Small boat tour in rough waters: Breakfast? Day Pack?

[SempreMare]

2 days before my Holland America cruise begins in Seward, I am taking the Major Marine 8.5 hour northwestern fjord day cruise.

 

From reading the TripAdvisor reviews, the nature and views are awesome. However, there is a patch of very rough waters that frequently affects a good # of people on board, even people who don't normally get sea sick.   Reading some of those reviews almost dissuaded me from signing up, but I did anyway.    The upside just sounds too wonderful to pass up.  Even the people who did get sick reported that the staff was awesome at helping and caring for those who did get sick.    I've only been on 1 cruise.  I did not become seasick, but seas were calm. 

 

Questions:   

 

1. If you (or a family member or friend) who tends to get seasick were in the same position as me, what would you have for breakfast?    Anything in particular to avoid? 
   It's too long a day to not eat anything although I'm tempted to simply plan on not eating breakfast.   
    
2. What should I pack in my daypack for a long day boat tour like this?   (both for general "fjord cruise" boat tours and seasickness)

 

Packing list so far.  The Seasick stuff is from reading the TripAdvisor reviews.  

 

=== Seasick Stuff

Dramamine - Pharmacist said to take Meclizine, not Dramamine to avoid drowsiness for a daytime activity.  Take 1 hour before ship leaves.

Bracelet - do these really work? 

Ear Patch -  this one seems to get great reviews, and their fakespot.com grade = A "minimal deception involved in reviews"  which is rare to see.  Impressive! 

Crackers

1 bottle of water or Ginger ale  (I realize I’ll need more than 1 bottle of water for a 8.5 hr day but I believe there will be drinks on the boat)

Ginger candy

"Emesis" bags ! (learned a new word)

Hankerchiefs

Kleenex pouches

 

=== Tech

Camera, spare battery, spare SD card

2 x 5000 mAh iPhone battery packs

 

=== Other

Mosquito repellent spray /  wipes.  These will already be in my day bag and will stay in my day bag  (I'd guess I won't need them on this day)

Emergency food (a power bar) if I feel ravenously hungry.

I was thinking about adding a cheese stick or those round cheese things in wax if I can find them in the Seward grocery store ahead of time. Even a small amount of cheese keeps my tummy from growling and are good energy.  (My favorite yummy snack:  1oz cube of cheese, a handful of pistachios, and 3 big olives)

 

I will  find my waist bag from hiking Olympic National Park last summer and transfer purse contents into that.   Waist bags are not the most fashionable things, but I think it's prudent given the priority of balance vs hanging on to a purse / keeping it on my shoulder.   A waist bag would be easier to move into and out of my day pack too.

 

I'm mentally prepared for this being a physically tiring day.  In @Anita Latte's Amazing Alaska experience EPIC posts, I believe she described being on a boat tour in rougher waters was like "working out on a balance board for several hours."

 

SO looking forward to experiencing Alaska!

 

Edited May 8, 2019 by SempreMare

[masterdrago]

I recall taking a large boat (80+ feet) on a fjord tour in 1995. I think it was out of Seward but not absolutely sure. We cruised down to just beyond the bottom end of the fjord. It was mostly calm cruising. We saw a whale come up near the boat and I have Velvia slides of the event. Our group of 8 was standing just in front of the helm outside when we transitioned from the fjord waters into the gulf of Alaska. At that point we were completely exposed to the currents and winds of the Pacific ocean. The transition change was immediate. There were swells of not remembered heights but I do remember the frequency at about 15-20 per minute. Our group, at that point, had to work to keep our feet planted and stay balanced and perched in one spot. It was just as someone described as standing on a 2 foot board with a 5 inch ball under the middle. "working out on a balance board for several hours"  No one in our group got sea sick and I attribute that to the fact that we were all out in the open and could see our surroundings.

Sorry I really could not answer your questions but the Meclizine 25mg CVS generic version is what we will be taking. And it looks like the other stuff in your pack looks about right. Add a rain jacket if you feel the need.

Edited May 9, 2019 by masterdrago

[mapleleaves]

The rough patch is when you enter the Gulf of Alaska.  And even on the calmest day, that area is always rough.

On a bad day, it can be rough even in Resurrection Bay ..... I've been out twice where the boat turned around in the Bay due to rough seas ahead. 

