Places like Whole Foods are the most likely to find real ginger ale. I think there are a few companies that make some pretty good micro-brew ginger ale with real ginger, Reed's comes to mind (
www.reedsgingerbrew.com). I've also had good luck with hot tea made from actual ginger root... just drop a chunk in hot water and let it steep.
As for me, I've never had a problem with seasickness in my life... until this year. Why, who knows, but I had three normal boat trips early in the year, the middle one through some fairly substantially moving waters, and the most recent pair through fairly tame waters. Guess which two I yakked on? I've now learned my lesson, and take Bonine the night before I leave, and again in the morning. No problems on my last boat, so far so good.
Bonine, Dramamine II, and some generic stuff are all meclizine. Look for it in the active ingredient. Works great, non-drowsy. The important tip that I've gotten from several seasick-prone friends is to get the stuff in your system a LONG time before you get on the boat... the 1/2 hour or whatever it says on the package doesn't cut it. You want to take it the night before at the latest. Have your system saturated long before ever stepping foot on the boat.
The Scolpamine patch and Scolpace pills are the same ingredient in different forms as well, and I believe both require a prescription. I like the flexible nature of the pills better, and like that you don't have to worry about it coming off in the water, likely or not. If Bonine didn't work for me, I'd be all over Scolpace pills as a second choice.
Dramamine works well for some, but has drowsy side effects that bother some more than others, so I'd recommend against it. If you're already using it and it works, great, otherwise I'd try a meclizine-based product first. Both should be taken the night before, however, and again in the morning, to ensure your body is well saturated before you get on the boat.
