That's My Story

Baja Seasick Remedies -published Sept. 2004 – Western Outdoor News

I just got off the water with clients about an hour before starting to write this column. In fact, I’m still sitting here in front of my laptop looking out over the Sea of Cortez and I realize I still have sand on my feet and some dried fish goop on my forearms. It was one of those banner days, amigos. We worked an area called Boca de Alamo on the pangas on the northern East Cape and it was the type of day when the waters go flat. You can’t tell where the sky ends and the waters begin. The sun seems to go from zero to a huge orb of white in nano-seconds and the fish come to the bait like tossing a French fry in front of a 9 year-old!

Conversation came around to seasickness. I don’t know how or why, but I think it was because I noticed a patch behind someone’s ear at the same time I saw one panga troll slowly by with some poor hombre draped over the bow like he was either sleeping it off or just praying someone would stop the danged boat. . .All of this in the middle of a pretty decent dorado bite with guys screaming and yelling and generally having a great time. There’s that ONE guy not having such a good time. If you’ve never been seasick, I pray you never do. If you’ve been seasick, you know what I’m talking about. You want someone to drop kick you into oblivion to put you out’ve your misery.

The client I was guiding for had been really worried about getting sick and I told him that it CAN happen, but generally, the Sea of Cortez is a lot more gentle than say…some lakes! Anyway, I told him to park a patch behind his ear if was really that worried since there’s no sense in ruining his day…let alone anyone else’s day! (MY day in particular to be honest!) But, being his first time panga fishing on the Sea of Cortez, he was pretty amazed and said he really hadn’t needed the patch at all. . .unlike the guy that had just gone by in the passing boat.

I guess seasickness has plagued folks since the dawn of dirt. I worked on quite a few boats and you’d be amazed how many crews and skippers do get sick from time to time and how we cope with it. I’ve certainly heard some doozies about how to cure it! It’s a lot like curing hiccups…except if you’re wrong, the consequences are a lot more…uh…let’s say “colorful” and uncomfortable!

One I heard involved sticking a lit cigarette in your ear! I’ve heard this from several people. Picture that. It’s a bit funny like sticking chopsticks in your nose at a sushi bar. I am told that putting the lit cigarette in one ear creates some kind of vacuum in the inner ear that helps stabilize the mechanism that causes the imbalance. Guys swear it works.

Another is drinking a lot of beer. OK. No laughing. En serio, amigos! Sounds like another fisherman’s excuse to tip a cold one, but some anglers drink beer on boats “to keep my balance and prevent seasickness.” I didn’t say these work. I said I’ve heard some doozies. All these years, here in Baja I just thought fishermen were drinking beer” because.” No other reason needed. As in “I drink beer because!” I had no idea there was an actual medicinal motivation!

Most recently, I heard that if you pinch your nose while you’re getting nauseated and inhale like you’re hyperventilating, it will also knock down the urge to visit the rail. Most assuredly, it will probably cure hiccups!

I dunno, I guess if you do al three…stick a lit cigarette in your ear; drink a beer AND pinch your nose while inhaling the comedy aspects should be enough to cure any mal de mar!

Seriously, however, I do get to deal with the issue quite often and fortunately, it’s not as bad as some folks think when they come fishing in the Baja, at least in the Sea of Cortez. It can be a whole different story on the Pacific side. Anyway, first rule of thumb is that prevention is better than the pain. If you think you’re gonna be sick, take something ahead of time. You paid all this good money to be here with your family or amigos. Fishing is a special time. Don’t blow it away because you’re blowing chunks. Take your seasick tabs or use the patch or whatever works for you whether it’s a band or electrical device or staying off the greasy foods. Think about not only your comfort, but also the comfort of your amigos around you. When the dorado come tearing through the chum and someone yells “hot rail” it’s pretty embarrassing when It’s YOU coming down the rail and everyone is diving out’ve your way. Maybe, when all is said-and-done, you really will not need the prevention, but take the precaution rather than finding out too late. It’s definitely too late when you’re turning green and the label on your medications say “Take 2 tablets THREE hours before travel.” You’re already toast!

When I’m guiding, I always bring a few things of my own in case someone says they might get queasy or they are already getting queasy. I bring chewable children’s Dramamine or Bonine. You don’t need water and you don’t necessarily have to take it before the event. All the better, if I can get the client to take the stuff before going fishing. I also carry generic meclezine. (No, not mescaline!) It’s the active ingredient that’s in many popular travel sickness medications. It’s cheap. It’s available over-the-counter AND it doesn’t make the client as goofy and sedated as some of the other types of medicines. It also doesn’t last as long in the angler. If it turns out to be a flat day, bueno! The stuff is out’ve their system instead of lingering all day.

For on-the-spot first aid, I always carry some crackers, some ginger tablets, and some Pepto Bismol with me. Ginger ale or ginger cookies work OK too, but the tablets are best. I’ll give them to clients who get past the point-of-no-return. It helps in most cases to knock down or knock out the nausea or hold down the acid.

Finally, it seems to go without saying, but doggone it, get enough sleep. Try not to see how late you can stay out at Squid Roe or win the Macarena contest at the Giggling Marlin Roe the night before you climb on the cruiser. Go easy on the nachos and jalapenos at Tio Pablo’s in Barriles or El Nido in Loreto before you board the cruiser. And, for Pete’s sake don’t try to “improve your balance” too much all night by chugging Coronas or sticking lit cigarettes in your ear! You’ll never live down the photos your amigos take of you.