Was it seasickness?

[mi000ke]

I went on a dive boat today planning to do two drift dives. The trip to the reef was about 30 minutes in 3-4 foot seas. I felt completely fine on the ride out and also when I entered the water on the first dive. I have done only about 20 dives, half fresh water, half ocean. I was feeling a small bit anxious as I was using new gear today for the first time in an ocean dive (I had a couple of fresh spring dives with the equipment a few weeks ago). Once in the water I was completely fine. My dive buddy, who has done essentially all the same dives as me, was having weight distribution problems so after us futzing around at the surface he decided to get back on the boat to fix the issue. As this was my first time with this equipment in salt water I didn't have my weights distribution completely dialed in and decided to get out and redistribute my weight as well. Meanwhile he had wrapped our buoy line about 10 times around my leg. Not a big deal. I did expend a lot of energy unwrapping the line and getting back into the boat in choppy seas but no panic at all.

As soon as I pulled myself up on ladder I was overcome with intense nausea. I cancelled the dive (there were 3 of us on the boat so the other two completed the dive). The boat captain said it was seasickness and the best thing would be to get back in the water. I was too sick even to stand at that point and thought that vomiting into my regulator underwater would probably not be a good thing, so I passed.

I grew up on the ocean, sailed for years as a kid. I have been on boats, ships, cruises, water taxis, sailboats - you name it - and have never come even close to being seasick. I have also never had motion sickness - even on intense rollercoasters. And this is over a long time period - I'm in my 60s

Before the dive I took 60 mg of pseudo ephedrine which I have been doing without a problem for the past 10 dives due to equalization issues. The only thing I did differently is that I did not eat before dive. I usually try to carb up before diving. Finally it was in the high80s and I did a lot of sweating in my 5mm waiting for the others to suit up.

i was still in rough shape when we got back to the dock. By the time I was home an hour later I was 90% back to normal and an hour later had dinner and felt fine.

Captain insisted it was seasickness. I think either low blood sugar, dehydration or food poisoning from the dinner I had a a dive bar (not as is scuba diving) the night before.

has anyone else had the experience of getting seasick AFTER getting in the water? Do you think I was seasick for the first time?

 

[lamarpaulski]

I bet you swallowed a fair amount of salt water during your struggles with the line in the choppy waters and didn't notice it. Or inhaled boat exhaust. Or a combination with anxiety and dehydration thrown in.
The swell and chop probably didn't help either. Just pure sea-sickness would have affected you prior to dive #1 based on my experiences. Whatever the diagnosis YOU didn't feel up to risking things.

Good, mature call not going back in, in my opinion.

I went on a dive boat today planning to do two drift dives. The trip to the reef was about 30 minutes in 3-4 foot seas. I felt completely fine on the ride out and also when I entered the water on the first dive. I have done only about 20 dives, half fresh water, half ocean. I was feeling a small bit anxious as I was using new gear today for the first time in an ocean dive (I had a couple of fresh spring dives with the equipment a few weeks ago). Once in the water I was completely fine. My dive buddy, who has done essentially all the same dives as me, was having weight distribution problems so after us futzing around at the surface he decided to get back on the boat to fix the issue. As this was my first time with this equipment in salt water I didn't have my weights distribution completely dialed in and decided to get out and redistribute my weight as well. Meanwhile he had wrapped our buoy line about 10 times around my leg. Not a big deal. I did expend a lot of energy unwrapping the line and getting back into the boat in choppy seas but no panic at all.

As soon as I pulled myself up on ladder I was overcome with intense nausea. I cancelled the dive (there were 3 of us on the boat so the other two completed the dive). The boat captain said it was seasickness and the best thing would be to get back in the water. I was too sick even to stand at that point and thought that vomiting into my regulator underwater would probably not be a good thing, so I passed.

I grew up on the ocean, sailed for years as a kid. I have been on boats, ships, cruises, water taxis, sailboats - you name it - and have never come even close to being seasick. I have also never had motion sickness - even on intense rollercoasters. And this is over a long time period - I'm in my 60s

Before the dive I took 60 mg of pseudo ephedrine which I have been doing without a problem for the past 10 dives due to equalization issues. The only thing I did differently is that I did not eat before dive. I usually try to carb up before diving. Finally it was in the high80s and I did a lot of sweating in my 5mm waiting for the others to suit up.

i was still in rough shape when we got back to the dock. By the time I was home an hour later I was 90% back to normal and an hour later had dinner and felt fine.

Captain insisted it was seasickness. I think either low blood sugar, dehydration or food poisoning from the dinner I had a a dive bar (not as is scuba diving) the night before.

has anyone else had the experience of getting seasick AFTER getting in the water? Do you think I was seasick for the first time?

 

[mi000ke]

I bet you swallowed a fair amount of salt water during your struggles with the line in the choppy waters and didn't notice it. Or inhaled boat exhaust. Or a combination with anxiety and dehydration thrown in.
The swell and chop probably didn't help either. Just pure sea-sickness would have affected you prior to dive #1 based on my experiences. Whatever the diagnosis YOU didn't feel up to risking things.

Good, mature call not going back in, in my opinion.

yes, I noticed a lot of salt taste in my mouth after getting on board plus I did get a good dose of exhaust waiting my turn at the ladder. Hadn't thought about that. Good call.

 

[BRT]

Floating on the surface in rough seas in the exhaust and trying to problem solve would get me in a minute. I'd be fine as soon as I was on the bottom. Safety stop and above would not be so good. They taught us years ago that you can vomit through your reg and I have proved that more than once.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba 2]

Saltwater, diesel fumes, chop, time and problem solving get quite a few divers after surfacing. I agree with the above posters on that.

 

[uncfnp]

I think you can pretty much rule out low blood sugar, dehyderation or food poisoning as well.

 

[bubble doctor]

Combination of everything! I 'never get seasick' really either (grew up on boats), but a few times this year I've had something odd to eat before going out in a bit of a chop, hot and sweaty in my wetsuit and off I go to feed the fish!

I've never thought about the exhaust either though, I remember one time getting back on after a dive and was hanging my head over the side before I'd really set foot on deck!

 

[Steve_C]

I rarely get seasick and do not take any meds to avoid it. A couple of times in rough water I have had it hit me after dive one and before dive 2. Usually I am fine once in the water. Once I thumbed it, laid down, and took a nap.

 

[Bob DBF]

I agree with the skipper, seasickness. Of course all the other factors didn't help. On a boat there are a lot of tricks to avoid seasickness, you loose some of them when you get in the water, and anything that stresses you puts you that much closer.

My daughter suffers sometimes even with medication. Our first boat dive she told me we needed to submerge ASAP after we hit the water because once she was underwater any symptoms of seasickness disappeared. We also came up right by the ladder to avoid problems on the way back.

I've spent a lot of time on the water and, knock on wood, I've only been on the edge of seasick twice, one did not involve anywhere near rough water but being in a hot compartment with no view and poor ventilation. It was the contributing factors that we're getting to me, but I would have been sick, any of the sailors around me would have told you I was seasick.



Bob

 

[TMHeimer]

I think it was something other than any seasickness at all. Maybe some of the answers given, like blood sugar, food poisoning, etc. I would doubt it had anything to do with swallowing salt water. I've done that with no effect. I too am in my 60s and like you have NEVER had any signs of any seasickness/motion sickness in any situation. I would doubt all of a sudden that would change because of waves or boat fumes.