first dive, sea-sick and diesel fumes Help!

[Fish_Whisperer]

8' swells ROCK!

I couldn't agree moOOOOORRRRRRRRRREEEEAAAAAALLLLLGH!!!!!

 

[olddiver2]

I Just finished my first two ow dives , once under i was fine but on the boat and at the surface i got sea sick, ive bet in boat before (sail boats /cat) and never got sick. Between the anxiety of the dives 4-8 foot chop and the diesel fumes (on land I feel sick in traffic when behind a bus!).

Its mostly the diesel fumes. that i have an issue with. Over time i will get used to the rock and roll anxiety will pass as i become more comfortable.

Are there boats that are not diesel. In ft laud area.

I would hate to do just shore diving.

Thinking about a painters mask? Has anyone ever tried this.

Being from your area (Broward), I'm interested in the name of the op or school that went out in those conditions. It seems a bit "overboard" and overly macho to subject students to that. Of course, a buck is a buck, and the concern for a good expierence can be overshadowed by the schedule and the clock.

As for as seasickness, I remember once laying on the deck, wanting to die. But, with the advent of good OTC meds, that's a thing of the far past. Avoiding greasy food helps, too. I echo the advice of going forward. I like to climb to the bow, with the captain's permission of course. The combination of breeze, clean air and view of the horizon all help make the trip fun for me.

On my first trip to the Benwood in '72 there were a few heavy party types on board, bragging about how much they drank "the night before." As we hit the site, I was in the water real fast. My buddy asked "What's the hurry?" At 20 ft. down, I pointed up to the outline of the hull, where there were several heads hanging over the rail, "feeding the fish."

Don't knock a shore dive until you've tried it. Cheap, impromtu, fun, mega-bottom time, and NO SEA SICKNESS all say it's a good alternative.

Get that card and send me a PM. I'll be happy to show you a shallow reef with nice animal life.

 

[GDCB]

I've been on lots of diesil boats in rougher seas then mentioned here,with no problem. Then one boat I was on had an old exhaust stack. When that boat turned into the wind I got sick. Flat sea no chop. Never thought I could get seasick but that did it. I think it was an old engine really filthy exhuast. The newer boats that exhuast below the waterline are better.

Carl

 

[abucscuba]

OK i talked to a friend who was out boating told me “ 2-4 chop with a 5-6 swell maybe “( as he chuckes ) . Im use to being a little higher in a boat so being so much lower to the surface like in a dive boat makes it seem much higher. But i would have loved to have a picture of my face when the first swell came in the back of the boat. I had no idea this happened!

As i wrote last night i was still slightly sick... and still am 30 hours later Bad food or some kind of bug ?. my daughter is sick also and she was not there. We went out to eat together the night before.

The instructor and dive op really took care of me. And felt was quite safe in there hands. I am taking private lessons. And there were only 4 divers total on the boat.
And i learned a lot !
1. get the gear ALL setup before you leave port.
2. put on you wet suit that water is cold comeing over the side as you go to the dive site.
3. Dont forget to unbungie the tank before putting on the reg.
4. Your bag can and will float away. (get strap to keep bag under station?)

Just hope I don’t have it quite so bad next time.

I still think diesel fumes suck though. but for now im going where my instrutor goes...

 

[1_T_Submariner]

Welcome to SB...I have seen this where diesel smoke makes people sea sick. Try to get to the boat early to get to the front. Try to focus on something else other than the waves etc...

 

[Taniwha]

Hi,
I'm one of those divers with the unfortunate tendency to get seasick. Every time I go out on a boat I get at least very queasy. I've done some research and listened to veteran boaters, and here is what helps me:

1. Don't go to the bow or front of the boat. Stay in the middle. That is where the least up and down movement is. Do stay away from the fumes.
2. Watch and focus on the horizon. The horizon is stable, particularly if there is an object, e.g. another boat or an island. You can fool your inner ear into believing you are more still than you are.
3. Put on your wetsuit and hood (if you are wearing one) at the last minute, not during the trip. The wetsuit and hood are very constricting and make it hard to breathe. If you want to be comfortable, you can put your wetsuit on, but skin it down to the waist and wear a warm jacket or shirt.
4. Before the trip, don't eat greasy, spicy, or pungent food. No garlic, onions, etc. Oatmeal, bread, stuff like that will help settle your stomach...keep a cold bottle of water with you, and drink it often (while you are focusing on the horizon).
5. Get a good night's sleep the night before and avoid drinking alcohol.
6. I've found that the best seasickness medicine is Triptone, although others may have different opinions. I take one about 1/2 hour before the trip, and that's usually all I need. More than that makes me drowsy.
7. Look forward to the dive. As soon as the boat stops, as soon as I'm in the water, the seasickness disappears, and I'm good for the rest of the trip. This step may be the very most important! I know the sickness is temporary, and the more I dive anyway, the more used to the boat I become.

Here's hoping it's all good for you...hope this helps.

Cheers,
Doug

 

[knotical]

As one who is occasionally bothered by fumes, I’ve found breathing clean air from a scuba unit during the boat trip helps. Unfortunately, we don’t always carry extra air cylinders, so it takes some prior planning.

 

[abucscuba]

As one who is occasionally bothered by fumes, I’ve found breathing clean air from a scuba unit during the boat trip helps. Unfortunately, we don’t always carry extra air cylinders, so it takes some prior planning.

Great Idea Thanks!

 

[cleung]

AS for the fumes, stay as near the front of the boat as possible. For seasickness, you can also try taking an anti-nausea pill in the morning before your dives. That's what I do. Over time and experience on dive boats, you will get some sea legs to condition yourself somewhat to the waves.

 

[Archangel]

Try Taking Bonine Which Is An Over The Counter Motion Sickness Medication. Take One Tablet The Night Before Your Diving And One Tablet Again In The Am As Soon As You Get Up. Eat Lightly But Eat!. This Works Well For The 3 Divers In My Family And All Of Us Are Prone To Seasickness Occasionally.

Kevin K is right, be it bonine or meclizine, or even benedryl that you can get at any drugstore allergy section. . .they are all antihistamines. What is happening in your brain that causes nausea is what is called vestibulocochlear nerve dysfunction.

Leaving medical-speek behind, your eyes are telling your brain that everything is fine, while your eighth cranial nerve is telling it that you are about to fall over. This missmatch is what causes sea sickness/nausea/the technicolor yawn. . .

Anyway, back to the antihistamines. Histamine is very active in the body and brain (allergies, alertness, brain signals, etc. . .). Taking antihistamines blocks the receptors to the sites that would make you nauseaous, it also makes you sleepy.

So, start with 25mg every 12-18 hours THE DAY BEFORE your dive, and go up on the dose, balancing dosage with the sedation (sleepiness) that it causes.

My dive instructor says to also add ginger to soothe your stomach.

The antihistamine part is in the medical literature, the ginger part is tried and tested "salty dog" advice.

Happy diving all,

Tevis