Surface sickness ?

[Brian Robinson]

The last 2 dives, When I finish the dive and climb back on board the boat, I have felt like and have barfed. I am either swallowing salt water. Or it could have been just the 3-5 foot seas. I don't know. But after barfing over the side I felt O.K. I'm not sea sick. Maybe just over exerted climbing back on board. Any body else have this issue??

 

[Imbodie]

it is called sea sickness... and LOTS of people have it.... for me it is the smell of the outboard motor... instant fish food.

For you it could be a bit of dehydration, over exertion , sipping to much salt water on your dive... but it is all sea sickness... I would suggest hydrating on the trip out (not cokes, not coffee...) water and gatorade like liquids....

DO you dive side mount? changing regulators at set intervals?? could be to much salt water on reg switches...

 

[FinnMom]

If you have been hanging on a bouncing, kicking anchor line for a safety stop, that might be too much for many person's stomaches. Or it could be the site of other middle-aged divers peeling down to their swimsuits

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Doc Vikingo's Sea Sickness Remedies

 

[thatmark]

Brian,

I had a similar problem on some recent boat dives when the waves were up a bit. Never had a problem on a boat before as a passenger, or on previous boat dives when the water was calmer. What solved it for me, based suggestions from my instructor were two things. First, we did our last stop at 20' instead of 10' so we weren't bouncing so much. Second, and I think this was probably the most helpful suggestion, don't surface swim looking at the back of the boat. You're bouncing one way, the boat is going another, and you're super focused on getting there. Bad combination for your senses. So, either swim to the ladder underwater or, if current is such that you need to haul yourself back to the boat on the stern rope, watch the rope, not the boat.

Hope those suggestions (maybe also with some Dramamine or Bonine, 'cause why not go belt and suspenders) can help you too.

Mark

 

[scrane]

The first time my son dove he had similar symptoms. I think it is a combination of acclimating to zero gravity, dehydration, exertion, and unfamiliar breathing rhythms. Even now I am never quite right on the first day of a trip.
I had never been seasick in my life until I swallowed a mouthful of salt water while getting back on a boat in pretty good swells. Man, I was sick and couldn't shake it until I was on dry land. Neither my son or I have had a problem since our respective episodes.

 

[MichaelMc]

If you also had a headache this can be from CO2 retention. Which is usually from trying to make your air last longer by skip breathing. Not a good practice. If no headache, could just be breakfast and the rolling seas...

 

[Beach57]

Seasickness will find everyone at some point, and it sounds like it found you here. Also, many people get sick from a heavy workout. Underwater, you're burning a good 600 calories/ hour. I normally pop a couple aspirin, and sip a liter of water within the hour before a dive.

The thing is, seasicness is easy to prevent.
1) Get a good night sleep the night before
2) If you drink adult beverages, your limit is
2 the night before
3) Take 2 Bonine (or generic Meclizine) an
hour before diving/ boarding the boat.
4) Relax and have a great dive

 

[Rred]

OK, you're not seasick, you're motion sick. Same difference.

Follow the same regimens for attacking that. And if you want to try meds, ranging from ginger capsules (which even NASA endorses) to more serious ones, just make sure to try them at home, like on a weekend, when there's nothing to stop you from taking a nap or anything else if you don't respond well to the one you try. That also eliminates any extra nervous tension that can complicate things if you're taking the meds for the first time on a boat.

 

[BRT]

Seasickness will find everyone at some point, and it sounds like it found you here. Also, many people get sick from a heavy workout. Underwater, you're burning a good 600 calories/ hour. I normally pop a couple aspirin, and sip a liter of water within the hour before a dive.

The thing is, seasicness is easy to prevent.
1) Get a good night sleep the night before
2) If you drink adult beverages, your limit is
2 the night before
3) Take 2 Bonine (or generic Meclizine) an
hour before diving/ boarding the boat.
4) Relax and have a great dive

Seasickness may be easy for you to prevent but for some of us what you prescribe will not help at all other than the Bonine helps me recover faster when I get back to dry land.

 

[Neilwood]

The one time I have had sea sickness was the combination of a rough transit out of port( waves of about 4ft) and not being prepared when I boarded the boat.

I ended up gearing up while in my seat while the boat was making its way out to sea. So my normal practise of watching the horizon was missed. As soon as it was time to get up, I ended up going to the side and barfing. Might be as well that my hood didn't help as I gagged as soon as I felt it tight around my neck (only time I have ever had an issue with that hood). Still did the dive though (it was aborted due to vis after about 10 mins though). The coffee I had had on the road down did not taste very nice second time. Might not have been the best idea to have something with such a strong taste in hindsight

Another thing to watch for depending on the boat is the wind direction. If possible try to make sure you are not in the path of the boats exhaust when waiting for pick up. Causes a few people to spew.