Motionsick...should I liveaboard?

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lord1234

Contributor
Messages
991
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15
Location
St. Pete, FL
# of dives
500 - 999
So, I get motion sick pretty easily. Should I both doing a liveaboard? Wife and I are heading to Thailand next year and its a decision between shore excursions and a 7 day liveaboard.
 
So, I get motion sick pretty easily. Should I both doing a liveaboard? Wife and I are heading to Thailand next year and its a decision between shore excursions and a 7 day liveaboard.
How are you on day boats?
 
A total Vomet Comet
 
A total Vomet Comet
We see lots of people with patches, bands and pills on LOBs. Have you tried any?

An LOB will be worse than a day boat and it will be 24 hours a day.
 
I found that original Dramamine taken a day or two before (not just day of diving) works for me. I went from being very sick around age 20 to being one of the few never sick. Have you tried taking motion sickness meds well in advance?
 
In general, the bigger the boat, the less the motion affects you.
 
In general, the bigger the boat, the less the motion affects you.
Agreed, but I would not consider LOBs to be "big". The largest I have been on is about 135 feet. Not quite as stable as a 3000 passenger cruise ship.

Every LOB I have been on has had lots of motion, especially on the mooring overnight.

And they avoid any kind of seas bigger than about 3 foot swells. That is why the T&C boats do not always get to French Cay and why the Cayman LOB sometimes stays at Grand Cayman and does not go to Little or Brac.
 
I am prone to motion sickness but we have done quite a few LOB trips. I am usually really sick the first night when there is a deep water crossing. If we stay near shore on the LOB without a deep water crossing I am usually okay (like St. Croix and Kona). But my body does adjust after a day and then I am fine for the rest of the trip, even in stormy weather. The first night is miserable, but I stay topside breathing the fresh air and feeling the wind on my face and looking at the horizon, and sometimes that helps. I have spent the entire night in a lounge chair on deck on a few occasions. I try not to eat much the first day/night and drink water if I can tolerate it. I take the motion sickness meds but I have had some bad drug reactions to them, so I am careful not to overdue it.

Even though I have had some really bad first nights, I have still greatly enjoyed all of our LOB trips.
 
Hi, @lord1234.

My experience with the many liveaboards I’ve been on is that they are generally more stable than dayboats due to the beam and length of the boat vs most day boats. With that said, liveaboards tend to also be out on open water and for extended periods during crossings than dayboats so that may make things “same same but different”. If you are looking to try it, I suggest you try the 3 day liveaboards that they have in Thailand rather than going for a straight 7. As suggested by another poster, I would start your medication a day or so before you go on the boat. Ask/book a room that is low and center and avoid those that are high and towards the bow or stern. Those will not be as ideal for you. I would consider season as well - go during a time that sees less wind with calm and clear days or pick an itinerary that has less open water crossings. Pick a larger boat. Don’t forget to also pick a steel hulled boat.
 
Don't forget your ginger snaps.

I've had friends with good success using the wristbands, others did better with the scopolamine patch behind their ear.

Watch the horizon and do please vomit over the side and downwind. :wink:
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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