Day 2--Dive FIT in Ft Lauderdale

[billieball]

Greetings all. I'm a "science diver" (via SCUBA), and have recently begun a journey into freediving at the behest of my significant other, Todd. We have been scuba diving for a while, and freediving to about 20 feet in Panama City, FL. Now, with the help of Dive FIT (Martin Stepanek & Paul Kotik), we are greatly improving our skills. We have both reached personal bests in static apnea (4:45 & 5:00), and were going to be doing wonderfully in open water. Well, until we had a huge brunch, got on a boat, and then experienced the "perfect storm." Okay, it wasn't really that bad...lightning, thunder, 5' waves...day in the water-park, right? My husband and I were the only students hurling with each swell of water, which led to a few fish surrounding us. Cool for everyone else, not much so for us. The good thing is the two instructors are perhaps the most patient, most understanding people I've ever had the pleasure to learn from EVER. As a graduate teaching assistant at FSU, I've worked with many instructors thoroughout my academic endeavors. None were as caring as Martin and Paul. I am hoping tomorrow's seas will be a bit calmer, I plan on eating a VERY light meal beforehand, and I know I will accomplish another personal best of some sort or another. If any of you has any advice for conquering seasickness while freediving, let me know! It's not like we can hover below at 10' for any significant length of time as we do in scuba. Peace, and if anyone is interested, I'll post again about Day 3!

 

[rslomkow]

For sea-sickness remedies there are lots of stuff out there. Chemical, natural-chemical (ginger).

But for situational. What works for me:

1) get off the boat as soon as possible
2) float in the water
- do not look at the boat
- do not stay near the stern (diesel fumes make it worse)
- do not hold onto the anchor line or other rope
3) relax your body
- use the snorkel and let your body flow with the waves while looking into the ocean

This for me breaks the illusion of standing on something stable. Of course in large swell the sea-sickness return as soon as I try going up the ladder. :hungover

On the boat.

1) closing eyes helps
2) lie down flat (on your back)
3) move to the center-prow of the boat (depends on design)
- avoid the diesel fumes
- get more fresh air passing by you
- you get less side to side motion (though more vertical drops)

For natural-chemical help. You could try ginger, I have used it on live-aboards (3 or 4 day). The problem is it is most effective raw, and it takes about 10-30 minutes for the effect to kick in and about 15-30 minutes for the effect to wear off. So it only really works for me if I am constantly chewing it and it makes your stomach feel odd. Not as bad as sea-sickness, but not really a resting peaceful stomach either.

Low food helps both with apnea and sea-sickness.

Hopefully some combination of this advice will help for you!

 

[shoutatthesky]

Welcome aboard, Billieball

Ginger is indeed a great stomach smoother. I sell alot of ginger beer to customers about to drive over the hills:yack:yack.
In my own experience I have found two things to be highly effective. 1) Fresh air. 2) learn to savour the movement. This may sound silly but it works for me. I used to get so so sick on any boats but now I love a bit of a swell. I get as far to the bow/ front as possible, grab a rail, go with the movement of the vessel and enjoy the ride!

 

[deep thinker]

Firstly hi and welcome to DB
Now that thats sorted Id also like to say its good to hear your enjoying the coarse. About your seasickness, Ive had that problem for a very long time untill recently. Yes Ive finally found my answer after 2 years .
1- Dont eat much before going out, a apple, energy bar, a banana and some raw almonds or something like that is enough, eat when you get back. Avoid going to a restaurant or something like that before hand, if it cant fit in one hand its no good.
2- Make sure to drink enough water and also take some water and a energy drink on the boat with you, energy drink meaning, energade, powerade, lucozade or something like that not redbull or one of those high caffiene ones.
3- Take some enos and rennies with you on the boat, basically something that works for acid indigestion and heartburn, chew on the rennies before you dive and take a sachet of enos when you start feeling quesy or one before you get on the boat and one about ten minutes before your dive, I found this works best.
4- Make sure you are comfy in your suit, I also narrowed my seasickness down to this, my suit was too tight around my neck and head, ear area, so I cut some strips into the neck peice of my suit and also on each ear. Another thing that can cause seasickness is the cold water on you face while your head is warm, this helps for that and the constricted feeling. Also perhaps enlarge the exposed facial area that can help too.

These four points is what helped me overcome seasickness while diving, I tried ginger, basically I tried everything even epilepsy tablets so stick to it and youll get your answer.
Happy Diving to you and yours

 

[atomichaggis]

Keep Your head up and vision level with or above the horizon.
Sickness on boats usually happens when You are looking down to fix gear or read etc.

My mrs gets sick on buses if She reads... I told her not to read and the problem vanished. If You are looking at something fixed whilst moving around You will feel at least a bit disorientated or dizzy.

 

[monkeyhatfork]

I would guess that this could be amplified by any anxiety from the course it'self. I personally don't get seasick, but I could see getting pretty worked up on the way out to the first big dive day. In which case you would want to make sure your not putting any unessesary presure on yourselves, dwelling on a huge personal best, etc. though thats certainly what we all hope for

 

[Tony Babowicz]

Hey Billie, I was on your float on Sunday, aka "the graduate student turned freediving junkie" and I thought you did great. If I remember correctly, your day was full of personal bests. Not bad for big seas and a greasy brunch. You handled it like a champ and I look forward to diving with you on Tuesday. Sorry I couldn't make it today, even the free spirits have to pay their bills. see you tomorrow. Tony

 

[billieball]

See you tomorrow, Tony!

 

[Tony Babowicz]

prepare for your best day ever! They are calling for seas 2 feet or less.I'm sure Martin and Paul have a great day in store for you guys!

 

[MKDVR]

FYI. On last nights episode of Mythbusters they covered motion sickness. I don't recall everything they used for the test but the only thing that seemed to work was the Ginger pills. Personally, Dramamine works for me but the drowsiness kicks my ass badly. I'd be willing to try something Ginger based in the future.