You need to discuss  meds with your physician..... what works for someone on this board isn't necessarily the best answer for you, your health conditions,and current prescriptions.   And I believe dramamine etc need to be taken a couple of hrs prior to sailing.  I waited until I boarded the boat so they provided zero relief. That was on the 2 trips where we turned around.  On the calm days I 'powered thru' the Gulf of Alaska ' without meds.  I was on the verge of turning green  but luckily the rough area ended.

I always have snacks in my daypack, but when I'm turning green, eating cheese, crackers or anything, isn't an option.  Maybe it's different for you.  Ginger Ale would probably be fine, but I take water, and when I ;m sick I don't even want water.    ( include Blistex, kleenex, sunglasses in your pack).

It's a fantastic trip ! Enjoy !

 

 

[SempreMare]

5 hours ago, masterdrago said:

No one in our group got sea sick and I attribute that to the fact that we were all out in the open and could see our surroundings.

 

Reviewers on TA said something about that.... The crew on the ship advised that being able to 'see the horizon' would help.  

 

On a relatively small boat, can't you always "see the horizon" ? 

[SempreMare]

5 hours ago, mapleleaves said:

The rough patch is when you enter the Gulf of Alaska.  And even on the calmest day, that area is always rough.

On a bad day, it can be rough even in Resurrection Bay ..... I've been out twice where the boat turned around in the Bay due to rough seas ahead. 

 

Yikes.   Is there a website for water conditions specifically in that area? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Suzanne123]

In my experience, if the people at the tour desk give you the option for a refund because the water is rough that day, take it.

https://www.oceanweather.com/data/

Seward is about 60 latitude and 149 longitude.  

Edited May 9, 2019 by Suzanne123

[Anita Latte]

Waaaaay back during my senior year in high school...we got to do several senior class field trips, one of which was a whale watching tour out of Monterey Bay. This was the first time that I realized that I don't get sea sick too easily...as I was one of five that didn't get struck with it on the boat that I was on. When the boat is in motion...not too bad...even if the seas are rough, the forward momentum of the boat isn't the motion that generally causes the motion sickness. You may be bumping up and down as the boat hits the swells...and you may feel your teeth rattle, but your tummy isn't awful.

 

What is awful is when the boat is just hanging out, while the cruisers get to admire the scenery or look for wildlife...the boat just sits there and bobs around...and that constant motion is what gets to you.

 

That's when the keep your eye ON the horizon makes a difference. IDK the mechanics for the reasoning but it makes a HUGE difference for your eyes to be focusing on a NON-MOVING object while you are bobbing up and down and all around. You can't look at the water directly...it's in constant motion. You can't look at the near scenery because your own movement makes what you are looking at move all around. The appearance of the flat line of the horizon...appearing flat because it is so far in the distance...the waves aren't apparent...this does something to settle yourself.

 

My guess is that when you can focus on something that is static, you can get your head to stop moving all around. It's like opposite world for bobble head...your head is relatively steady while your neck down...or even ribs or waist down...is in motion adjusting to dips and rises underfoot. My guess is that you are able to keep your ears more steady and that's what really helps you to overcome the feeling of motion / sea sickness. 

 

My guess about people being affected that aren't normally affected? They could be stuck inside...fresh air is amazingly helpful...and perhaps these folks weren't prepared for the weather or were too affected by it (cold and / or wind?) to stay outside for too long? WINDPROOF gloves...very helpful. And ANY warm hat. No matter how nice the weather may seem on land...when you get outside, on the cold water, in the wind, and around the glaciers...it will feel cooler...there is probably a wind chill or water chill that happens just because you are on a boat. So be prepared to be outside.

 

Also...depending on the direction that the boat is headed and where your focus is...and how often you give yourself a break from whatever it is that you are looking at...you know, the whole purpose of taking the scenic cruise...you may not be looking in the direction of the horizon. You may not have the horizon in view...it could be obscured by the mountains or other landscape as the boat heads into fjords, etc. In that case, I would try looking at the outline of the mountain...the silhouette line...as that is the closest thing to a horizon that I can imagine sitting here in my living room. Find something to look at that helps you steady your head.

