Golden rules for avoiding seasickness
Don’t let seasickness ruin your sailing vacation in Croatia. Here are some golden rules.
There is nothing like sailing. In Croatia, the blue seas of the Adriatic will make you fall in love with the country and you will know right away you chose correctly. Although the sailing experience will take you to incredible places (check the 16 reasons why we love sailing in Croatia here), the journey could be quite a challenge if you are sensitive to motion because of seasickness.
You might not even know you have seasickness if you have never set foot on a boat (or a boat that is not a big cruiser). It can be really frustrating, after all, sailing vacation plans hardly ever include getting sick. Unfortunately, seasickness can affect everyone and it’s quite unpredictable. From beginners and first-timers up to the most experienced sailors in the world, everyone can get seasick.
Despite all of that, the good news is that there are some simple things you can do that will bring you closer to having a seasick-free sailing experience. Just check below Nava’s golden rules to avoid seasickness on your next sail vacation!
Be well rested
Our first golden rule is to just get a good night’s sleep before starting your sailing. This tip might seem simple, yet being well-rested can make all the difference. So, the night before departure from terra firma, make sure you’re fully charged (just like your phone)
Help your brain understand what’s going on
Usually, nausea and other motion sickness happens when our body receives different stimuli. Our brain has a hard time coping with them and we start feeling sick. While navigating in the sea, the waves often shake our boats from side to side and that’s when we can get seasick. To help that, it’s always a good idea to look to the horizon, this gives you a sense of movement and will bring some peace to our disoriented brains, most likely calming down your sickness. Another good practice is to avoid activities that require us to stare at a certain fixed point for a long time. We should stay away from reading and using binoculars for that reason.
Mind what you eat and drink
Some might say that getting on a boat and sailing away requires a strong stomach. There is some truth in that. Having a nice and light diet aboard a boat could be a life savior for avoiding seasickness. A good practice is to avoid greasy and spicy food, especially during your stay on the boat. Just stick to foods you already know do you no harm and you’ll be in the clear. Another tip is to not abuse alcohol. As much as we want to party and enjoy our time on board, keep in mind that a boat is not the best place for having a hangover.
Keep hydrated
Keeping hydrated is a really important tip, not just to combat seasickness, but to give you a strong and healthy body. When you sail, you are usually exposed to a lot of wind and sunlight. As beautiful and fascinating as this might be, it’s also the perfect recipe for getting sunburnt and sick. The recommendation is to drink around 2 litres of water per day, something close to 8 glasses will make all the difference in your sailing experience in Croatia, trust us. And don’t drink the water from the water tanks as it will taste funny and it’s not recommended.
Some natural allies
In the battle against motion and sea sickness, there is no better natural solution than ginger. It has been said that ginger has been helping sailors from different parts of the world since ancient times. And it does. No one quite understands why, but consuming ginger and products derived from it will help combat nausea in a natural style. If you are looking for a medicine-free solution to your seasickness and nausea, here it is.
Fresh air
Another natural ally for dizziness on board is to get some fresh air. Having the feeling of air blowing in our face helps our brain understand that we are moving and it can bring some relief for nausea.
Sleeping
If nothing else seems to work, sleeping could be a good idea. Staying in the lower part of the boat, where usually the beds are, is recommended only if you don’t have to be awake. Although in the lower areas of the boat the movement of waves is weaker, the close space may also cause disorientation and therefore sickness. This doesn’t quite apply when we are sleeping so it might be a positive choice to just sleep through this hard time. After a while, our body tends to understand what is going on and the sickness naturally goes away.
Medications
If you already know how your body reacts to motion and sailing and you don’t want to risk it, medications can be a good solution. Today, there are quite good options available in pharmacies, from pills to wrist bands and patches. Keep in mind that some medications may come with specific instructions and some unwanted side effects. Like any other treatment, it is important to consult with your doctor to see what will work best for you. The boat’s pharmacy contains among other medications DRAMINA pills for motion sickness. The correct dosage should be taken 30 minutes before the journey starts with plenty of water and just after a meal.
We hope this blog will come in handy for your sailing vacation in Croatia and that you’ll be enjoying our beautiful coastline rather than feeling sick. This could be an endless list, there are a thousand tips on what to do and what not to but in the end, it all comes down to just trying to relax and enjoy our time on board doing what works best for us.
After all, sailing and exploring the wonders of the sea is worth it! Now it is your time, tell us, do you have any golden rule to add to our list? What makes part of your sail routine to avoid seasickness?
