it's completely mental. It's your brain interpreting the mechanical signals your stomach, inner ear and eyes are sending to it.

All of this advice works that has been said. But to be honest, it's all stuff that works when YOU can't keep the mechanical signals from being confused.

So? Keep them from being confused as best as you can!

Seasickness is caused by your brain getting mixed signals. Period. Your eyes see one thing, while your stomach contents are doing another. Throw in the odd inner ear activity and you have chum sessions. Your body's defense mechanism is to get rid of the "toxin" your brain thinks is in your stomach.... or something like that.

Like I said... all of the "remedies" work, but try going out on the water with a different mentality and a differently loaded stomach.

For instance, what someone said about "not looking down" is SO valid. Keep your eyes scanning the horizon at all times, BUT still anticipating each little wave that you're going to go over. There, now you've conquered the eyes part of the mixed messages. Now on to the stomach. You want your stomach to be as solid as possible. Either empty or a bare minimum of natural, non greasy, dry food. Now for the inner ear... not "much" you can do about what it tells your brain, but I have been told by captains that being properly hydrated (with water) allows the inner ear which is filled with fluid to operate properly and efficiently.

Sorry for the long explanation but this was told to me when I had issues and then BAM. No more sea sickness... ever. I just look at the roughness as a "ride" now and enjoy being part of the sea's attitude.

Now... Here's a little monkeywrench to prove my point... When I DO go out into a moonless, windy, washing-machine-sea night of WSB or bug fishing... (me? never!) the "eyes" part of it can sometimes get me a bit queasy, because I can't see the waves that hit the kayak before they do... But for some reason, maybe because of my "ride" frame of mind, it doesn't send me over the edge. Dunno why. Probably just from "time on the water" like someone else said.

Simply "finding your sea legs" and goin' with it is another great way of looking at it.... When on a boat, stand up... let go of the rail. Ride it actively. Same as a kayak... go with it. Don't fight the swells and waves... just be loose and let the yak do what it's gotta do and you just roll with it while staying mentally engaged in the horizon and flow.