 

Green apples are a classic sea sickness remedy food.

 

When I think of the impending feeling of actually being physically sick...that tightness in the back of your throat and the kind of excess saliva that can suddenly happen...I think that a good battle for that would be a hard candy or gum? Something that you can keep in your mouth and continue swallowing without actually having to eat. I'm thinking green apple jolly ranchers or something else that isn't too sweet. Peppermint gum. Peppermints. 

[masterdrago]

Excellent advice from Anita. I'll remember Green Apples. We have been advised to pick up snacks and such in Anchorage since some of the other places are small and have reduced selections. Green Apples. We boated Lake Conroe the last 10 years or so. It's a very rough lake running long in the direction of the prevailing wind and lots of boat chop on weekends. Sometimes a big storm will build on one end and send rather large rollers up the lake. These can cause really disturbing rolling, dipping and diving for a 25' pontoon. We and none of our guests ever got sea sick and I think it was always due to being able to fix the horizon.

[mapleleaves]

2 hours ago, Suzanne123 said:

In my experience, if the people at the tour desk give you the option for a refund because the water is rough that day, take it.

https://www.oceanweather.com/data/

Seward is about 60 latitude and 149 longitude.  

 

Totally agree !   Both times our tour was cancelled, the office said something like ' the seas are rough but the capt won't make a decision until he's been out for half an hr.  You can take a full refund now, OR, if the tour gets shortened to a Bay tour, you'll get a refund on the difference."    They're in contact with other boats so they KNOW what the conditions are .... it's a ploy to get a little revenue for the day.

 

[Great Sky Girl]

When we went out we went through the rough spot and I am one that gets motion sick. I had the wrist bands and Meclizine and ginger gum. The ginger gum is what worked for me. I only got a little uneasy then. Also the ginger ale works, also. The trip was wonderful and I am so glad we went. I will say I did not see sunscreen on your list. You should use it.

[kjmcneil89]

11 hours ago, SempreMare said:

 

Yikes.   Is there a website for water conditions specifically in that area? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/Forecasts/FZAK51.PAFC.html this is the NOAA website of sea conditions, this is based on a buoy out in the open ocean and the seas are usually not as bad where the boats go closer in. I would check the Cape Clear to Gore Point forecast a few days before your trip. If it is anything 5ft and under it's going to be a nice day and you shouldn't have to worry about it. When I went out on the 8.5 hour cruise it predicted 6ft but it was pretty calm for the majority of the trip and no one on the boat got sick.

[Northern Aurora]

Seward is the community where Alaskans from the Interior and South Central tend to go for recreation.  Through the years we've done many day cruises with Major Marine, and I think on every one someone has experienced motion sickness.  The introductory comments include a statement to the effect that if you are experiencing motion sickness, go to the rear of the ship and "aim for distance."  While Major Marine sells a motion sickness OTC product, anyone concerned about motion sickness needs to be proactive and take something before they board.  

[dd57]

You do want to eat some breakfast; some slow release carbs like toast,  cereal or oatmeal.  I learned the hard way to avoid coffee, greasy food, and very sugary items.

[SempreMare]

@Anita Latte>> even if the seas are rough, the forward momentum of the boat isn't the motion that generally causes the motion sickness. You may be bumping up and down as the boat hits the swells...and you may feel your teeth rattle, but your tummy isn't awful. What is awful is when the boat is just hanging out, while the cruisers get to admire the scenery or look for wildlife...the boat just sits there and bobs around...and that constant motion is what gets to you.

Thank you for the vivid description of exactly what to watch out for.  At first that seems counter-intuitive to me but then it makes sense.

@Anita Latte>> That's when the keep your eye ON the horizon makes a difference. IDK the mechanics for the reasoning but it makes a HUGE difference for your eyes to be focusing on a NON-MOVING object while you are bobbing up and down and all around. You can't look at the water directly...it's in constant motion. You can't look at the near scenery because your own movement makes what you are looking at move all around. The appearance of the flat line of the horizon...appearing flat because it is so far in the distance...the waves aren't apparent...this does something to settle yourself.

>> My guess is that when you can focus on something that is static, you can get your head to stop moving all around. It's like opposite world for bobble head...your head is relatively steady while your neck down...or even ribs or waist down...is in motion adjusting to dips and rises underfoot. My guess is that you are able to keep your ears more steady and that's what really helps you to overcome the feeling of motion / sea sickness. 

