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18 June 2006

Notes from a seasick sailor

by Alex, onboard the Esperanza

My first ever day as a sailor, and it’s a beauty. Brilliant sunshine, calm, sparkling azure waters. I board the Esperanza from Port Limassol in Cyprus as it's refuelling at sea. I’m going to be on this ship for less than two weeks, but already I have the feeling that I want to stay for a long, long time.

We’re heading for the region between Turkey and Cyprus to document bluefin tuna fishing practices there, and to estimate the size of the tuna population. There is a lack of information about the Turkish tuna fishing fleet, so it’s a bit of a black hole. We hope it's going to give us more of an idea of just how much devastation the tuna population has suffered in this region.



Fast forward a couple of hours. Lying in on a seat in the mess room, I’m enjoying the feeling of the waves. We’re pitching (for the uninitiated, that’s when the ship rocks from end to end). It’s like being on a very small roller coaster. You feel almost weightless for a moment as you pass the crest of the wave, and then feel the weight of your body sinking into the cushion as the ship starts heading up again. I’m being rocked in the blue, salty arms of the Mediterranean. Aah..



Unfortunately there are a couple of body parts not so happy to be getting into the swing of things – my stomach and somewhere around my inner ear. I’m feeling a bit funny. I’m extremely nauseous. The back of my neck is prickly hot. To top it off, I feel very drowsy. It's all I can do in our first briefing not to tip my head back and start snoring.



This is highly embarrassing. Hanging out with all these salty sea dogs, who tell tall tales of flying furniture during the Southern Oceans leg, and here I am, barely able to stand, about to spew from the gentle pulsing of the calm waters of the Mediterranean. I'll spare you the gory details of what happens next, but let's just say that I was only expecting to see my lunch once today.



The crew is very compassionate, and full of helpful (conflicting) advice – take seasickness tablets and keep your stomach full. Don’t take any medication, eat lightly, drink plenty of water. Go to sleep. Don’t lie down or you’ll feel worse. You'll be right as rain in somewhere between a few hours and a couple of weeks.. Pray for land. Better yet, hope we don't run into some real waves!

   

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Comments

awww...
hope that you will get used to it soon! :)

and hope that u will finally figure out which advice works for u!

Posted by: delphynus at June 18, 2006 5:49 PM

Put a potato around your neck. Thats what the UK campaigner who went o/b the RW last December put on the back of his neck for seasickness.

Posted by: Mary Ann at June 18, 2006 6:47 PM

Hey Alex... I dont know if you are familiar with the tv show Mythbusters but they did an experiment on what cures travel/sea sickness based on the test that NASA has used and they found that the tablets tested did not work, all they did was make them feel drowsy... only thing they found VERY helpful was ginger... so fill yourself up with Ginger biscuits, ginger ale/beer, or some ginger tablets... I found ginger ale most helpful after a hard days night... cheers! love and restful peace, Lunaxxx

Posted by: Luna at June 19, 2006 1:49 AM

hi lexi,
enjoy the ride!!! sending you a wave - of the 5 fingered variety..!


Posted by: deb at June 19, 2006 7:26 AM

Ahh, best advice I had was DO NOT under any circumstances lie on a seat in the mess and enjoy the feeling of the waves. ;-)

Get out on deck and gaze at the horizon. You're whining innner ear will be reassured that the world still has a fixed surface and, if you're lucky, will recalibrate. And if not, hey, it's a better place to be for the sequel to "Lunch II" than the mess.

--b

Posted by: Brianfit[TypeKey Profile Page] at June 19, 2006 7:43 AM

Poor Alex! Hope you will fel better soon!
Great to hear that you enjoyed it the first moment ;)

Good luck Madam memory!

Posted by: Charlie at June 19, 2006 10:03 AM

Yup, the advice I was given last time I was on a ship was 'go to the back of the boat and gaze at the horizon' don't know why the back was better than the front.

Good luck!

Posted by: Martin at June 19, 2006 10:06 AM

No worries Alex, we'll make sure to tie your desk chair tightly to terra firma once you get back!

Posted by: Marco at June 19, 2006 11:58 AM

Heya Alex :)

Hope your feeling better now. I think you've just got to find what works best for you. By the time you've worked it out it will be time to leave!

Look forward to reading your blogs and will see ya soon!

All the best!
Slade

Posted by: Slade Gray at June 19, 2006 12:39 PM

Hello,

When I take the boat and when I feel a bit sick, I look outside, but do not take any medication, because you will feel very tired for a very long time.

I took some ones, and I did not feel good for a couple of days.

So the best thing to do is look outside or go outside.

Your sea sick, because your iner ear has not adjusted, so you will be fine in a litle bit of time, but I think that you should eat until your very full, and drink, then go or look outside.

I take the boat a lot of times, and at first I was very sick, and I did all that I said, and now Im fine, I even love taking the boat.

Posted by: tristan at June 19, 2006 6:18 PM

Sorry for making an anonymus call.
Instead of sailing between Turkey and Cyprus try to find the whereabout of the Spanish fleet that uses an airplane for locating the tunas.

They are already asking for help in getting the tunas of their vessel at Larnaca port. They usualy fish at the sea between Egypt and Cyprus

Posted by: Unknown at June 19, 2006 7:03 PM

hey you little wuss, enjoying the ride are we? keep the stories coming, they're great. don't you dare get too comfy in this new little role of yours, we miss you loads. thought you might want to know trivial stuff like the fact the aussies put up a good fight. babes, you would have been proud.
i know you won't post this so I just went a bit informal. love


Note from Web Editor Adele - "won't post it hey Virginie? Heh heh :)"

Posted by: virginie at June 20, 2006 2:15 PM

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