Be Prepared

Seasickness is an imbalance in the inner ear. Some people never experience sea sickness, a rare few always do and many people do at one time or other, but not always.

Relief Bands are the only devices we know of that can stop seasickness once it's started. Many passengers have purchased their own after renting ours. Developed by NASA for airsick astronauts, the Relief Band works on the same principle as the sea bands which go on your wrists and exert gentle pressure. The difference is Relief Bands emit an electronic pulse, which is far more effective. You wear one like a watch, but with the face on the inner aspect of the wrist. It's FDA approved for use with pregnant women and chemotherapy patients. It's approved for over-the-counter use to prevent travel sickness.

We have rented Relief Bands for over ten years now and we remain very impressed, but there are limitations. Nothing works for everyone. Wearers need to pay close attention to the directions and the device must be turned up strong enough to be felt. No one is exactly sure HOW it works; they only know that it does. We rent the device for $7.00 a cruise. We have a good amount of them, but it's wise to reserve one in advance. We will add it to your cruise charge. For extra protection, you can take Bonine or Dramamine along with using a Relief Band.

Other helpful hints if you're concerned about queasiness: Take an over-the-counter preparation such as Bonine or Dramamine the night before and morning of the cruise. Although the instructions say take the medication one half hour before departure, we find it's best to take it the night before the cruise and then the next morning. Some people take half the dosage in the morning, after the full dose the night before. The non-drowsy formulas don't seem to be as effective as the regular formulas. It's a waste of time to take any of these medications just prior to the cruise, as they need time to get into your system.

Stay outside where you get fresh air. Don't read. Look forward or stare at a fixed point on land so your inner ear can re-balance. Eat something bland and starchy like saltine crackers. Black tea, ginger tea and ginger ale can all have a calming effect on the stomach and are available in our snack bar. Sodas can make you burp; this is a good thing. Antacids such as Tums help and we have some aboard. Alka Seltzer is also available.

Also try these suggestions: Eat a bland meal such as oatmeal or toast and tea before the cruise. Avoid coffee and rich and spicy foods. Bring plain crackers, such as oyster crackers, to nibble on.

You'll be happy to know that we don't allow smoking on our boat. For people who are already feeling queasy, the smell of the smoke can be enough to push them over the edge.