There she goes again, clearly explaining a fuzzy concept in a way that satisfies the logic side of my brain as well as the intuitive part! 

@Anita Latte>>  WINDPROOF gloves...very helpful. And ANY warm hat. No matter how nice the weather may seem on land...when you get outside, on the cold water, in the wind, and around the glaciers...it will feel cooler...there is probably a wind chill or water chill that happens just because you are on a boat. So be prepared to be outside.
 

Yep.  Need to take inventory of my gloves.  My fave pair of mittens are definitely not windproof.

@Anita Latte>> Also...depending on the direction that the boat is headed and where your focus is...and how often you give yourself a break from whatever it is that you are looking at...you know, the whole purpose of taking the scenic cruise...you may not be looking in the direction of the horizon. You may not have the horizon in view...it could be obscured by the mountains or other landscape as the boat heads into fjords, etc. 
>> In that case, I would try looking at the outline of the mountain...the silhouette line...as that is the closest thing to a horizon that I can imagine sitting here in my living room. Find something to look at that helps you steady your head.

 

OK.

 

[SempreMare]

On 5/9/2019 at 8:36 AM, mapleleaves said:

 

Totally agree !   Both times our tour was cancelled, the office said something like ' the seas are rough but the capt won't make a decision until he's been out for half an hr.  You can take a full refund now, OR, if the tour gets shortened to a Bay tour, you'll get a refund on the difference."    They're in contact with other boats so they KNOW what the conditions are .... it's a ploy to get a little revenue for the day.

 

 

From reading all the reviews (i.e., not first hand experience),  this tour company (Major Marine) seems both ethical,  professionally run, and very caring when someone gets sick.   Several reviewers of tours that had to be shortened stated "they refunded me immediately and more than what I expected", etc.

 

I would rather go out for a 30 min tour than none at all, and receive the difference refunded, especially with a company like that. 

Edited May 12, 2019 by SempreMare

[SempreMare]

On 5/9/2019 at 10:49 AM, Great Sky Girl said:

 I had the wrist bands and Meclizine and ginger gum. The ginger gum is what worked for me. I only got a little uneasy then. Also the ginger ale works, also. The trip was wonderful and I am so glad we went. I will say I did not see sunscreen on your list. You should use it.

Thanks for the tip re: Ginger gum and noticing I left Sunscreen off my list! 

 

I wish I could still edit the base note, darn it.  But I updated my Google Doc packing list.

[SempreMare]

On 5/9/2019 at 2:15 PM, kjmcneil89 said:

https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/Forecasts/FZAK51.PAFC.html this is the NOAA website of sea conditions, this is based on a buoy out in the open ocean and the seas are usually not as bad where the boats go closer in. I would check the Cape Clear to Gore Point forecast a few days before your trip. If it is anything 5ft and under it's going to be a nice day and you shouldn't have to worry about it. When I went out on the 8.5 hour cruise it predicted 6ft but it was pretty calm for the majority of the trip and no one on the boat got sick.

 

Thanks so much @kjmcneil89 for that website link!   And it's great to know the "rules of thumb" you suggested.  Otherwise that would seem huge to me!  Especially when I think how high 5' is compared to my perception of how high the boat is in the water!   :eek: 

Edited May 12, 2019 by SempreMare

[mapleleaves]

12 hours ago, SempreMare said:

 

From reading all the reviews (i.e., not first hand experience),  this tour company (Major Marine) seems both ethical,  professionally run, and very caring when someone gets sick.   Several reviewers of tours that had to be shortened stated "they refunded me immediately and more than what I expected", etc.

 

I would rather go out for a 30 min tour than none at all, and receive the difference refunded, especially with a company like that. 

 

Who said anything about 30 minutes ?

If the Gulf waters are rough and the tour is downgraded; it becomes the Resurrection Bay tour, so you'll be out there for a few hours.  The Bay is considered sheltered waters so it would be the full tour.  

On both downgraded tours we saw lots of seabirds, sealions, a few mountain goats, bald eagles and nest.  

[SempreMare]

That's great news; thank you @mapleleaves