Liveaboard Seasickness?

[cb2andres]

I am considering my first liveaboard trip this spring and have been looking at options with Explorer, Aggressor, and Nekton. My concern is that whenever I am on a dive boat and there are any kind of waves, I get seasick fairly easily and am the first one in the water. I don't have this problem when the boat is moving, or while diving, thankfully. I am thinking that the stability of the Nekton boats may be the right solution for me for a liveaboard, but would like to know what others recommend. Thanks.

 

[Scuba-Jay]

Id look into some of the various sea sickness prevention methods. There are wrist bands which send a small electric pulse through your nervous system which apparently decrease the effects of sea sickness. If its a major problem, maybe you should look at staying on land and using boats only as a method of getting back and forth from the dive sites? Unfortunately waves and rocking are pretty much unavoidable when spending extended time on a boat. Good luck!!

Jay

 

[tstormdiver]

I have been on both big cruise ships (twice) and on one of the Blackbeard's live aboard. I would get sea sick on the big cruise ships every time, but did not on the tiny sail boat. To me, I believe that the problem stemmed from the fact that the big cruise ships are so big that I can feel, but not really see the motion that the ship is making, where as I could see & feel the motion on the sail boat because it was so small. If nothing else try the meds or the the other gadgets that are on the market.

 

[cb2andres]

So, you don't think the type of ship makes a difference??? Nekton makes a big deal on their web site about the 'SWATH' boat design and how stable it is. Is that just bunk???

 

[Scuba-Jay]

i dont think its junk, but a boat is a thingy that floats on water, and water moves up and down, and the thingy moves with it!! Some boats rock less than others, but they ALL rock!!!

 

[pir8]

Its not bunk, extreemly stable, Nekton is. Why do I type like Yoda?

 

[Scuba-Jay]

Why do I type like Yoda?

I know this not, young Pir8!!!!

 

[pir8]

Does Who

 

[Darnold9999]

I get seasick reasonably easily. Have been on the Nekton three times and have been queasy a few times - never sick. MUCH more stable than a conventional boat of the same length in most water. Almost no roll (side to side) at all. The only water that seems to be similar to a boat of the same length is waves taken exactly head on. Then it pitches - less than a boat of similar length but it does pitch. I just go out on the deck and watch the horizon until the boat changes heading and the waves are not directly head on (or directly behind). Even slightly off head on and the SWATH design stablizes the boat very quickly. 99% of the time the boat is so stable you won't even notice that you are on a boat. The times I have had issues were sitting at the dock both in Belize and Cayman and when the boats are moving from one island to another in unprotected water.

If you get seasick and want to do a liveaboard I would strongly encourage you to do a Nekton cruise - Belize would be my first choice - less likely to get weather. The Cayman - Little Cayman crossing can get rough even on the Nekton. Keep in mind that most travelling in open water on these boats is done at night. If the weather is rough prior to a crossing I just take a sleeping pill strong enough to knock me out and sleep through the rough patch.

If you are OK when a boat is moving and only get into trouble when it is sitting then I predict that you will have no problems at all with the Nekton boats.

 

[DiveMaven]

I wear "the patch" on boats and airplanes, so I am definitely one who has motion sickness concerns. We did a Nekton cruise to Belize about a year ago and as far as I'm concerned, the SWATH design sold itself to me on the trip.

Mid-week we had a storm blow through, causing us to have 10-15 foot waves. While sitting down for dinner on the Nekton Pilot we could see the Peter Hughes boat about a mile away behind us. We watched her disappear and reappear in the waves, pitching (front to back) and yawing (side to side) horribly. Yes, we felt motion on the Pilot, but not a pitching and yawing, instead just more of a pitching feeling than normal. Nobody on our boat got sick and it was remarked more than once that the folks on the Hughes boat probably weren't enjoying their dinner as much as us. Captain Ephy did a great job of moving the boat into a more protected area for the night, and we all slept like babies, oblivious of the storm raging outside around us.

We're planning to do many more Nekton cruises in the coming years.