Lol, yup! I always got seasick after a day or so, but was only actually moving long enough to get through it one time. It apparantly takes me 5 days to get used to it, and 30 seconds on land to lose it.
My best advice is do NOT take Dramamine AFTER you already seasick, or even feel like you’re heading that way. My first trip they gave me scopalamine patches, which worked whenever I started using them. My next trip, different boat, we tried Dramamiine, after I was already quite questy but still had to cook. That was an immense mistake, as I basically went unconscious for 8 hours or so, long enough that they actually considered calling in a medicopter to pick me up. So um…yeah. If you’re already sick, try something else, but skip the Dramamine unless you’re going to take it before and during seasickness.
Oh yeah, the reason I was posting: The day I finally got my ‘sea legs’ and stopped being seasick was just after I’d decided I had to eat SOMETHNG and so I just kept eating brownies, figuring ‘good going down, good coming up!’. I was certainly tired of barfing apple juice. They stayed down, and for years I swore the cooks put pot in the brownies to calm everyone’s stomachs.
Oh yeah, avoid acidic things when you’re queasy. Like apple juice.
I had a Omni magazine. It went missing for a few days, then my cabin-mmate aproached me in a fury because according to him I had ripped all the piciure out. (He thought that it was a Pentouse.)
One of my duties was to clean the officer’s cabins. The first mate’s cabin had stacks of porn that went to the ceiling – thousands of magazines.
The cook and assistant cook were husband and wife. I don’t know if they knew how wierd my cabin-mate and the first mate were.
I didn’t take any sea sickness pills today, and I am doing just fine.
However, I am getting a little annoyed with how well I am sleeping!! I mean… I fall asleep at around 0030 or 0045… and I just keep ending up sleeping my entire off time away! I won’t wake up until 1000 or 1030, which gives me enough time to get up and get ready for my shift that starts at 1200… These stupid waves and motors humming make me sleep sooooo well I just can’t force myself to get up. Haha!
No seasickness at all though, in fact, I really like the feeling of rocking back and forth constantly while I’m working at my computer. It keeps me from getting too bored. It’s nice when a bigger swell comes around and I really feel it.
On sunday we are supposed to get some swells of about 7-10 feet… and people are not too excited about that. I’m not sure how big that is really, but it seems pretty large. Maybe I will take some sea sickness medication before sunday shift so I am prepared.
My job is also really enjoyable, and honestly I just love being out here, not having to drive to work every day, not having to worry about cooking my own meals, clean and vacuum etc. My roommate and I are both clean people and don’t leave junk laying around so that’s awesome.
I brought plenty of entertainment too, but so far I just keep sleeping away my off time… so I haven’t gotten to enjoy it very much… haha.
Time is really going by super fast though… it’s hard to believe I’ve been out here 3 days already!
Anyhow, thanks for all the advice guys. Keep it coming if you have any more!
Yeah, just keep on enjoying and getting to know the environment. Just know that some doldrums are coming and you will have some boooooring times. Then you will be glad of the alternate entertainment.
Seriously though, so glad the ship’s motions are not a problem - never were for me.
Just keep up with the reasonable diet and a selection of foods - you will get it all sorted out soon - maybe avoid really greasy/ rich stuff and you tum will thank you.
I have never had more than a twinge on the roughest days - I hope the same for you.
Some of my best memories are my times on research/seismic ships - I had a blast. I wish the same for you.
Oh, and do not worry too much about the long sleeps. My first few days aboard are always like being in a cradle - lulled to sleep in the arms of the deep (and all that sort of poetic stuff!). Wears off in a hurry when the shifts are long and hard and work interferes with sleep.
Go back to long sleep times when the work is slow - you will find these times shorter and shorter as the work intensifies.
