Well, where certifiable!!!

[fppf]

Just getting back from our first adventure. Did our open water cert dives in Key Largo with Capt Slates. We had a wonderful time for all but my wife getting sea sick the first day. We are going to need to work on that. She did ok while under way but when we where anchored she got green in a hurry. The second day we went out we had her all geared up ready to go. When the motor stopped we pushed her off the back and she floated on the line until the rest of us got into the water. That helped her a lot and she enjoyed the second day very much.

On our first dive we saw a 5 foot nurse shark that followed us around the reef the whole dive. We also saw "Bruiser Jr" the first day, he is about a 50 lbs grouper. We dove the Anchore chain, the statue, and the wreck of the Washington. The second day we saw "Bruiser" which is a 75+ lbs grouper. He knows the sound of the dive boat we where on and followed us to our second dive spot. He gets feed every friday so he is a little domesticated and swims upto and around all the divers. He even lets you and seems to like to get pet.

Our instructor was able to spend more time with use touring the reef and less time working on skills because of the wonderful pool and class room skills we learned locally. We went through Dip n Dive in Buffalo NY for the pool and class room. The instructors there took there time and made sure you really understud everything and why. So now we are off in April to Maui to do some guided dives on the reefs down there. This summer we will take our advanced course in NY and do some wreck diving in lake erie.

The Adventure continues!

 

[luminary]

Congrats on the cert and welcome to the sport!

As someone who'se spent the vast majority of his time on a boat getting sick, I can commiserate with your wife! I've had trips where I puked on the way out, puked while suiting up, puked while sitting in the water, etc... you get the picture .

If it turns out that she is really susceptible to motion sickness, have her look into Scopace. It's a prescription pill form of scopolamine, the drug that's in the patch. Since I've started taking it, I haven't even felt nauseous on a boat and I've been out in some pretty rough seas. If she gives it a try, she needs to try it out on land first as the wrong dosage can cause side affects that are dangerous during diving (blurred vision, imbalance, reduced cognitave ability).

 

[reelfreak]

I've heard many good things about the scopace also. For a more natural approach Ginger helps. Not focusing on one area for too long helps too, keep scanning the horizon, looking at the other boats around you. My Dad and brother will get seasick tying fishing knots, seems the tedious little stuff will get you. I don't get seasick luckily, it's a good thing otherwise I would have to find a new Job!!!

Were the groupers, blacks or Jewfish?? They become quite tame when they are fed all the time (unlike the grouper here). The keys is a beautiful place, and MUST be seen from underwater.

 

[fppf]

Jewfish
My wife tried Boonien and that did not work, so then she tried Triptone and that seemed to help. She had the Scopace patch but it started making her feel light headed so she stopped using it. Maybe it was just to strong, she was going to talk to the doctor today.

 

[luminary]

It's been a looong time since I've researched it, but there are three active ingredients in the over the counter drugs. Bonine uses one, Drammamine and Triptone use another and I can't remember one of the ones that use the third. Bonine is the only one that ever came close to working for me. Drammamine and Triptone actually make me nauseous by themselves.

If she was getting light headed it was definitely too strong a dose. One thing to be clear, you said "Scopace patch". Scopace is a brand name specifically representing the pill form of scopolamine. The patch is a delayed release of scopolamine. I don't think the strength of the patch can be varied but I've never used it so I'm not sure.

In the pill form, it's much easier to regulate dosage. My dosage is one pill (according to their docs that's 0.4mg vs 1.5mg in the patch). If I take two pills, I can barely walk. The only side affect I get from one pill is cotton mouth.

 

[luminary]

As with most things diving related, DAN has a good article about it... http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/article.asp?articleid=60

 

[fppf]

Thanks I will have her bring up the pill form to her Doctor.

 

[bfenster]

My wife and I use the old ginger pill trick, we saw it on the show mythbusters and it worked for both of us. For some reason I would only get sick feeling whenever I zipped up my wetsuit, might be the small amout of pressure and the restriction of blood

 

[r00onmac]

yea ive heard the ginger thing, and im going to try it on my next trip.. i was in grenada and went out to a reef for a nice 30 foot free dive and when we were moving i was fine no matter what, but once we stopped i needed to jump in b/c i was getting sick... and after the dive when i was tired it was even worse...standing helped a little...

 

[luminary]

The key to ginger is to start taking it early....the few rare times that it has helped me, I started taking it the night before. Once you're already sick, it probably won't help, at least the pill form won't. For slight nausea, drink a Ginger Ale. The carbonation will help settle your stomach and the ginger will help keep it that way.

Yes, I've tried ALL the remedies