Is Something Keeping
You from Enjoying Boating?
What do you do when one person’s dream activity is another
person’s worst nightmare?
Sometimes, a single personal issue
keeps an entire family from taking up
the activity. Maybe you can’t swim, a
family member suffers from motion
sickness or you are concerned about
boating with very young children.
With a little pre-planning you too
can share in a wonderful new world
on the water with your family.
Motion sickness is caused by the
mixed messages your brain receives
from your eyes, ears, muscles, joints
and even your skin. About one-third
of the population is highly susceptible
to it, so you’re not alone. Lucky us –
females are more likely to be affected,
particularly during menstruation and
pregnancy. However, we continued
boating until I was eight months pregnant and I never felt any different,
except of course when I was trying to
nimbly jump onto the dock or bend
down to tie off lines!
There are ways to handle this. To
minimize motion sickness choose a
forward facing seat in the middle of
the vessel and keep your eyes on the
distant horizon. While you might be
tempted to go below and lay down, a
confined space is the worst place to
be; a steady supply of fresh air is a
much better bet.
Perhaps your grandmother told
you about the nausea-reducing effects
of chewing ginger. Although some
consider it a ‘folk remedy’ others find
real relief this way, particularly if part
of the problem is nerves.
Over-the-counter and prescription
