(Reproduced from RNLI Offshore, Winter 2007/8 edition, by kind permission of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution)

Seasickness – the butt of many a joke, yet much funnier in hindsight than during the sorry experience itself. Offshore uncovers the hidden dangers and looks for a cure for this debilitating condition

At worst, seasickness is not merely unpleasant – it can also be lethal. RNLI lifeboat crews frequently report vessels in difficulty that turned out to be manned by crew members who were incapacitated by seasickness. Sufferers find that not only is there the nausea itself to battle, but prolonged episodes can lead to life-threatening exhaustion and dehydration. When battling adverse seas, serious illness is the last thing sailors need.

RNLI supporter Professor Michael Tipton, co-author of Essentials of Sea Survival, told Offshore that despite the long history of seasickness, it was only about 30 years ago that (co-author) Dr Frank Golden first directly associated it with ‘decreased survivability’. Seasickness decreases the body’s ability to defend deep body temperature, promotes dehydration, and diminishes morale and the will to survive. Professor Tipton summarises: ‘Seasickness can be devastating at a time when survivors need to be alert and effective. Given this, it is not surprising that seasickness reduces an individual’s chances of survival.’

No one is immune and even the most seasoned sailors can fall foul of it. 2007’s notoriously rough Rolex Fastnet Race was as affected by seasickness as by damage to boats. Aviva Ocean Racing, skippered by record-breaking circumnavigator Dee Caffari MBE, withdrew with mainsail damage and a crew debilitated by seasickness. Aviva crew member and Olympic rower Sir Matthew Pinsent CBE suffered so miserably with seasickness during the race that the ordeal left him ‘gutted’.

Even for leisure trips, it just takes one bout of seasickness to put new sailors off a lifetime of enjoying being out on the water. So what can be done? If we knew what caused seasickness, a remedy might be easier to discover. One theory is that the motion of the vessel sends confusing signals to the brain, which the brain interprets as food poisoning, whereupon it does the logical thing and ejects the supposed toxins from the body as quickly as possible!

Professor Tipton advises that, for most people, seasickness diminishes with time at sea. He recommends: ‘The best way of preventing it is to remain in cool fresh air, have sight of, and focus on, the relatively stable distant horizon and use anti-seasickness medication … taken in ample time to avoid losing them if sick.’

The RNLI wants water-users to have an enjoyable and above all safe time. The charity has a vested interest in tackling the issue. Many callouts might be avoided were the condition not contributing to casualties’ problems … and even lifeboat crew members themselves can suffer from seasickness.

So the RNLI is keen to look into advancing the prevention and treatment of something that unfortunately affects all too many of us at sea. Therefore we are gathering suggestions for seasickness remedies from Offshore readers.

(Ed: The experiences and pet remedies of OCC members will also be most welcome; please email to Webmaster or use contact us on the OCC Home page. We find that Seabands, cloth bracelets which applies pressure to a sensitive place on the wrist, are effective in less severe cases of seasickess.)

Article originally appeared in the RNLI’s Offshore magazine, Winter 2007–08.

Written by Elizabeth Paine.

rnli.org.uk